Name: Sam Negus

Sport: Soccer

Year: Sophomore

Hometown: Reading, England 

High School: Bradfield College

Lily Goodfellow: When did you start playing soccer, or as you say “football”?

Sam Negus: So I started playing football as long as I can remember. Probably around four or five. I can’t remember exactly. I’ve just always been playing. 

LG: How did you end up coming here from England?

SN: I have family in America. So I’ve been over to visit them a few times and I’ve always loved America. And in America, you can be a college student athlete, which you can’t really do in England. So the idea of continuing my education and playing football, or soccer, is what really appealed to me. So that’s why I came here.

LG: What position do you play?

SN: I’m a goalkeeper. So the most important position, I think.

LG: What are the strengths you have that make you a great athlete?

SN: I think I’m very resilient and motivated, which I think is very important. I think that not everything gets given to you, so I am very motivated and hard-working, which keeps me going.

LG: How do you manage your athletic responsibilities with school and other activities?

SN: I kind of try to get into a routine so I get all of my classes and schoolwork done in the morning and then play soccer in the afternoon. I usually try to keep my evenings free to have free time and relax. I think staying in a routine is the most important thing and when I do that I usually do okay.

LG: What are your greatest accomplishments in soccer?

SN: I think my greatest accomplishments are when I was back in England, my high school team got to the national final and we won. So I think that’s probably my biggest achievement. And then I got on the all-conference all-region team last year, which was another big accomplishment.

LG: What is your favorite food?

SN: I love a good grill, so ribs, wings, steak. All that good stuff. 

LG: What are some of your favorite hobbies?

SN: I love to golf, so that’s usually what I do, especially in the summer. Over the winter I play a lot of indoor soccer. And watch TV a lot. Not very exciting. 

LG: What do you miss most about England?

SN: I definitely miss my family and friends the most. That was the hardest part about moving here. Everything else I can kind of live without, but the hardest part is definitely being away from family and friends. But I’m fortunate that I get to go back a couple of times a year and see them.

LG: What’s your favorite class right now?

SN: My favorite class right now is probably Economics. I want to go into business, so that’s definitely the one that interests me the most. I’ve got to do a math class at the moment, which is definitely my least favorite, I can tell you that.

LG: What are your future plans for soccer and school?

SN: So I’m planning on transferring to a four-year school to continue playing soccer and to continue my education. I’m in talks with a few schools at the moment. I’m not sure exactly where yet, but that’s my plan.

LG: What one word best describes you?

SN: I think I said it earlier, but probably just motivated. I’m very self-motivated. I don’t really need other people to motivate me. So, yeah, motivated.

LG: Thank you very much, Sam.

SN: Thank you. It was lovely to meet you.