Blake Brettschneider - By Drew Lattier
Brettschneider ready for another successful season on the field
This time last year, Blake Brettschneider was attending his first classes, just like most typical freshman would. What wasn't so typical about the Lilburn, Ga., native was that he had the shoes of a Division I soccer player to fill. A standout athlete coming from Parkview High School, Brettschneider entered the 2007 season eager to play at the collegiate level. For as big of an adjustment that it is to transition between high school and college soccer, the athletic freshman made it look easy. His first collegiate goal was the game-winning shot in an overtime victory over archrival Clemson. The forward went on to start all 19 games that season and was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team. "Freshman year went very well for me," Brettschneider said. "Coming in as a freshman is a learning experience where everything is new, but I think by the end of the season I was comfortable with our system." Making such a smooth adjustment to college athletics is a tough task, and Brettschneider credits the ease in transition to positive support from a myriad of people. "I had a lot of people that I could go to if I had questions, or people that could help me along the way," he said. "My parents were always there for me and I had great coaches." While in high school, Brettschneider looked up to older, more experienced players for advice on success in soccer at the next level. One of those players was Jeff Scannella, a standout player on this year's squad. The two played club-level soccer together at a younger age, and when the year-older Scannella went on to USC and had tremendous success, he was able to help his future teammate do the same. On top of playing extremely well on the field, Brettschneider has been able to do just as well in the classroom. As a freshman, the public relations student was selected to both the SEC and C-USA Academic Honor Roll. "As much as I'd love to have more free time, I love playing soccer and keeping your grades up is something you have to do in order to do that," Brettschneider said. "If you put the time in off the field and you put the time in on the field, it's almost impossible not to be successful." Gearing up for this upcoming season, the rising sophomore played for the Atlanta Silverbacks, a summer league soccer team for college athletes. In addition to keeping him in great shape, the league gave Brettschneider good competition during the summer months. Most of the Carolina soccer team participated in summer leagues throughout the country, and returned in top shape to jump start the team's season. "I think we are all dedicated and we worked very hard in the summer." Brettschneider said of his teammates. "If you don't prepare, you don't come in to the season in shape and you won't win." Blake Brettschneider Although young, the USC men's soccer team comes into this season returning the majority of those that played last year. Joining Brettschneider on the field will be many other talented players. Having a depth of quality players will be a major advantage for Carolina this season. "When people get tired, it's a really big benefit to have players come off the bench that can have a positive influence on the game," he said. "This year we'll have a lot of that because there is good competition for every position." This year for the men's soccer team, one thing is evident: there are plenty of players that have a dedicated work ethic and are driven to succeed. And without question, Brettschneider is one of those players.
Danila Monteiro - By Michael Baumann
Monteiro, lone senior, overcomes injury, prepares to take on leading role in pursuit of SEC championship
On the surface, it's hard not to feel bad for Danila Monteiro. Not only is she the lone senior on the USC women's soccer team and the only player born outside North America, but Monteiro has spent much of her collegiate career overcoming injuries, including an ACL tear that ended last season for the pocket-sized attacking midfielder. She doesn't seem too upset about it. "I don't believe that I've been through so many injuries and things and I'm still up," Monteiro said. "It seems like nothing can put me down. I'm getting stronger and stronger every day." In her first season with the Gamecocks after transferring from Young Harris Junior College in Georgia, the Sao Paulo, Brazil native scored seven goals and registered three assists in 19 games before injuring her knee. This season, Monteiro is healthy again and has a new challenge to face: leadership. Monteiro is one of three co-captains, along with junior midfielder Kim Miller and junior defender Blakely Mattern. According to Monteiro, the arrangement is working out extremely well. "We, all three, have different personalities, me, Miller and Blakely, and we work really well together," Monteiro said. "We have all different ideas and minds ... Blakely's more calm, so whatever she says, people pay more attention. Kim's more vocal. I play a lot - I'm more of a [joker]. I think there's a time for everything, that's why we complete each other." Monteiro enjoys her leadership role, and having two co-captains to lean on allows her to let her inner child out. "Being around these 14 freshmen, I'm in the position where I'm the most immature," Monteiro said. "Because I play around, I joke around and they're like, 'Is that our captain?'" The three co-captains are trying to lead USC, which enjoyed unprecedented success last year but was picked to finish fourth in the SEC East in the preseason coaches' poll, to even greater heights. Monteiro, who won a national junior college championship at Young Harris in 2006, is not at all bashful about stating her ambitions for the team. "The team has a goal to win the SEC championship. I really want to be there and win a title," Monteiro said. "I saw [the coaches' poll], but I think we have a talented and strong team. If they think we're fourth, that's great - we have to prove that we can be first." Her own personal goals are no less impressive. When she graduates, Monteiro plans to play professionally, and like her enthusiasm, her ambition knows no bounds; she wants to be mentioned in the same breath as another Brazilian: two-time defending World Footballer of the Year and World Cup Golden Ball winner Marta. "I don't want to be like Marta, I wouldn't say that. I've played against her, and that was a great opportunity to get to know her better," Monteiro said. "I don't want to be like her, but I want to have the same abilities." Despite her desire to play professionally, Monteiro is not ruling out staying in the game in another capacity. "I want to try my best to play professional soccer. If it's not on, it's not on, and I guess I'll be a coach. I love to coach young players and I've played soccer for 15 years, so I have experience enough to do that," Monteiro said. "We have camps and we work with little kids. I love kids, so for me it's great for me to be around them doing what they love to do and I love to do too." Monteiro's enthusiasm for younger players and effusive personality mask an intense competitive spirit that requires a little closer look - at the scars from her surgery, for instance - to discover. "I came from three different injuries-every spring I had a different one. That was sad at the end of last year," Monteiro said. "The last game I had to sit down. That put me down, but I had to be there for the team." Those injuries don't deter her from going all-out every play. "I'm going 100 percent. I work for it," Monteiro said. "My teammates support me, and if I'm going to get hurt I'm going to get hurt, and I think we have the people to replace me if I get hurt." The bubbly Brazilian has even learned to laugh at the injuries that have shaped and, to a certain extent, defined her collegiate career. She offered that maybe it would be best for her to get hurt again early this season; that way, she could apply for a medical redshirt and stay at USC for another season. "It's been a pleasure to play here, as a recruit I was scared. I didn't know anybody," Monteiro said, "but now I wish I had one more year. I really almost cry every night." Adjusting to life in a different country is certainly challenging, but Monteiro has learned to fit right in; she has the showdown with in-state rivals Clemson firmly in her mind, as well as the season finale with powerhouse Florida. All in all, the girl from Sao Paulo now can't say enough about her adopted home and appreciates the unique opportunity to play soccer and go to school at the same time - in Brazil, this is not always possible for young players. "This is my dream, so I'm here, I love being here. I heard about the Gamecocks and right when I transferred I was like 'Wow, my dream came true,'" Monteiro said. "It's completely different to come from Brazil, to come from high school, then junior college, then to have a big impact as a D-I, but I think I did a good job." Living thousands of miles from home, trying to lead a young team to a title against overwhelming odds and constantly battling injury is supposed to be difficult. Don't tell Danila Monteiro. She's having the time of her life.
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