Work Smarter, and Harder - Randy Fu
Randy Fu is a sophomore at St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH
How did you get involved in soccer and what do you love the most about the sport?
My journey with soccer started in the backyard of my house. When I was young, my dad and I would kick a soccer ball around the backyard for hours. I didn’t know anything about this sport back then, but my dad would always do silly moves to make me laugh, so I thought that it had to be a fun sport. Later in the year, after watching the World Cup games, I got so intrigued by soccer and started playing for my school team. One thing I love most about soccer is its inclusiveness. One doesn’t have to be as tall or fast as others to play great soccer.
What are some of the obstacles you’ve faced along your athletic journey and how did you manage to overcome them?
Injury has been a big part of my athletic career. I suffered a serious knee injury when I was 11, which kept me off the field for more than 6 months. It was a depressing period for me because 6 months was a long time for the 11-year-old me not to play soccer. Week after week I could only sit by the sideline and watch my teammates play. My dad later told me that there isn’t really any way to speed up the recovery, but there are always ways to improve. He told me that actually playing on the field is only one of them, and it is crucial to not waste my time. So I started working out and watching soccer videos online. 6 months later, I came back to the field a better player, and I was certainly glad that I didn’t waste all my time whining about the injury.
How has your athletic journey helped shape who you are today? How will it impact your future?
I was born in October 2005, and the situation has always been tricky for me when it comes to playing for my club. For my age group, the club only offered a combined team of 03/04/05 kids, and I was almost always the youngest player on the team. The age difference might not seem that obvious, but it was truly intimidating and hard for me to play with a bunch of grown guys who were way taller and bigger than me. I had to put more hours of work in to make up for the difference in physicality. Growing up competing for playing time with players who are older than me, I’ve become a very competitive and hard-working person. I always strive to do my best not only in sports but also in academics and other areas of my life. I think this trait will help me achieve my goals in the future.
What advice do you want to give to other Asian student-athletes who want to play soccer or other sports in general?
I come from China, where soccer isn’t a very popular sport. People make fun of it because of how bad the national team is. Occasionally, my friends will even roast me for playing soccer. However, I didn’t listen to the mockery and I kept playing soccer, and I had a lot of fun with the sport. Along this journey, I made friends, experienced new things, and got into my dream school, all thanks to the sport. I’m a firm believer that you shouldn’t give up your passion because of what other people tell you. Now, as exciting and glorious as it may seem to be a varsity athlete, I think it is merely a by-product of my passion and persistence for this sport. I believe that if you persist in what you truly love, good results will eventually come.
