Posted: Jan 17, 2019
Soto named SCAC's Male Character & Community Student-Athlete of the Week
SEGUIN, Texas – Texas Lutheran Men's Soccer player Brendan Soto (Georgetown/East View) has been named this week's Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Character & Community Male Student-Athlete of the Week for the week beginning January 14.
Soto, a senior goalkeeper, was a four-year letterman and started 39 career matches for the Bulldogs. In 2018, he led TLU to an 11-8 overall record and to a 9-6 mark in the SCAC. Soto and the Bulldogs advanced to the 2018 SCAC Tournament semifinal round, losing in overtime to eventual conference champion Trinity.
"(TLU Soccer) has meant everything to me," said Soto. "I've built a strong sense of family and friendship throughout the past four years. I've met some guys that I will talk to for the rest of my life."
"It's about the relationships and the long-lasting relationships that take a toll on us and leave a long imprint on our character."
An English Education major at TLU, Soto will graduate in May. He moved into the education field and to teaching English after first discovering an interest in writing.
"Finding more about myself and how much I love to help, community service has helped along the way plus helping younger kids and seeing how much I could help make an impact on other people's lives, influenced me to make that change and made me a better person."
An All-Conference Second Team performer in 2018, Soto has been named to the SCAC Academic Honor Roll and to the SCAC All-Sportsmanship Men's Soccer Team (2017). Soto was also a 2017-18 TLU Male Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Award nominee.
Soto has been a part of TLU Men's Soccer's award-winning community service program. The Bulldogs received the TLU Athletics Team Community Service Award for 2016-17.
Soto and the Bulldogs have volunteered at Seguin Independent School District's Rodriguez Elementary over the years. The team has been a regular visitor, assisting elementary students with reading skills and conducting free soccer camps. The team also has assisted with Seguin-area 5K run.
"We would help with reading and tutoring," said Soto of the team's time at Rodriguez Elementary. "That was really fun to do, and that is what inspired me to move toward the Education program. Along with that, we also brought along our own kind of interests into Rodriguez Elementary, and for two years we did a soccer camp with them."
"It's really fun to see them outside the school element and have fun, extra-curricular activities and do what they like to do. You see how other people's minds work and see what kind of routes they take when learning. It definitely makes you build connections outside of your comfort zone, outside of your age that you are comfortable with. It's fun to see how people think cognitively and do their thing."
Soto, a senior goalkeeper, was a four-year letterman and started 39 career matches for the Bulldogs. In 2018, he led TLU to an 11-8 overall record and to a 9-6 mark in the SCAC. Soto and the Bulldogs advanced to the 2018 SCAC Tournament semifinal round, losing in overtime to eventual conference champion Trinity.
"(TLU Soccer) has meant everything to me," said Soto. "I've built a strong sense of family and friendship throughout the past four years. I've met some guys that I will talk to for the rest of my life."
"It's about the relationships and the long-lasting relationships that take a toll on us and leave a long imprint on our character."
An English Education major at TLU, Soto will graduate in May. He moved into the education field and to teaching English after first discovering an interest in writing.
"Finding more about myself and how much I love to help, community service has helped along the way plus helping younger kids and seeing how much I could help make an impact on other people's lives, influenced me to make that change and made me a better person."
An All-Conference Second Team performer in 2018, Soto has been named to the SCAC Academic Honor Roll and to the SCAC All-Sportsmanship Men's Soccer Team (2017). Soto was also a 2017-18 TLU Male Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Award nominee.
Soto has been a part of TLU Men's Soccer's award-winning community service program. The Bulldogs received the TLU Athletics Team Community Service Award for 2016-17.
Soto and the Bulldogs have volunteered at Seguin Independent School District's Rodriguez Elementary over the years. The team has been a regular visitor, assisting elementary students with reading skills and conducting free soccer camps. The team also has assisted with Seguin-area 5K run.
"We would help with reading and tutoring," said Soto of the team's time at Rodriguez Elementary. "That was really fun to do, and that is what inspired me to move toward the Education program. Along with that, we also brought along our own kind of interests into Rodriguez Elementary, and for two years we did a soccer camp with them."
"It's really fun to see them outside the school element and have fun, extra-curricular activities and do what they like to do. You see how other people's minds work and see what kind of routes they take when learning. It definitely makes you build connections outside of your comfort zone, outside of your age that you are comfortable with. It's fun to see how people think cognitively and do their thing."