For the international students Bruno Rihl Silva and Carlos Andres Romero, making the transition from club soccer to the varsity Lynchburg Men’s Soccer Team has been a challenging yet rewarding experience throughout this fall sports season.
For Bruno Rihl Silva, a freshman midfielder from Argentina, joining the club team last spring was a difficult decision.
“I was going to start from zero coming to another country, speaking another language, and without knowing anyone. But it was also an interesting offer that I knew would help me explore new horizons,” said Silva.
Now a freshman forward from Honduras, Romero admits that his initial reaction was disappointment upon learning he would not be joining the varsity squad immediately after transferring to the University of Lynchburg last spring.
“I had come in really motivated to compete at that level, but instead of letting it bring me down, I took it as motivation to keep improving and prove that I did belong there,” he said.
The coaches noticed Romero’s talent, encouraging him to improve before promoting him to varsity.
“They said I had potential, but needed to keep working on certain areas like physicality, speed of play, and consistency,” said Romero.
More than halfway through the season now, Silva is candid about his first varsity season and the rewards and adversities he has faced so far.
“My biggest challenges at the moment are facing cultural differences both sportingly and socially, but I also had very good moments both inside and outside the field, like assists or the goal, and also the fun moments with my teammates in the locker room,” he said.
Romero also reflected on his first season with the Hornets so far, enjoying pushing his body and mind to the next level at every practice and match.
“The speed and level of play is higher. It has been demanding to keep up with the intensity every day, but I have learned a lot,” he said.
Both players stressed what they wished had been different throughout their transfer internationally.
“Sometimes it is hard to understand how the process works here. I wish I had known more about what I needed to do to move up sooner. Regardless, it taught me to take responsibility and keep pushing no matter what,” said Romero.
From club to varsity, Silva and Romero’s stories reflect the growth and opportunity present at the University of Lynchburg, while also setting an example for international students seeking to earn their spot at the next level.
For more information on Lynchburg Sports, visit the Official Athletics Website.
