Asheville High senior Aidan O’Brien has committed to play college soccer for South Carolina.
ASHEVILLE – Sometimes good things can come from adverse circumstances.
For Asheville High boys soccer player Aidan O’Brien, it worked out that way.
O’Brien recently committed to play soccer for the University of South Carolina next year.
However, the midfielder has had injuries that stymied his progress with the Cougars. His freshman year he broke a bone in his ankle. His sophomore year was a back injury, and last year he also missed some activities with the Cougars.
O’Brien also plays for the Carolina Elite Soccer Academy in Greenville, South Carolina, which has a fall season. This year, he’s skipping club practice to participate in games for Asheville.
“It’s pretty hard balancing them,” he said. “In the car, I have to do my homework.”
The trip takes 90 minutes, and he usually gets back at 10:30 p.m.
O’Brien plans to major in exercise science when he gets to Columbia, and one way he helps himself with both squads is by doing some basic wellness activities.
“If I’m not eating healthy, my body’s not going to be in shape, which means I could possibly get injured for both of them,” he said. “This is the first year I’ve played with such a large focus on the high school season.”
This year, he’s noticed one character trait developing in his participation with Asheville.
“It think it’s mainly helped with leadership,” he said. “They all kind of look up to us. I know what winning is like. They all kind of look to a couple of us to lead the way. Hopefully, I can bring a couple of those qualities to USC.”
While a lot of attention in the fall usually goes to the Gamecocks football team, the soccer team has not been ignored.
“The facilities were top-notch,” he said. “They actually had a soccer-only stadium. It’s a great atmosphere down there.”
The Gamecocks’ on-campus stadium is Stone Stadium, which opened in 1996, seats 5,000, and has a natural grass surface.
O’Brien said he plans on graduating early and moving to Columbia where he has an opportunity to play with a semi-pro team.
Before heading south, he still has the rest of his season and another honor, possibly.
O’Brien said he is a finalist for playing in the Boy’s Soccer High School All-American game Dec. 3 in Raleigh. The game has teams from the eastern and western portions of the country. and each state gets to pick 10 finalists. According to the game’s website, he is the only one from WNC.
So before the end of his high school career, he might have one more game.
“Any spotlight on the team is good,” he said about the Cougars. “It’s good to be a part of it.”
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