September Athlete of the Month: Brayden Schroeder

Photo submitted by Schroeder.

Maddie Arthur

Congrats to September's Male Athlete of the month, Brayden Schroeder! Schroeder is currently a junior here at Hamilton who plays on the boys’ varsity football team. Schroeder is a running back and wears number 33. The boys’ football team is having a strong season and recently beat opponents Germantown and Marquette. Schroeder has played a large part in helping his team succeed this season. 

Teammate Ryan Dahms speaks highly about Brayden stating, “Schroeder is an amazing player both on and off the field, from breaking tackles and scoring touchdowns to supporting teammates and bringing a great vibe with him everywhere. He’s become a big part of the program over the last three years, earning the starting spot this season and already proving why he’s our starter. Not only that, he’s also been contributing behind the scenes, stepping up and becoming a more vocal leader and also a silent leader at the same time, showing up in much needed places often. Without Brayden, this team would not be as complete as it is this year.”

Congrats to Schroeder! Read more to hear from him. 

How long have you played football and why do you play?

I have been playing football for pretty much my entire life. I first started when I was about 5, playing flag football. I played flag football up until 5th grade when I played my first year of tackle football on the Sussex Jayhawks (now the Jr. Chargers), and I've been playing tackle football ever since. I play football because I want to make my parents proud and tons of my friends play football, so I get to play and hang out with them pretty much every day because we have football constantly.

Who is your athlete role model and why?

My athlete role model is Kobe Bryant because he had one of the best mindsets an athlete can have. He had an amazing work ethic and was always dedicating tons of time to self improvement and making sure he was the best version of himself he could be on and off the court.

What is your main goal this season?

My main goal this season is to make a deep playoff run. We have a really good team this year and I truly believe we could make something special happen.

What are your future plans involving football?

I'm not 100% sure what I want to do when I finish high school in terms of football, but I think playing college football would be really cool if I get the opportunity.

Do you play any other sports and if so what?

I started playing baseball at the same time I started playing football; however, I stopped playing freshman year to focus on football. During freshman year after the football season, a bunch of my friends did track and field, which was something I had never done before. I decided to join the track and field team as I believed it would help me in football. I did it both my freshman and sophomore year, and I plan on doing it again this year. My main events are the 4x200 meter relay and the long jump.

Besides football, what are some of your other hobbies?

When I'm not playing football, I like to hang out with friends and play video games. I also like spending time with my family.

What are your pre-game rituals?

My pre-game ritual consists of listening to a bunch of loud music as well as having a pre-game prayer with a couple of teammates.

Do you have any teammates, coaches, parents, or other people in your life that have helped as an athlete?

All of the coaches on the football team are great and easy to talk to. They can all answer pretty much any question I throw at them and they motivate me and all my teammates to be great when we are playing. My dad is probably my biggest supporter when it comes to being an athlete. He is always telling me how I can be better and is always the first person to ask me how practice was or tell me I had an amazing game which makes me feel great.