With her skills and academics, Amanda Bruce had an opportunity
to go to college almost anywhere she wanted.
With her skills and academics, Amanda Bruce had an opportunity to go to college almost anywhere she wanted.
However, the Gilroy senior soccer star wanted to stay in California reasonably close to family and friends. That made her decision of San Francisco State University a logical choice.
“I couldn’t leave my family and friends,” Bruce said. “Now I’m close enough where they can come and watch. And I really like the atmosphere (at SFSU). The campus is so well organized.”
GHS coach Jose Hernandez likes to compare Bruce’s improvement to that of the team. A four-year starter, Bruce was a freshman member of the Mustang team that went winless in the Tri-County Athletic League. During her recently completed senior season, she was Most Valuable Player, and the team was TCAL co-champions.
“That’s my best memory,” Bruce said. “Knowing we were playing Alisal with a league title at stake, we wanted to make a point. It felt great being part of such a special team.”
Bruce made a point, or make that points. She had a goal and two assists in that game and finished the season with 12 goals and 14 assists, remarkable numbers considering that she was the focal point of every team’s defense. A four-time TCAL first-team player, she was the Most Valuable Midfielder in both her sophomore and junior seasons.
“She’s got phenomenal skills,” said Hernandez, whose first year as head coach was Bruce’s freshman year. “She’s the first league MVP in school history. It couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person. Her growth in the level of her play parallels the growth we’ve had in the program.”
Bruce, who has a 4.1 grade point average and will major in kinesiology, received a partial athletic scholarship from SFSU.
She had offers from Western Carolina and Pfeiffer in North Carolina, and Le Tourneau in Texas. Bruce also considered San Jose State and Sonoma State. But a visit to SFSU and a meeting with coach Jack Hyde two weeks ago convinced her where she wanted to continue her education and soccer career.
“I went to a practice with the team,” Bruce said. “Afterward (coach Hyde) said he saw me fitting in with his team.”
Interestingly, he saw her more as a forward or offensive midfielder.
“I was a little surprised because I always played midfield,” Bruce said. “I’m pretty sure I can play forward. Hopefully, I can improve my shot and offensive game.”
She will do that playing under-20 soccer with the Santa Cruz Breakers and practicing for the state cup to be held the last weekend of March. Bruce will also compete in the Super Y League over the summer as well as several tournaments.
She realizes she won’t be the focal point as she often was at Gilroy. And yet, Bruce said she is looking forward to competing at the next level.
“I loved the high school experience and know I will miss it a lot,” Bruce said. “I already told coach I will come back and help out when the college season is over (college soccer is in the fall). I am satisfied with how things turned it out and yet sad it is over.”
