[laboratory_slideshow slide_page=”raptors-draft-andrew-to-soccer-team” slidetype=”slides”]
On the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 18th, at about 3:30 p.m., Montgomery College’s Men’s soccer team signed yet another player onto their roster–right before playing their nineteenth game of the season.
In September of 2011, Andrew Christianson was diagnosed with Pre-B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (known as ‘ALL’). However, after resiliently finishing through his rigorous chemotherapy treatments in October of 2012, Andrew was able to get back onto the pitch and play the sport he loves–soccer.
The Raptors have gotten to know the 14-year-old throughout the last month or so, and the chemistry between he and the team was unmistakable. Every player clearly looked to Andrew for inspiration. What’s more, head coach Pedro Braz pointed to Christianson’s perseverance as a huge source of perspective for his team when facing adversity:
(Video Credit: Matt Sugawara Levy)
The signing day ceremony had every coach, player, and many athletic staff members in attendance, as the cheers and chants erupted from Andrew’s soon-to-be fellow teammates. Braz, along with the athletic staff, decided to make Christianson’s special day coincide with the sophomore draft ceremony for the team’s veterans. However, no one was more excited than the new Raptor, himself:
(Video Credit: Matt Sugawara Levy)
“It’s exciting. It’s exciting for them to accept me as a member…All of the people are so nice to me, and they treat me just like a member of the team. It’s awesome.”
To start the event, every player, women and men alike, created two rows of jerseys opposite side one another for the new Raptor to run through. As his name was announced loudly through the speakers, Andrew Christianson ran through the line of Raptors, hearing a standing ovation on his way to the signing table.
With his parents, Athletic Director Carter, and coach Braz by his side, Andrew made his inauguration as a Raptor official, as he signed the contract to become part of the soccer team. However, that wasn’t all he gave the crowd. Directly after signing the contract, the new rookie threw on a custom jersey and rocked the purple and white for the very first time, as the players’ cheers got louder than at any time.
After Andrew had been drafted, Montgomery College’s soccer staff honored their men sophomore players for their effort, commitment, and dedication to the team.
Each player honored received a commemorating, professional photograph of themselves in action on the field making a play, and a huge congratulations from their head coach. A congratulations, without a doubt, well deserved, as the Raptor’s continue their dominant one loss season, and Andrew continues his dominance over cancer.
