Shand Finds Home in Keene

Freshman From Jamaica Continues Soccer Journey in New Hampshire

September 8, 2009

Story submitted by Keene State Athletics.

KEENE, N.H. -- Justifiably nervous prior to playing in his first game with the Keene State College men�s soccer team last Tuesday night, a superstitious Shawn Shand cringed when Owl coach Ron Butcher handed him a jersey with No. 13 emblazoned on the back.

Shawn Stand

Shawn Shand (6) scored a goal on his debut for Keene State. (Photo courtesy of Keene State Athletics)

Not wanting to make a fuss, Shand thought for a while before asking Butcher if he could swap jerseys with another player. Acquiescing to his wishes, Butcher gave his freshman forward No. 6.

The number change proved to be a positive omen for Shand, who promptly went out and scored the Owls� first goal of the season - just three minutes into the team�s 2-0 shutout win over New England College.

�It felt pretty good,� said Shand after the game. �It�s nice to get off to a good start.�

It�s only fitting that Shand scored Keene State�s first goal. After enduring the tribulations and uncertainly that comes with leaving his homeland of Jamaica and moving to the Monadnock area, Shand was rewarded for his perseverance.

While Shand, who stands 6 feet, 2 inches and weighs 175 pounds, has all the physical tools and speed to excel in the sport, he would be the first to tell you that his accomplishments, both on and off the field, come from his work ethic.

�It�s all about hard work,� he said. �You don�t get anywhere in life without it.�

Like many young children growing up in Jamaica, Shand was introduced to soccer at a very young age. As he grew up, the sport served not only as source of personal pride, but also an outlet from daily ridicule.

�It was pretty tough for me,� said Shand. �People used to make fun of me, and playing soccer made me feel better.�

Shand�s desire to succeed on the field was evident by his ascension in the ranks. He played on his high school team in Kingston and also had the distinction of being a member of his country�s U-17 national team.

Wanting to better his life, Shand - along with his brothers Shamar and Darren - decided to leave Jamaica and join his father, who was living in Keene. With his father up in New Hampshire trying to make a better life for his family, Shand and his brothers and sisters relied heavily on their mother (Ann) for support.

He said leaving his mother and family behind was the most difficult decision of his life.

�My mom taught me everything I knew and how to be a man for myself,� he said.

Despite the separation from family, Shand was intrigued with the opportunity of moving to a new country and starting over.

�In the end, it was a no-brainer,� he said. �I wanted to move out of the system I was living in.�

Shand has thrived in Keene. Working hard in the classroom, he also played two seasons on the Keene High School soccer team. Moving into the starting lineup midway through his junior season, Shand, a little bit older and stronger than the defenders he went up against, became a scoring machine as a senior, netting 31 goals and earning team MVP honors.

His strong leg also earned him a spot on the KHS football team as a kicker.

�I had a pretty good time doing it, but soccer is my thing� said Shand, who had a game-winning field goal.

Shand�s superlative soccer feats caught the eye of several coaches, including Butcher. Initially, Shand had no ambition to go to college.

�I never thought I would be in the position to be the first one from my family to attend college,� he said. �I�m very grateful to coach Butcher for helping me out.�

�Shawn is mature for his age, yet he�s a young man that wants to better himself,� said Butcher. �He�s going to grow academically and athletically.�

As far as making the transition from Blackbird to Owl, Shand anticipates a much quicker and physical game. �If they start playing physical with me, I�ll just run the defenders all over the place,� he said.

�Shawn is going to get double-teamed a lot and taken down,� said Butcher. He�s going to have to learn how to control his emotions, but he�s going to be great�He lends something special to the team and the kids love him.�

In return, Shand hopes to payback his new teammates for their help and friendship.

�In return for helping me out, I want to take them to the championship,� he said.