Villanova鈥檚 Lyam MacKinnon journeys from Switzerland to Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — It is difficult to pick out two more different cities than Lausanne, Switzerland and Philadelphia.
The Swiss city of under 150,000 inhabitants sits on Lake Geneva; the medieval rows of housing look out over the lake to the snowy peaks of the Swiss Alps. An hour’s drive trades the Gothic cathedrals of the city for the Italian or French countryside depending on direction.
The urban jungle of Philadelphia stands in sharp contrast to the rolling hills of Lausanne. The skyscrapers tower over a population 10 times that of Lausanne to create a melting pot at the heart of the American Northeast. From Reading Terminal Market to Chinatown to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the largest city in Pennsylvania remains a marvel.
For junior soccer player Lyam MacKinnon, the transition from Lausanne to Villanova just outside Philadelphia failed to phase him.聽
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 thinking too much about these adjustments,鈥� MacKinnon noted about his first few weeks as a Wildcat. 鈥淚 was just trying to live day-by-day.鈥�
Although it took some time to establish a working diet as an elite athlete and adjust to the often suffocating humidity, MacKinnon has few regrets about his decision to move across the Atlantic to pursue soccer and academics in the United States.
鈥淲hen you play on an elite team in Europe in general, it鈥檚 really hard to study at the same time,鈥� he explained. 鈥淵ou have to commit yourself to one or the other.鈥�
During the Swiss equivalent of high school, MacKinnon captained both the under-18 and under-21 teams for his local side FC Lausanne. As a naturally gifted player, he looked abroad for inspiration as a leader.
鈥淢y idol since I started watching soccer was Steven Gerrard,鈥� MacKinnon said. 鈥淚 just love how he led Liverpool, even through tough times. Even though we had completely different profiles, he was my favorite player.鈥�
Gerrard, a Liverpool legend throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, took part in one of the greatest comebacks of all time, turning a 3-0 deficit into a victory in the 2005 Champions League Final. MacKinnon may not have made a Champions League Final, but he is certainly ready for that spotlight.
The discomfort from moving halfway across the globe could have overwhelmed MacKinnon. Instead, he started 14 of 17 games, bagging two goals to go with four assists during his first year. From the Florida beaches to the New York heights, the intimidating environments of his freshman year motivated MacKinnon to stellar performances.
It was the Creighton game that stood out to him, though.
鈥淭he atmosphere was nice,鈥� MacKinnon said. 鈥淭here were a lot of people, a huge stadium, and I really enjoyed every minute of that game.鈥�
The 6000-seat Morrison Stadium in Omaha, Ne. supplied the audience the freshman craved. MacKinnon played in Switzerland as a central midfielder but transitioned to a more direct attacker for Coach Tom Carlin. At Villanova, MacKinnon is less a puppeteer manipulating defensive back lines and more a dagger always threatening to slice open a defense. In both style of play and mindset on the field, MacKinnon embraces the attention and the energy.
As a sophomore, the Swiss student faced one of the most difficult seasons of his career. Villanova logged only 10 games during the abbreviated season with only two wins. MacKinnon upped his rate of goal contributions but also quarantined in the student health center with a COVID-19 diagnosis during the spring semester.
The rocky season still gave way to positive observations for MacKinnon.
鈥淥ur mindset is continuing how we ended last season,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e finished in the conference beating UConn 4-1. Then we traveled to Wake Forest, and we lost but played fantastic soccer during the whole game. We showed we were able to keep possession against one of the best teams in the country. For me that鈥檚 the biggest goal: stay consistent.鈥�
As a junior, MacKinnon鈥檚 role as a leader becomes more of a focal point. With a freshman class of six players joining the current squad, MacKinnon will look to his fellow juniors to help build a strong backbone for the 2021-22 Villanova soccer team.
鈥淚n my class, we have six juniors,鈥� MacKinnon said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all really close. I think that鈥檚 one of the strengths of my class. We hang out even outside of soccer. I lived with Marcus [Brenes] and Victor [Benediktsson, two teammates in my class] last year. We鈥檙e a really tight class.鈥�
Benediktsson is a fellow international, a defensive midfielder from Iceland who arrived at Villanova around the same time as MacKinnon. The two grew close and now serve as important pieces in an ambitious team. However, playing well is one thing, but securing victories is another.
鈥淲e showed that we can play well in almost every game we played,鈥� MacKinnon said. 鈥淣ow the goal is to get some results.鈥�
With an extra year of experience, a year full of overcome challenges, MacKinnon has high expectations for both the team and himself in the upcoming season. After the shortened college campaign, he joined USL League 2 side Reading United for a short four-game stint. In only four games, MacKinnon stood out with a game-winning goal over Philadelphia Lone Star. The US professional league system appears a tempting opportunity, but MacKinnon has unfinished goals at Villanova.
鈥淧ersonally, I want to keep growing as a player,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 made progress between my freshman and sophomore years as far as playing, but I think I still have a long way to go if I want to achieve the goals I have set for myself. Keep learning and taking every minute of soccer that I can.鈥�
MacKinnon is conscious of the time he has left, but with a return to normalcy in progress, a regular season seems just what he needs to take the next step as a player and leader.
