Having a determined “stay in the moment” mentality keeps Slater Loffredo ’26 of the Brandeis men’s soccer team motivated. “I try to push myself to get the most out of each moment I'm in,” he told The Justice. Whether applying that to soccer or life in general, this advice speaks to his goal to stay focused. 

The midfielder scored the first goal of his Brandeis career during the Judges’ victory over Bridgewater State University on Sept. 10. However, more than any individual accomplishment, Loffredo is resolved to contribute to his team as he says, “soccer is the true team sport.” He explains that his favorite thing about soccer is “the camaraderie … due to its low scoring nature, it really is anyone's game on any given day.” Coming together as a team necessitates trusting that “everything happens for a reason,” which is a fitting personal mantra of Loffredo’s. 

Loffredo says that “oftentimes the team that wins is not the more talented one, but instead the one that is more of a unit. When a team truly comes together it is a great thing to see and something that is not always easy, but happens with time.” 

The Brandeis men’s soccer team is “family” to Loffredo. He believes that throughout the last few years of his collegiate career, his team has truly committed to each other, creating “a really strong group of guys.” Thinking about what “team” means to him, Loffredo says that it is “a group of people that have been put together due to their shared interests,” but “from there it is up to that ‘team’ to become a family.”

Loffredo highlights a win last year against Washington University as a personal highlight for him during his time at Brandeis. He remembers the “awesome moment” of trusting the process and coming out on top of a game. Winning this game was an unexpected finish, as the Judges scored the winning goal in the last minute of the game.

Besides his family on the field, Loffredo also thanks his parents for supporting his soccer career. “Without a doubt, they are my biggest motivation,” Loffredo says. 

As for pre-game rituals, Loffredo says he does not really have any “unless splashing water on [his] face counts.” What really counts to Loffredo it seems is the drive to contribute to his team and stay focused on the present moment, creating “a good vibe when the whole group is together,” as that’s what matters most to their collective success.