Claire-NewmanFor senior women’s soccer player Claire Newman, soccer is life, but it’s not everything. She has been a stalwart in the defensive backfield for the College of Charleston for three seasons and a team captain this past season, but her biggest contributions may have come off the field.

Over the course of her four-year career at The College, Newman has participated in a variety of volunteer opportunities that have allowed her to contribute to the community around her. She has been a member and visible leader of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as well as Athletes In Action. Newman has also been an extraordinarily active volunteer, working with groups like Move, Groove, & Get Active, an organization that provides people on the autism spectrum the opportunity to participate in physically and mentally stimulating activities.

“Honestly, I think I get more out of volunteering than the people that I work with do,” said Newman. “The more that I devote myself and my time to others, the more that I feel like I grow, I learn, and I get more and more inspired.”

Newman has also been an exemplary student, studying in the College of Charleston Honors College in addition to everything else that she does. This is all on top of being an athlete, with the incredible devotion that comes with the workouts, meetings, practices, travel and games.

“[Playing soccer at CofC] is so much more than I thought it would be when I first came here as a freshman” Newman said. “It really is a lifestyle, and it requires the ability to balance a lot of things at one time and a lot of passion.”

To read the full article about Newman, visit CofCSports.com.