Written by Will Ridgard
On April 22, 2016, Sawyer Gaffney made Richmond Kickers history.
Replacing the injured Ryan Taylor as a 76th-minute substitute at Charlotte Independence, Gaffney became the first ever Academy player to play for the Kickers first-team after coming through the Academy ranks.
“When I saw Ryan go up for a cross and land funny, Leigh (Cowlishaw) quickly yelled ‘Sawyer!’, and I was up and off the bench.” said the goalkeeper, who started playing for the Kickers at age 12, continuing through U18 with Richmond United.
“I was really excited. My heart rate shot up, I said a quick prayer and jogged out onto the field. The back four said a few quick encouraging words to me, and we finished out the game.”
Unfortunately, the game was no Cinderella story for Gaffney. Kickers led 2-1 when he entered the field, but after a Charlotte midfielder curled a shot into the net, the referee made a penalty call three minutes into stoppage time to hand Richmond a cruel defeat.
Still, the experience was an unforgettable one for the youngster as he explains: “The debut was great. I really enjoyed the experience – getting some first team minutes and hearing the crowd antagonize me.”
As a senior at The Collegiate School, Gaffney began training with the Kickers pro team during the 2016 season.
“During my last year with Richmond United, I started training a lot with (Kickers pro goalkeeper) Ryan Taylor ahead of the USL season to help him get fit and sharp heading into preseason,” said the 19-year-old.
“As things progressed, I had a chat with Ryan (Taylor) and later with Leigh (Cowlishaw) and they said that they were seriously considering calling me into the first team to be back-up goalkeeper.
“Not long after that conversation I started regulary training with the guys during pre-season and signed an Academy contract.
“My first reaction was to call my mom and dad to tell them the news. I was incredibly excited to be able to train and play with the team I watched growing up.”
Blessed with the opportunity, Gaffney, who now attends Davidson College, found the transition from the Academy to the first team enjoyable but tough.
“At first, I was definitely stepping out of my comfort zone,” he said.
“When you have to take a big step out of your comfort zone and play at a higher level, you will become better and improve. I saw the big picture, and it was a learning process.
“I knew after some practices that I hadn’t performed well enough, but I knew that I would just have to keep working to get where I wanted. Failure was part of the process, and I was willing to try different things.”
He continued: “I really did love the experience. The transition was awesome, especially because I was getting better and better at a ridiculous pace.
“By no means was it as an easy process. There were setbacks, but I had goals and a dream, and I relentlessly pursued them. I believe that you cannot quit something you love.
“The club and the team are a family, and a phenomenal one at that. I honestly can’t say enough about everyone involved.”
Involved with the Kickers pro team on several occasions before his move to Davidson College in August, Gaffney only has good things to say about his teammates and the experience.
“All of the players were awesome,” he said. “They really welcomed me in, and many of them including Anthony Grant, Jason Yeisley, and Sunny Jane would put in extra sessions so I could get in more training and become sharper.
“They also were professionals, meaning that you were praised when you performed well. If you made a mistake, they would let you know quickly. I loved that. The pressure was so much higher. I had to perform, there was no choice.
“I worked harder because of it. I learned a lot from my teammates, and picked their brains. Many of them had played in MLS and some overseas, both of which I would like to do, so the opportunity just added fuel to my fire.
“Also having Simon (Fitch, a fellow Academy player) train with the Kickers was great. We really bonded. It was nice to have someone else who was in the same situation as me. We could always joke together in the locker room, and give each other a hard time afterwards for our mistakes.”
Since moving to Davidson College to study Economics, Gaffney has spent more time in the library than on the soccer field.
“Unfortunately, I missed a fair portion of preseason due to a staph infection in my hip, which has prevented me from playing and training,” he said.
“Davidson likes to lay the homework, papers, tests, and research projects on pretty thick so I have been spending many hours in the library.
“Hopefully I will be back on the field soon though, and we will see what the future holds. Outside of soccer, I have discovered an interest in Economics so that might be something that I choose to pursue.”
