“He was very aggressive and his work rate was unbelievable, but some of his soccer skills needed to be polished,” Scarpaci said.,Brad Fyffe has stood out on the Emerson soccer team since he first arrived here three years ago. Coach Jared Scarpaci noticed Fyffe’s potential early in his playing career.
“He was very aggressive and his work rate was unbelievable, but some of his soccer skills needed to be polished,” Scarpaci said.
As predicted, Fyffe would go on to become a very strong attacker as a forward in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). During his senior season, he racked up 14 points and 15 shots on goal, helping to lead the charge on the Lions’ offense.
“He was tough to handle for defenders, and I’m proud of him for that,” Scarpaci said.
In addition, Fyffe entered his senior year as a co-captain along with midfielders Cody Schram and Chris Gloseki. However, Fyffe’s impact on the team and on the Emerson community transcend what can be measured in statistics and roster sheets.
Fyffe, a native of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii has been playing soccer since the age of four. Fyffe’s love of soccer runs deep, as it does in many other countries around the world. “I just love the game,” Fyffe said. “It’s the world’s game; there is soccer in every country. You can be the poorest of the poor people and still be able to play soccer.”
The man they call “Five-O,” based on the television show Hawaii Five-O, brings a different type of attitude and philosophy to the soccer team.
“Brad brings a unique humor to the team and brings an incredible work rate on the field,” Scarpaci said.
Fyffe’s contagiously laid-back demeanor and personable nature have made him popular among his teammates and Emerson students alike.
Fyffe is well traveled in addition to his trek from Hawaii to Boston. Fyffe said he has visited over 17 different countries, including Hungary and Sweden. Though he visited many of those countries as a part of Emerson’s Kasteel Well program, Fyffe is not done traveling just yet.
“My goal is to get to 25 countries before I’m 25,” he said. “I want to [travel] now while I can instead of getting deep into a career where before you know it you’re getting married and having kids.”
Fyffe’s love of travel is based mainly on his philosophy of experiencing as much as he can from his surroundings.
“It creates a more well-rounded person when you travel,” Fyffe said. “You get to see things in different perspectives and gain from those opportunities and apply them to everyday life.”
Indeed, Fyffe’s life revolves around the concept of experience. When asked about his now-complete four seasons as a member of the Emerson soccer program, Fyffe struggles to pinpoint one particular moment, jumping from the days the team played in East Boston back to moments in his senior year. Again, the experience prevails.
But then again, that’s always been Fyffe’s motif. From surviving his first real winter chill to seeing his first squirrel, Brad’s life philosophy follows the same general idea of experience. Though his days with the athletic program are over and his remaining days with the college dwindle, Fyffe will continue to live through his experiences and let them guide him where they may.