From Germany to SU, Meister adapts to new culture
Raoul Meister is not your typical freshman. Most can cure homesickness with a weekend trip home, or at the very least, know the campus from previous visits during college tours.
Not Raoul Meister.
He never visited Syracuse, let alone stepped foot in the United States until about a month ago – he lived half a world away in Sprockhoevel, Germany. Meister is also a starting midfielder for the SU men’s soccer team – not the average freshman student.
The 20-year-old was recruited for SU when assistant coach Jaro Zawislan was on a recruiting trip in Germany a few years ago. Zawislan noticed talent in Meister, who at that point was still young and developing his skills as a midfielder. This past year, Zawislan returned to Germany and contacted Meister’s coach, who also happened to be an old friend of his from a former soccer team. He found that Meister was ready and willing to play for Syracuse.
‘This college is perfect, and there is such a high level of play,’ Meister said. ‘It will be great to get some experience here, for soccer reasons, academic reasons and personal reasons.’
Meister has already earned a considerable role. He has started all five games, contributing seven shots with two assists.
‘He’s strong, athletic and knows where to be,’ said junior midfielder Kenny Caceros. ‘He can read the game very well. He’s definitely going to be a very good addition to our team.’
Caceros and his teammates have been crucial in helping Meister adjust, not only to life at Syracuse, but also to life in America. Caceros, a Canada native, and the eight other international players on the team can relate to Meister’s transition. They know better than their American teammates how difficult it can be to get accustomed to the food, the classes and the culture – not to mention the team and its often rigorous schedule.
SU head coach Dean Foti compared Meister to senior defender Karol Wasielewski from Gdynia, Poland, who Foti described as quiet and unassuming in the locker room when he first joined the team last year. Foti said Wasielewski has since become a very vocal team leader and thinks Meister will soon become just as comfortable with his teammates.
‘He’s in a new environment, and it will take a while for him to get accustomed to that,’ Foti said. ‘It’s just a matter of taking time and getting to know your teammates. These guys spend a lot of time together on the field and off the field when we go on road trips, and the more comfortable he gets, I think we see him flourish even more on the field.’
After his first day in the U.S., Meister had reasons to doubt his decision of playing in America. A canceled flight from New York City to Syracuse forced Meister to find a taxi and hotel room by himself for the night while he was placed on a waiting list for a flight to Syracuse. Once he made it to Syracuse the next day, Zawislan picked him up, and he went straight to a team meeting, then to medical tests and finally to his apartment.
In Germany, Meister’s determination was apparent through his studies in sales engineering, a combination of mechanical engineering and economics. While maintaining his studies he played soccer and was a member of both the U-19 and U-20 Westfalia regional soccer teams as well as a team captain for the TSG Sprockhoevel youth soccer team. He led TSG Sprockhoevel to three regional championships during his time there.
Meister said the levels of play from his regional team to the Division I play at SU are comparable, but different in terms of athletic techniques and intelligence.
While he doesn’t expect the stands to fill up to 9,000 fans, which he played in front of during a game in Germany, he appreciates the enthusiasm for soccer at Syracuse
‘It’s a great atmosphere on the team,’ Meister said. ‘I think we will be better this year because there are a lot of seniors and juniors, and after the first game, I think we have a lot of potential if we give our best.’
