Len Yamabe ’27 is a midfielder from Tokyo, Japan. He has started every game for the unbeaten men’s soccer team. #13 Swarthmore is currently 7-0-1 with 21 goals on the season. Yamabe took part in almost half of those goals, with seven goals and two assists. The Sep. 10 and Sep. 24 Offensive Player of the Week leads the Centennial Conference in goals scored, points, shots on goal, and is second for game-winning goals. Yamabe notably had two goals against Occidental College and his first career hat trick against Wilkes University. This past weekend, Yamabe had a goal in the 71st minute against Gettysburg College in the conference opener on Sep. 21. The Garnet play next on Sep. 28 at home against Franklin and Marshall College.
Abby Chang: How do you feel about the game against Gettysburg College this past Saturday?
Len Yamabe: I remember we tied Gettysburg for our conference opener at home last year, so it felt great after finally getting the three points. I personally did not adjust to the weather delay well, so it was a big thanks to my teammates who maintained the high energy level so we could come out flying after the restart. Overall, I would say it was a well-fought game by our team.
AC: What have been some highlights of the season thus far?
LY: The California trip was definitely a highlight. Our team made a trip to California a couple of weeks ago to play games against Occidental and CalTech. Not only did we secure two wins, but just spending time with the team was a great experience. I felt like our team bond was strengthened, especially with the new freshmen players.
AC: What are some of your goals for the rest of the season?
LY: Conference championship.
AC: Do you have any pre-game or post-game rituals?
LY: I don’t know if this would count as a “ritual,” but I sleep a lot before games. I recently discovered that I play better when I sleep more, so I close my eyes, forget about everything, and take a nap. Even when the team puts on the music and starts raising the energy level, I sit and nap until the last minute.
AC: Do you have an athlete role model or someone in the sport you look up to?
LY: Cole Palmer. He was a player no one knew until he transferred teams last year and had a breakthrough. I remember being shocked watching him play with his former club in Tokyo because of how good he was on the pitch. Yet, because he did not get enough playing time, he moved to Chelsea, where he finally presented his quality to the world. To make sure no one misunderstands, it’s not that I also want to transfer schools and look for a big step up. Our coach talks a lot about resilience and I think [Palmer] is the definition of that. He believed in his quality under times of adversity and pushed himself through to succeed. I hope I can thrive like him this season after a “not-so-ideal” season last year.
AC: Why did you choose Swarthmore? What is your area of study?
LY: I chose Swarthmore because of its beautiful campus and quality education. And of course, I loved how our soccer team played. I knew that it would be a great match for me. I am still a pre-major, but plan to major in economics and computer science.
AC: What is your favorite class that you’ve taken at Swarthmore?
LY: I enjoy the intermediate microeconomics class I am currently taking with [Associate Professor of Economics Marc Remer]. I love how he puts in small jokes throughout class to keep us entertained. Many of my teammates also take that class and having a lot of opportunities to discuss the content with them is probably another reason why I like the class. Overall, I’m enjoying the class a lot (so far).
AC: Favorite study spot?
Singer commons. Although I do not recommend it when I really want to “lock in,” it’s definitely a place where I spend a lot of time studying with my peers.
