Cool kids: Exchange student sharing soccer talent at LC

Marc Mauersberger, 17, comes from a place where wine and beer are legal for 16-year-olds, but they can’t drive until they’re 18. Also, it’s where school days are long and multiple choice tests don’t exist. He speaks English, a little French and his native German. Mauersberger is a German exchange student who has been in Spokane since September. A junior at Lewis and Clark High School, he maintains an A-minus average and is in advanced calculus. In Germany, he has a B-minus average. “School here is shorter and much easier,” he said.

While Mauersberger is not a permanent member of the community, he has spent some of his time giving back to the community. He lives and breathes soccer and has played on teams and leagues since he was 5.

Students at Logan Elementary benefited from his talent when, for two weeks, he taught them soccer. “Marc bounces a ball on his foot like people bounce a basketball,” said fitness and health teacher John Martin, “He has shown these kids something from a whole different part of the world, and he’s been a great mentor.”

Much of Mauersberger’s time in Spokane is spent on the soccer field playing and practicing with area teams. He will be playing soccer for LC this spring.

He has plenty of freedom but knows his limits. “It’s not my thing to get in trouble,” he said, “I just live my life.” His host father, Steve Marshall, is kind of strict but Mauersberger doesn’t mind. “He’s a lot like my own father.”

Marshall said, “He’s a good kid and a good ambassador of his country. He’s settling in nicely, and we’ll be sorry to see him go.”

Mauersberger goes back to Germany in June. He loves languages, business and said he may become a lawyer, but he will always play soccer.