Amanda Shea '28
The hard count doesn’t fool Riordan’s defense. “Set!” Two leg lifts and the ball snaps. Riordan’s linebacker, #13, feints a blitz and backpedals. Burlingame’s quarterback, a little flustered, rushes the pass. Amanda’s already there, undercutting the route. It’s her second interception of the day. Tim Shea, Amanda’s proud father and an alum from the class of ‘98, watches from the stands as the team celebrates and hangs a heavy chain around her neck, the team’s tradition for marking such takeaways. What’s it like to watch Amanda play the same sport he played in high school? “Incredible, but to see her in Riordan’s colors, even more amazing.”
As a father of two girls, Tim had no expectation that his daughters would follow in his footsteps–Amanda throws shot put and discus like he did too–so when Riordan opened its doors to young women, it was a no-brainer for a family like Amanda’s. She’s an incredible 7th generation San Franciscan and now a 3rd generation Crusader.
It’s been meaningful to both Tim and Amanda to share this legacy. They haven’t had any of the same teachers yet, but chances are the first will be Mr. Vezzali-Pascual. He remembers Tim well: “I will never forget that time in the very early stages of my career. Tim and his schoolmates were a big reason why I stayed at Riordan and in the teaching profession! It is such a wonderful, full-circle moment for his daughter to now be at Riordan!”
While they can't trade notes on teachers yet, Tim has given Amanda keepsakes from his time at Riordan, like his block letters. It wasn’t long, however, before Amanda was collecting her own trophy case of awards. Defensive player of the year for the junior varsity flag football team, national honors society, not to mention Riordan’s own St. Francis Scholar.
Amanda, of course, is charting her own path too. As a bio-med student, she has a number of honors courses to contend with. She credits Ms. Assereto and Ms. McDermott for inspiring her to work hard and believe in herself. One day, Amanda hopes to combine her interests in science and true crime stories to be a forensics scientist. Ms. Assereto remembers Amanda as “very bright and diligent.”
Outside of class, Amanda especially appreciates the community at Riordan and the excitement of spectating sports with friends. The house games have been a highlight too, a difference she had to explain to her dad. When Amanda isn’t busy with homework or athletics, she enjoys chasing thrills with her family at amusement parks or spending time in Santa Cruz.
