A smiling eight-year-old Andre Roberts (left) poses with former Ohio State and Pittsburgh Steeler star Ryan Shazier (right) at Bexley Elementary School. Credit: Andrew Roberts
Andre Roberts stands out on the pitch for many reasons.
Roberts, a freshman midfielder on the Ohio State men’s soccer team, has started nine out of 14 games and played in every contest while contributing a goal and an assist.
In addition to his skill on the field, he stands out for his experiences living with alopecia, a medical condition that caused the loss of his hair.
However, Roberts doesn’t let alopecia define him. He continues to put his heart into soccer while being an advocate for others who are diagnosed with the autoimmune disease.
“Both things [alopecia and soccer] are major parts of my life,” Roberts said.
Roberts’ love for soccer began at the age of 4. He was diagnosed with alopecia universalis — the rarest form of the condition, which causes complete hair loss — at 8. Alopecia areata occurs when the immune system attacks hair follicles, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Shortly after he returned home from summer camp, a small bald spot appeared on the back of his head.
Slowly, his hair began falling out, until there were fine patches everywhere, he said.
Roberts said accepting his hair loss was not an easy task.
“I wondered why it was happening to me, if there was something I could do to prevent it,” Roberts said.
After trying steroid creams for three weeks, Roberts said he decided he had enough.
“I was like, ‘This is a waste of my time, I want to go play outside,’” he recalled.
Roberts said in 2012 he found a home in the Children’s Alopecia Project — a weekend camp designed for kids with alopecia.
The CAP challenges kids to do things out of their comfort zone to help build their confidence. These events can range all the way from surfing to ziplining. The camp provided Roberts with a refuge where he could connect with others who understood his journey, he said.
“There’s nothing that they have to hide from because everyone else is dealing with alopecia,” Jeff Woytovich, the founder of CAP, said. “They like the fact they can be who they are.”
Roberts also found refuge on the soccer pitch.
“I feel like soccer was a part of my identity before alopecia was,” Roberts said. “It wasn’t going to be changed by my hair.”
At Dublin Coffman High School, Roberts was an All-League selection in 2020 after leading the league in assists and finishing second in goals.
In 2021, he was a two-time captain for Ohio Premier and was an Elite Club National League All-Conference honoree. He also played three years of club soccer for Ohio Premier, two years with Columbus Crew SC Academy, and was a two-year letter winner.
Roberts said he has come to terms with his changed appearance and hardly notices his missing hair. Though he acknowledged that he does encounter some teasing on the field, it does not get him down.
“People on the sidelines get creative,” he said. “I’ve heard a couple of Mr. Cleans. I just laugh about it.”
Despite the banter, Roberts has also received a lot of support. Most notably from former Ohio State and Pittsburgh Steelers star, Ryan Shazier, who also has alopecia. The two met when Shazier visited Roberts’ Bexley Elementary School.
Roberts said Shazier has continued to be an inspirational figure.
“People were looking at him, the Ohio State football star who has the same thing that I have,” Roberts said. “That helped a lot.”
Roberts earned a spot on the 2023 All-Big Ten Freshman team and is excited to see where his Buckeye career will take him. He said he will not let adversity get in the way of reaching his goal of becoming a professional soccer player.
“When you’re playing, you don’t really think about anything else,” he said. “It’s an escape.”
