What Stephan Schrock Always Brings With Him During Matchdays

From childhood dreams to Katinko mishaps, Stephan Schrock’s starter pack says everything about his career.

From his childhood days in Germany dreaming of wearing branded boots to representing the Philippines on the biggest stages with the Azkals, Stephan Schrock built a career spanning decades and countless memories.

Even as he approaches his 40th birthday and shifts his focus away from professional football, the game remains a part of his everyday life. And whenever there is football involved, five items never stray too far from his bag.

Each one carries a story — from childhood dreams and family to battle scars and a hilarious lesson involving a little too much Katinko.

Football Boots: Nike Tiempos, Skechers SKX Cleats

For Schrock, football boots are more than just equipment, they are a reminder of how far he has come.

Growing up in Germany in a family that was not financially stable, he spent his early years playing with non-branded football shoes. Because of that, wearing a pair of branded boots became a dream he chased growing up.

“I grew up in a not financially stable family and at the grassroots level, I could only wear non-branded shoes,” Schrock said. “For me, the ultimate goal was always to have Nike.”

That dream eventually became reality as he went on to build a career where he not only wore Nike boots, but was also signed by the brand.

“It somehow fulfilled my childhood dream by endorsing the brand. Those were very proud moments for me,” he said.

Although he has recently enjoyed wearing Skechers, Schrock admits the Swoosh still holds a special place in his heart.

“I did enjoy the Mercurial a lot, but as I grew older, I found more comfort in the Tiempos,” he said. “When you’re in your late 30s, you enjoy comfort over fanciness.”

Shin Guards

After years of professional football, Schrock has developed his own preferences when it comes to shin guards.

For him, the most important factors are size and weight. He prefers the smallest and lightest options available, believing that bigger protection does not necessarily guarantee avoiding injuries.

“I learned that regardless of how big the shin guards are, you will get injured one way or another,” Schrock said. “So I chose the smallest and lightest option that there is on the market.”

However, he quickly points out that younger players should take a different approach.

“I advise them to wear their shin guards properly,” Schrock said. “It’s just when you’re older and you have the experience that you can make those adjustments, but for the younger generation in grassroots football, please use proper shin guards.”

Rosary

Among all the items in Schrock’s bag, none may be more personal than his rosary. Raised by his Filipino mother in a household where religion played a major role, Schrock has carried a rosary with him during matches since he was 18 years old.

“Religion played a very big role in our household,” Schrock said. “I carry the rosary with me just to ask for guidance and protection during the games and to get reminded of why I’m doing it.”

Over the years, the rosary evolved with his life. It now carries the initials of his four children, making it an even greater source of motivation.

“I have the initials of my four children on the rosary, so that gives me a lot of strength and reminds me why I do it and why I’m still doing it,” he said.

The same rosary has been with him for over two decades.

“I carry the rosary with me ever since I was 18 years old. This year, it’s going to be 22 years with the same rosary,” he added with a laugh. “Oh my God, I’m old.”

Ointment: Katinko and Omega

This is his secret weapon. Turning 40 this year, Schrock admits that his body now requires a little more attention.

“Throughout my career, whether I liked it or not, I got a lot of knocks, injuries, tightness and muscle restrictions that just came along with the career,” he said.

For nearly a decade, ointments have become a regular part of his pre-match preparation.

“In the past almost 10 years, I’m constantly using one of the ointments just to get warm or get the muscles activated quicker,” Schrock said. “It helps a lot, and it’s a very, very good tool for young and old, but especially for the old.”

Ironically, he only discovered his love for hot creams after joining the Azkals in 2012.

“Before the Azkals, I was not familiar with it because in Germany, we barely used hot creams or ointments to warm up the muscles,” he said.

“It was introduced to me by the physiotherapist and the masseuse at the time for the Azkals. I found joy in it and I felt great after the pre-activation.”

But his dependence on ointments also led to one of his funniest matchday memories. During one halftime break, Schrock applied a large amount of hot cream to deal with lower back pain. However, the combination of sweat and movement caused the ointment to travel to places where it definitely was not supposed to go.

“I sweated so much that it went through the underwear in more sensitive parts,” Schrock recalled while laughing. “It got really, really uncomfortably hot. Let’s say it like that.”

Surprisingly, the painful experience came with an unexpected reward.

“I had to run a little bit quicker, I think, because of that,” Schrock joked. “And I scored two goals in the second half, but I didn’t get to enjoy it too much, if you know what I mean.”

Towel

The reason Schrock now always carries a towel is directly connected to that unforgettable Katinko incident.

“The towel is solely because of the overuse of the Katinko,” Schrock admitted. “If I would have had a towel, I could have prevented the unwanted additional boost.”

That moment has remained a funny reminder for him to be more careful with the very thing he relies on before every match.

And finally when asked what all five items say about him, he summed it up best:

“Someone who refused to give up and can laugh about himself.”

Banner Images from Stephan Schrock on Instagram.