Interview Transcript

In the interview I conducted with Micheal, we went over the various ways in how Soccer and growing up an athlete has influenced multiple aspects of our lives. I tried to structure the interview in three parts, in which I would explore Micheal's memories of the past and present and then end it with what he thinks his future will be in Soccer. Interesting topics I am planning on highlighting will be the time spent in Colombia for the tournament, what being a captain means to him, and take aways from a long career almost at it's end.

Full Transcript:

[00:00:22] I've had a lot of memories of playing soccer, I've been playing since 5 years old, I'm now 21... So, yea... it's taken up a majority of my life.

[00:00:54] Soccer was a constant thing, I was always playing.

[00:01:11] It's hard to pick one out of the list...if you wanna talk about recent memories, you know, playing in College has been a great experience and a great memory to have.

[00:01:28] I've built so many friends, relationships with people that I know I will have, outside the field. It's shaped who I am.

[00:01:33] I started off as a walk on freshman and now in my third year, I've grown to be captain, which shows who I am as a person and the skills I have on and off the field. And it shows how people look at me and rely on me in that aspect.

[00:01:55] If you want to talk about highschool, I was also captain, I was also given that role in my junior year... I guess there's something consistent there. Me showing that and proving it to my coaches, and they see me and they reward me with this role, with this great role.

[00:02:23] One memory that I will always love and cherish, when I was about 12 years old, 11 or 12 years old... I got recruited to go play a tournament outside the U.S and represent the United States in this Colombian Tournament only once per year.

[00:02:47] This is where the young talent in Colombia go and showcase and their skills, and it was crazy because this tournament was aired on live TV.

[00:02:59] I remember I had family members in Colombia, actually watch the game live on TV, which was awesome.

[00:03:08] It was a really, really, great experience, I was young but I remember everything so vividly, how we were treated, there was fans, there was a stadium, couple hundred people watching the game.. News Reporters... Post game interviews.

[00:03:29] I remember a guy, come up to me, just like you are now, for his radio show.

[00:03:39] They knew me as the half Argentinean, half Colombian kid... and that's a good mix in the soccer world, it's an insane mix, yea it's a good mix to have.

[00:03:53] The tournament itself was a great memory, unfortunately we didn't win.

[00:03:58] We got to the quarterfinals and I was starting. I was left back. I was the one going up against these tough opponents.

[00:04:05] These kids were good man, these kids were really good, nothing compared to the talent here. These kids have nothing out there and Columbia and to witness them play and enjoying the sport and giving it their all, for a tournament like that, was amazing. So that's definitely one of my biggest and fondest memories I have in the sport.

[00:05:45] The tournament made me realize what I had to improve on, I came back with a different mentality, you know, like I got to keep working hard if I want to keep doing this, If i want to have the possibility of making it somewhere in this sport, then I gotta work hard now.

[00:06:05] Unfortunately I don't see myself going pro anymore, but playing in college man, it's fun man, and there's a lot of people.

[00:06:19] The way we are treated, it feels like you are a pr, you know we have personal trainers, that give us a massage after a game! Or before. Or you go in with an injury they treat you right away, so I get that pro feeling, which is sick.

[00:06:51] Going back to the tournament in Colombia and playing in front of my family, it was awesome because, they got to, I guess have pride in themselves, that I was a family member on TV, and to be like "Wow, Micheal is in that tournament"

[00:07:16] It was a great moment for everyone.

[00:07:18] Seeing the people, seeing the culture. People in Columbia are great, they are always enthusiastic, they are always positive, they are always outgoing, they are always having a good time down there no matter what, even if you are on or off the pitch.

[00:07:32] And the food was amazing too.

[00:07:37] You know, I was with a bunch of friends of mine too. You put a bunch of 12 year olds and bring them to a different country, and you tell them you are going to play soccer, but you also are gonna experience a different culture completely, it's an awesome experience and I was fortunate enough to be apart of that, because not that many people can say that. So def cool.

[00:09:04] I think about it everyday, I'm not gonna lie to you, you know that I have one season left. My last season, it's crazy how time flew by. I still remember being a freshman and getting picked on by the seniors, it's crazy how time flies.

[00:09:36] It sucks that this is going to be my last season, but I want to go out with a bang, I want to win, I want to end it with a championship.

[00:09:50] Because it's been what? 7, 8 years now since Hunter Soccer has won the cuny champs and we've come so close.

[00:09:57] I have that experience, because two years ago I was playing in the cuny finals against lehman college and unfortunately we lost 2-1, and it was probably the biggest loss I have had in my career, because I was this close, you know? First time winning a championship in my whole life of playing soccer.

[00:10:30] I've never really won a big tournament, I've won leagues before and come out first place in the Long Island league, when I was playing club soccer and the Queens Cosmopolitan league, I've come first place in that, but a tournament like that, I've never won.

[00:10:52] I've never been able to lift up a trophy with my teammates and just yell and scream and celebrate. And that's something that I'm constantly thinking about.

[00:11:10] I wanna have fun too, it's my last season and just playing soccer overall is a fun sport for me, it's something that I'm very passionate about.

[00:11:23] I'm excited about playing post college, playing in an amuteur league or a sunday league, even a beer league. Something like that, just to have it a consistent thing.

[00:11:37] Career wise, I see myself in the soccer realm, if it's not on the pitch, I see myself there, near. Having the experience of being on the field, even if it's a reporter or journalist. Or someone working the camera. Or even Coaching, you know?

[00:13:02] The reason why I went into coaching, was because I wanted a part time job.

[00:13:22] I love working with kids, they have an idea of how to play but not quite there, but I'm there to take them every step of the way. And teach them things that I wasn't necessarily taught at that age and had to learn later on.  

[00:13:43] I want to be able to give back to these kids and develop them into great players. And that's kind of why I went into coaching. Not so much for the money and because I needed a part time job, it was because... I enjoy being on the field. And I enjoy giving everything I have learned and everything I have experienced and giving that to somebody else.

[00:14:11] I want to be able to sort of be that role model in their life.