I sat down with Kevin O'Brien '12, a goalie on the men's soccer team, to discuss the lifestyle and the mentality of a backup athlete at Dartmouth.
Describe the lifestyle of a backup goalie.
KO: The other goalies and I go about each practice with the same mentality and work to compete at the highest level with the field players. The first 45 minutes of practice involves pressure training with our goalkeeper coach, which can get really competitive and is pretty draining. After that, we work with the rest of the team in large or small-sided games. My job gets a little easier when we go to the 11 vs. 11 games and I spend a lot of time with our recently departed Coach[Trevor] Gorman. Game days emphasize the warm-up and I try to make sure that the field players rip some twine to get themselves going before the match. All in all, a backup goalie gets out what he puts into it.
How much pride do you take on being the tallest member of the Dartmouth men's soccer team?
KO: It means everything to me. It's the opening line of my Dartmouth Sports profile and I take the honor very seriously.
Even though you are not traveling all the time, how much of your time would you say you lose to team activities?
KO: The process of getting to the locker room 30 minutes before practice, practicing, showering after and enjoying a team dinner probably takes up about three and a half hours on an average weekday. Game days between the pre-match meals, actual game and post-match tailgate consume most of a Saturday.
How important is it to have reserves on the team for practice purposes?
KO: As a goalkeeper, I can see why having extra bodies helps our coaches design drills to meet our team's needs. I'm often used in shooting and finishing drills while the starting keeper works with his back four defenders on the overall defense's chemistry. The extra field players also add a ton of depth to our squad as I truly believe any one of the field players can compete a very high level. For example, playing time for outside midfielders and strikers is often dictated by the particular type of backline we will be facing.
Do you ever feel a divide on the team between starting and reserve players?
KO: The camaraderie between my teammates and myself is the largest reason why I have stuck with soccer these past two years. There are certain players who rarely see significant minutes on the field, but the leaders on the team go out of their way to make sure everyone buys into the team's values and is fully invested in its success. Our team prides itself on our closeness, even if it means playing a little Mika in the locker room.
Do you ever get frustrated? What's a good mentality to have?
KO: The transition from playing all the time in high school and club to never getting on the field was frustrating at first. I put in my best effort while I'm at practice and make little challenges for myself, like not allowing a goal by [Mike Donelan '12] for the next two years. I'm not worried. I also try to contribute as much as I can off the field. Whether that's showing younger guys like [Justin Ciambella '13] how to juggle pre-med classes with soccer or encouraging a frustrated teammate, I enjoy helping my teammates to make us a closer and better team.
How much do you value being a member of the team despite playing time?
KO: I genuinely enjoy all my time that is spent with the team. My teammates are my closest friends on campus. I also have a few hours every day to take my mind off of work and focus all of my energy into one task. Soccer definitely adds some balance to my life and the extra yoga sessions center my chi every time I'm having a bad day.
For a backup, I think it's fair to say you have a large fan following. What do you want to say to your fans?
KO: I'd tell them to come early to games and get their popcorn ready. I still have a 0.00 goals against average.
