Source: Eric Goitia
I had the pleasure of interviewing Eric Goitia, the captain of Bowdoin Men’s Soccer, shortly after the team won their first NESCAC soccer title in the conference championship game. We met in Jack Magee’s Pub and talked a bit about the soccer team’s big win before chatting about his academic pursuits and hobbies.
HC: How did it feel to win the championship game?EG: “It felt amazing. For the past four years I’ve been here, everyone on the team has worked really hard. Once we lost in the semi-finals last year, we wanted to get back to the finals and keep on pushing forward. It feels good when your hard work pays off.”
HC: What was different about this year that led the team to their big win?EG: “All the guys came together really well. Instead of just one or two guys, I think there were leaders throughout the team, and they were able to motivate us all. We really wanted this, and we didn’t give up. We had faith in ourselves, and that helped us achieve our goals.”
HC: How did your preparations this year factor into winning the NESCAC title?EG: “We practiced penalty kicks quite a bit during our regular practices. The fact that we prepared for those pressure-filled situations really helped us a lot. The team had everybody elses’ backs. If you miss a penalty kick, nobody is going to be mad at you, which really helps relieve some of that pressure. Obviously our goalie, Stevie, did really well as well, especially because the odds were against him to make all those saves [in penalty kicks].”
HC: What were your major goals for the soccer season?EG: “Our overarching goal was to win the NESCAC championship, so we put all of our focus towards that. Next year, we’ll obviously try to win the championship again, but the approach to getting there will probably be a little bit different. The team will decide their goals next season, but I think we’ll try and host the championship next year.”
HC: How long have you been playing soccer?EG: “Ever since I could walk. My dad got me into it. I joined my first team when I was five, and I’ve been playing ever since. I’ll probably try to keep playing after graduation. Not professionally or anything, but in some recreational league.”
HC: Do you have any hobbies other than soccer?EG: “Reading non-fiction books. I like reading about lots of entrepreneurs and start-up companies and stuff like that. I also like to watch The Walking Dead and Gossip Girl. If you haven’t seen Gossip Girl, you definitely need to watch it. It’s an amazing show. The guys on the soccer team and I watched the whole show together. Soccer has just been a huge part of my life, so I think I have to find new hobbies!”
HC: What are you studying here at Bowdoin?EG: “Government and Legal Studies, and I’m minoring in Economics. But I’m also really interested in music. This spring I’m taking a government seminar and an economics class called ‘Labor and Human Resources.’ I was hoping to take ‘Intro to Audio Recording,’ but I didn’t get in.”
HC: Do you have any regrets about your time at Bowdoin?EG: “I wish I took more psych classes. I find psychology really interesting. I like to think about the different ways that other people think.”
HC: What’s a fun fact about yourself?EG: “I’m half-Bolivian. That’s where I get my love of soccer from, I think. Umm, I’m related to Daniel Boone. And William Howard Taft. But I don’t get stuck in bathtubs.”