Intro

Singh: 00:00 – 00:22

What’s happening, Gators? Welcome back to another episode of The Chomp. This is staff reporter Paul Singh with Golden Gate Xpress, and I am here with Daniel Rodriguez, president [and] goalkeeper of the SFSU men’s soccer club. We will be talking about how cutting the official SF State men’s soccer team affects SFSU athletes. Let’s have it.

Interview

Singh: 00:23 – 0:29 

Did you guys have any aspiration to join the official men’s soccer team on campus?

Rodriguez: 00:30 – 00:51 

Well, I know some of us, or some people in the team, actually did try out for the men’s club soccer team, but it’s just always a little hard being able to get into that because it’s not really how you perform. It’s who you know to be able to get in there. And that’s always been something that’s been kind of difficult only because of the whole idea of, you could perform as great as you think you’re performing, but it just mostly also depends on the way that the 

00:51-01:14

coaches see you, what they’re trying to target to get for that tryout specifically. It’s always a bunch of people that are trying out, so it’s not like you’re always the only one. And sometimes, it could be hard, but I know quite a few in the team. Personally, I didn’t, but I know quite a few players in the team did have the idea of wanting to try out or give it a shot to be able to see what it’s like to be able to be part of the actual school team.

Singh: 01:15 – 01:26

Unfortunately, this fall, I don’t think they’ll be playing anymore. I mean, they’ve just been cut. What’s your thoughts on that?

Rodriguez: 01:26 – 01:31

They’re not playing this last season? I thought they were playing this last season and then next semester they would be cut, I think.

Singh: 01:31 – 01:39

I mean, but how does it feel like having the official soccer team cut?

Rodriguez 01:39 – 01:59 

Honestly, I feel for them and it sucks because it’s like I couldn’t imagine what some of them are going through, especially when some of them possibly aren’t from around here, aren’t local. And then they sacrifice a lot, leaving their family, leaving their loved ones back home, and they come over here with the intention and the idea of wanting to play soccer at that collegiate level. You know, want to gain experience, want to get that college experience of college ball. 

02:00-02:27

I had a couple friends that played on the state team a couple years ago, but they graduated and moved on. But this semester, I didn’t know none of them, but I feel for them. And it sucks. It’s unfortunate that they have to go through what they’re going through, but at the end of the day, as some of them said when I spoke to some of them, life keeps going. I know some of them are going to continue to be able to push through, find other teams that they’re going to transfer to, or just be able to do what’s best for them. It sucks, genuinely. 

2:28-2:32

I wish them the best, and I do hope that everything gets settled for them and goes well.

Singh: 02:33 – 02:51

So we basically compare this to potential players who are possibly leaving abroad to go play for any Premier League team they want, only to find out that the team has just been cut completely. Imagine if it was Manchester United?

Rodriguez: 02:52 – 03:14

I mean, you could kind of compare it to Manchester United because right now they’re going through a little bit of a stunt in their team. It genuinely sucks because I know a lot of them. My little brother had one of his friends from high school. I don’t know if he might be watching this, but I think his name is Adrian, if I’m correct. He’s a center mid. He went to Lowell High School. Really good player all around, good center mid. 

03:15-03:39

He actually committed to SF State this year to be able to come play with them next semester. And those are the ones that I kind of feel for. Because imagine, such a young person, a teenager practically, still not even in college, already coming with the idea and intention of wanting to be part of this journey. This new story, new chapter in their book and start that here. 

03:40-03:53

But unfortunately, I wonder what they would be going through, what he’s feeling mentally because he already committed. Things like that suck, but at the end of the day, what can we do about it? 

Singh 03:54 – 04:14

That’s tough. You commit to something. You sacrifice everything. You have this big aspiration in mind, and then all of a sudden, it’s just gone like that.

Rodriguez 04:14 – 04:34

Yeah, it can suck, especially for someone who’s been playing soccer for…People play soccer when they’re one, two, three years old and their goal is to be able to, hopefully one day, play professional. That’s everyone’s goal growing up when you play soccer, being able to play professional, being able to get all those Nike [or] Adidas cleats for free, all that gear you get to wear. I know that that’s the goal for a lot of people. 

04:34 – 04:54

I think being able to play here, being able to get that experience of a college player, a student athlete, being able to be scouted, get the experience of being able to travel to other schools and represent your school. I know that’s a feeling that feels good for me even personally, even though I’m not an actual SF State player, even being a club player feels good. 

4:54-5:17

Being able to represent my city, where I’m from, being able to represent the school that I attend and be around my brothers. And I know that that’s the feeling that they’re going to miss because I know that it just sucks a lot. And it can be also very mentally difficult for a lot of players because imagine you go through the whole idea, if you’re not really even from here, like having to find a spot to stay, 

5:18-5:39

committing already and all these things you go through and then, just in a news flash, they didn’t even get informed what was occurring. They just found out the day of that their program is going to be cut, and it sucks. It’s unfortunate. I think it would have been good if they would have been given a little bit [of] head time in advance. And I just told the day of that the program was going to be cut. And I think that’s also difficult for a lot of players. 

05:39 – 05:58

For example, even in baseball, because I know baseball got cut as well, when a lot of them won’t have the opportunity to be able to…. for seniors, mostly as well, who are playing their last year. And unfortunately, I understand some of the younger players might be transferring out because they still want to play, get that college experience. And it sucks a lot.

Singh: 05:58 – 06:16

Yeah, without these teams and all, how can students even get scouted by Manchester United, FC Bayern Munich, Al Nassr or FC Seoul?  How are they going to scout the players if there’s no official team?

Rodriguez: 06:17 –  06:39 

I think that’s even harder because I know some players do want to be able to hit that next level in their career, if it’s possible for them. Well, I know a good amount of them would have that idea of wanting to transfer out to be able to continue that college career and experience. Gain the full experience of being that college-level player. And honestly, that’s the same thing I would do if I were in their position. I would transfer. 

06:40 – 07:01

I would try to still maintain that full college career because at the end of the day, you’re young. That’s what you work towards. That’s your goal. And it just sucks because it also closes the door for being able to have a lot of these players be scattered. Again, there’s so many different ways of being able to expose yourself now. I think it also just depends on the way that the player approaches it and goes towards it, too.

Singh: 07:04 – 07:08

Before you played for the SFSU men’s soccer club, did you play for any other soccer club?

Rodriguez: 07:08 – 07:39

Yeah. I actually have a pretty long career of where I’ve played. I actually started when I was 5. I used to play with my dad in Sunday leagues and adult leagues. I used to go watch him play. I would shoot around him and stuff like that. And then around when I was 10-11, maybe 12, 13. I played club for about those years of normal U-12, 13, 14. I played for a team called Bay City. And then from there, I transitioned over to play for a team called Evolution FC. 

07:40 – 08:03

And then I think I stopped playing, maybe for about a year, just because I wanted to fully focus on school. I came back when I was like 18, and I played from 18 until I was like 20. Again, for the same team called Evolution FC. After high school, it’s kind of hard being able to find a team. And I played high school all four years of high school. All my four years, I played high school soccer as well from San Francisco. Shout out Leadership High School.  

08:04 – 08:31

I played there for all my four years and then graduated. And then I just normally played adult league every Sunday, Saturday, Monday. Just to get my reps in, stay in shape. And then, maybe about two years ago, my captain/friend, who I’ve known for a long time now, Julian. He informed me that they needed a keeper. And he’s all like, “We need a goalkeeper. Come out, come practice. See how you like it.”  

08:31-08:54

And at first, I was like, “Nah , I don’t really know how I feel about it. I don’t really have the time.” But then one day I ended up being like, “You know what? Why not? I don’t got nothing to lose.” Let me go see. I ended up trying out. I actually really liked it.  I like the environment of it. It was an opportunity for all of the players who weren’t able to commit, or be able to make it on the actual SF State team, to be able to take part in the club team. I think it’s still cool. 

08:55-8:58

It’s still a really good experience and you make a lot of close connections and close friends there. 

Singh 09:00 – 09:04

Do you still keep in contact with your friends from those prior soccer teams you’re playing in?

Rodriguez: 09:05 – 09:26 

Yeah, I actually keep contact with all of them. It’s funny because on adult league Sundays,  Mondays, when adult league games occur, I actually end up playing against them or they’ll end up being on my team. And it’s just a form of being able to catch up. There actually used to be a kid last semester. His name is Jacob. Me and him played together for about two years in the club and then I ended up playing for the team and he joined. 

09:26 – 09:36

So I ended up knowing him from club. It was just crazy the way the world works, how you end up always running into the people that you play with or your teammates and the same teams or team against you. 

Singh: 09:39 – 09:40

So what’s your major, by the way?

Rodriguez: 09:41 – 09:42

My major’s Kin. Kinesiology. 

Singh: 09:44 – 09:49

So you got to balance out sports, your studies and possibly fitness?

Rodriguez: 09:50 – 10:16

Yeah. So, right now my balance is really difficult. So I got school, got work. We got the school team. Again, the commute because it’s like a 30 minute commute, 45 minute commute across the bridge. Personal life. It’s a lot. I won’t lie to you. It’s difficult. But I think when I show up to practices, when I see all my brothers, when I see we get results, where, for example, this season we’re undefeated. 

10:16 – 10:38

We got about five wins, one tie. When I notice that all the team’s committing and everyone’s giving their best effort, when everyone’s being supportive and putting in their effort, I think it makes it all worth it. All the effort that you put in as a president, what they call it, all the effort you put in, all the dedication, all the time, all like the operational side. All of that stuff becomes worth it. 

10:39 – 10:58

Even though it can be excessive and really, really, really, really draining, it becomes all worth it because you realize that everything that you’re doing is coming back to you in a form of joy. Because when I see my teammates happy, my brothers happy, when I see we’re getting results, wins and we’re getting promoted, all of that to me makes it worth it. It makes me want to be able to keep going. 

10:58 – 11:16

For example, like this jersey, we got a sponsor, shout out Martin Harper Real Estate. When sponsors come to you and they want to support you. They want to sponsor you, buy you new jerseys, offer you new equipment. All of that makes it worth it because you notice that you’re doing your part, you’re doing great. But again, none of it wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for my officers who have been helping me along the way too.

Singh: 11:17 – 11:19

Have you ever been sponsored by any shoe company?

Rodriguez 11:20 – 11:44

We haven’t been sponsored by any shoe company, but if any shoe company does want to sponsor us, feel free to reach out. Let me know. We’ll love to be able to sponsor with you guys. And yeah, whatever comes, we don’t turn anything away. Whatever comes, we’ll take. I think I’m just happy overall. This sponsor came at a perfect time. I’ve known Martin my whole life. He was willing to be able to support us financially, to get us these jerseys and it was worth it. 

11:45 – 11:59

A lot of these players see these jerseys now, and they’re like, “Oh yeah, we got new jerseys.” And a lot of them have been a lot more committed too, because they know that they got to show up to practice, perform at practice to be able to wear one of these jerseys. A lot of them also know that they got to put in their part. So it’s also like a motivational piece of them too.

Singh: 12:03 – 12:10

And the feeling of being sponsored by all these companies. I think that brings up the motivation by a landslide. 

Rodriguez: 12:11 – 12:31

It also holds the players to a level of responsibility because they know when we attend games, we got a name on our shirt. So they also know they got to act professional, be a certain manner, approach things in the correct level or correct way. Because at the end of the day, we also are the representation, not just of the school itself, even though we’re just a club, but also the representation of our sponsor. 

12:32-12:36

Making sure the way we look and the way we represent is one of the most important pieces, too. 

Singh: 12:39 – 12:42

Who are the coaches on the SFSU men’s soccer club right now?

Rodriguez: 12:45 – 13:04

So right now, our coach. He actually was a former, I think. I don’t know if he’s former, still current. I get confused with it a little bit. But his name is Josh Bernateau. I apologize if I say your name wrong, Josh. My bad. But Josh, he’s actually our coach. He’s actually played for the SF State team. So he’s the one that’s been volunteering, taking the time out of his day, supporting us, being able to coach us, bring us drills and things of those manners. 

13:04-13:07

And he’s been the one that’s been mostly our coach throughout the time. 

Singh: 13:07 – 13:08

Where’s your coach from?

Rodriguez: 13:09 – 13:26

I don’t know if he’s a foreign exchange student. I’m not too sure exactly, but I know his background is French. I know he’s French and he’s from France. But I’m not too sure, to be completely honest, if he’s a foreign exchange student or if he’s from here. But I know his background is French.

Singh: 13:27 – 13:32

And this club, is it just all students? Is it all student run or do you also have staff that gets involved as well?

Rodriguez: 13:33 – 13:56

So we’re mostly all student based. For example, as I mentioned, our officers, we’re all mostly student based. Most of us are all students. All of us are enrolled and full time, 12 unit classes and everyone that partakes in it is all students as well. So we’re all self organized and we’re all internal. All of our funding and all of our support system and everything for us to be able to do all the things we do is all internal as well. 

13:57 – 14:06

We don’t have any other form of us reaching out of being able to do things besides us being able to do them off of ours for all of our players internally, all of our brothers. 

Singh: 14:09 – 14:11

Ah, okay. So all student run?

Rodriguez: 14:12 – 14:14

Yeah, all student run. All of us are students. 100 percent student run.

Singh: 14:14 – 14:16

You’ll never hire a coach? 

Rodriguez: 14:17 – 14:42

Well, I think right now the idea, ever since I took over the office as president, is kind of just to get us running, give us a little foundation. Because I think having a foundation and being able to run off of something is important, I think once we got our foundation set. I still got like a year left before I graduate. And I know Josh, our coach, is actually set to leave after this year. So after this semester, he’s going back home. 

14:43 – 15:04

I think at some point, we would like to be able to reach out and see if we could get a coach for us, see if we can get some type of help, some assistance. But I think right now, we’re just trying to figure out our funding a little better. Try to figure out, if we do need to provide financials to that coach, how to figure out how to be able to obtain funds to be able to provide that to them and how we can internally work that out.

Singh: 15:05 – 15:12

After you graduate from SF State, what do you plan to do? What do you plan on doing after you graduate? Getting a job? 

Rodriguez: 15:12 – 15:32

I really want to get a job, but I think right now, my main idea is graduating. So City College actually offers this massage therapy program over there. I’ve been looking into that for quite some time now. I want to start off as a massage therapist because my degree is kinesiology. I want to start off as a massage therapist, and from there, I want to move forward and be a chiropractor. 

15:33 – 15:48

So I think, at some point, I would need to get a master’s or something along the lines. But I think right now, after I’m done with here, I want to go to City College, get a massage therapy degree, do that for a couple years, get my experience, and then after that, move forward and try to pursue the intention to being a chiropractor. I think it’s always caught my attention.

Singh: 15:50 – 15:55

Oh, wow. Yeah, that’s nice. What inspired you to become a chiropractor, if I may ask?

Rodriguez: 15:56 – 16:23

It’s going to be kind of funny. When I was playing at a club soccer game when I was like 19, 20, I actually broke my knuckle. I broke my right knuckle or my left. I don’t know which one, but I think I broke my right knuckle. If I’m correct, I broke my right knuckle because I put my hand down. I got stomped on at a tournament in Vegas by one of the opposite players. My tournament was done practically, and I went to the emergency hospital. 

16:23 – 16:44

They dropped me off. All that fancy stuff that they do at tournaments. As soon as I put my hand out, the doctor instantly just looked at it and said, “It’s broken.” He didn’t even touch it. He didn’t do no X-rays. He didn’t do nothing. He literally just looked at it and said, “Your knuckle is broken.” And I was like, “I don’t believe him. That’s a lie.” Eventually, he ended up putting me under the X-ray, showed me the X-rays and it was broken. 

16:44 – 17:07

And I don’t know how that links to being a chiropractor, but that kind of started the interest. It sparked my interest of being able to be like, “Okay, this is kind of the field that I like.” I kind of like the sports therapy, sports medicine type of field, being able to tell natural injuries or sport injuries. That really caught my interest. And ever since then, I think it kind of caught my interest and chiropractor just naturally came to me because I feel like I enjoy stretching. 

17:07 – 17:27

I enjoy being able to crack bones because sometimes it helps with stress. It helps de-stress, helps mental. And it feels good overall, too. It feels good. It’s a great feeling when you get your back cracked, or your shoulder cracked, or your knee cracked, something put back in place. It feels really good. I like the idea that I can help others who are in need. I like that a lot.

Singh 17:27 – 17:29

Any other things you’d like to mention about the team, if I ask?

Rodriguez: 17:29 – 17:54 

No. Personally, I just want to shout out everyone. Shout out all the SFSU club soccer. I love y’all boys. Y all my brothers. I appreciate all of y’all for everything. Shout out to all my officers. Shout outs to my coach. Like I said, Julian, Luis, Sage, Josh, Diego, all of you guys. I appreciate you because if it wasn’t for us doing everything we’ve done, we wouldn’t be able to get to where we are now. And huge shout out to Luis because he’s actually the founder of the team. 

17:54-17:58

He’s the one that came up with the idea of wanting to create a club team. And it’s beautiful to see that. 

17:59 – 18:20

You can get a group of men, be able to contribute, work together and have that same intention and, most importantly, play the sport they love the most, soccer, and do it here. Build connections, meet people and travel with them. I’m proud of all of them. I love all of them. I’m proud of our victories. Division I, here we come. I’m genuinely happy a lot and I appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you.

Outro

Singh: 18:20 – 18:25 

I’m Paul Singh reporting for Golden Gate Xpress. Thank you for listening and stay tuned for more episodes.