The Concentric Wealth Management Gael Spotlight is a monthly Q&A by SMCGaels.com with a Saint Mary's student-athlete, getting to know our Gaels more closely
MORAGA, Calif. — SMCGaels.com sat down with
Stephen Dougherty, the lone senior and one of the captain's for Saint Mary's men's soccer team. The Gaels are off to a fantastic start this season, winning all 11 of their non-conference matches and are currently the 10th best team in the nation.
Q: How do you feel being the one true senior on the team? Do you feel a sense of leadership and that other players look to you for guidance?
SD: "It has definitely been a humbling and maturing experience being the lone true senior. For the past three years there has always been an older guy I could lean on, but this year I have had to look inward and rely on experience and instincts when questions or issues have arose. However, the redshirt juniors and juniors have done a tremendous job in being leaders, which makes my life a whole lot easier."
Q: What does it mean to you to wear the captain armband every game?
SD: "Wearing the captain band signifies responsibility for the team's actions. I am honored to have been chosen as captain of the 2018 team, and although there are only two of us wearing the band on the field, there are 27 others that are sporting the Saint Mary's badge. Part of the role of the captain is to ensure that everyone on the team is on the same page and playing for that badge that is on our chests."
Q: What interested and brought you to Saint Mary's?
SD: "There was a connection between my high school (De La Salle) and Saint Mary's in various ways. My high school coach (Derricke Brown) played here, my club soccer coach (Chris Brown) was an Assistant Coach here, and two of my former high school teammates were playing at SMC at the time. This allowed me to get first-hand opinions on life as a Saint Mary's Gael, and I only heard positive things about both the education and experience as a student-athlete. As well, it would give me the opportunity to continue my Lasallian education, stay close to my family that lives in Pleasanton, and make connections within the Finance World in the renown San Francisco Bay Area."
Q: How has your student-athlete experience been at Saint Mary's and what do you think the biggest takeaway will be when you graduate?
SD: "I have loved my time being a student-athlete here at Saint Mary's College. Coaches, trainers, administration, and professors have worked very hard to create the best experience possible, both in the classroom and on the field. There is a sense of Gael community here that is difficult to put a finger on – every student-athlete is focused on working for the person next to you. I will try to duplicate this selfless work-rate in any endeavor I take on post-graduation."
Q: What is the SAAC and the role it plays on campus?
SD: "The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is a group of student leaders from each team in that helps facilitate life within the athletic department. We are in charge of mediating communication between AD's, coaches, trainers, and student-athletes to ensure all student-athletes are getting the best experience possible here at SMC. We are constantly striving to generate ideas on how to enhance every aspect of the student-athlete experience, and how we can help the community as one unit."
Q: What is your position within the SAAC and how did you get to that point?
SD: "I am part of the Executive Team along with Andrea Gonzales (women's cross country/track and field), Dani McIntyre (women's tennis), and Taylor Meilleur (baseball). We are in charge of leading the meetings, being the spokespeople to voice the opinions of all of the student-athletes, and being the middle-men between student-athletes and the administration in the athletic department. I came on the SAAC scene as a freshmen and have been a member ever since. The likes of past SAAC Presidents such as Cory Schmidt, Katelyn Mamizuka, Katie Moss, and Calvin Hermanson have done an incredible job in showing us how to best lead the committee and eased the transition for all of us."
Q: What difference have you seen in this year's record-breaking team compared to the previous three seasons?
SD: "In past years our team has had the same type of potential, but there were games where we could not piece together a complete 90 minute game without any lapses in focus. The difference between winning and losing a soccer game can be one mental mistake that happens in a matter of seconds. Our team this year has stressed the importance of making sure that these minor mental errors are limited to none."
Q: What has been your greatest memory at Saint Mary's on-or-off the field?
SD: "My greatest memory is our most recent win against UC Irvine. This season has been somewhat of a surreal experience so far, and we are making sure we take it one game at a time. The most important game of the year is always the one coming up next. This allows us to not put unnecessary pressure on ourselves by constantly thinking about our current ranking or being undefeated. If we win one game at a time for the entire season, those things will take care of themselves."
Q: What inspired you to play soccer and why did you stick with it?
SD: "My parents threw me into a multitude of sports growing up, and I remember often even playing four sports at once (baseball, basketball, soccer, and lacrosse). Soccer eventually stuck with me during my freshman year of high school when I had to make a choice because of the conflicting athletic seasons. That year I went on a trip to England with my club Ballistic United, and I grew a passion and love for the game after training with the Sheffield Wednesday Academy team and watching Manchester City vs. Arsenal live at Emirates Stadium."
Q: Eleven of your teammates are from overseas, what has it been like interacting with them and experiencing their culture?
SD: "Besides their funky accents, I have enjoyed every part of being teammates with all of the foreigners. I have learned a tremendous amount about the different cultures throughout the world, and especially Europe, because of them. I have always been impressed in how well they handle being away from home for such an extended period of time, so with me being from Pleasanton 25 minutes away, my parents and I have tried to have as many of them over as possible at our family gatherings. On the field, you can notice the technical abilities of many of the foreigners because that part of the game is thoroughly stressed in European football."
Q: What was it like meeting Squishy this year and how has it been with him on the team?
SD: "One of my favorite experiences so far as a Gael has been the immersion of Quentin 'Squishy' Rios into our team. He is an inspiration to every ones of us because of his positive attitude, willingness to fight, and huge smile that he has on his face during every second of his journey. He embodies what each player on our team strives to be like in the face of adversity."
