RT: Hello everyone. My name is Raj Thapliyal and welcome to Episode 14 of Time Out. Each episode we’ll be diving into the sports scene here at Monta Vista High School and exploring the journey of athletes from various sports. In this episode, I’m joined here by Jason He, who is a part of the Monta Vista High Varsity Soccer team, as well as a club team outside of school. So Jason, how did you start playing soccer?

JH: I love to run and it just seemed fun and appealing. 

RT: What is one of your earliest memories of soccer?

JH: I had a team, probably when I was six or seven, and I remember when I scored my first goal for that team and it was a really easy shot. I had an open goal but I was just so happy to score.

RT: What is one of your favorite moments in soccer?

JH: For my club, we were playing in a tournament, and we made it to the finals and in the semi finals we were playing and we were losing 2-0. But at the end we came back and won 3-2, and I just feel like everyone, from 2-0 or to 3-2, for that stretch of the game, we all just played really well, and I just really enjoyed that moment.

RT: What club are you in?

JH: I’m in Cupertino FC. 

RT: How did you join that club?

JH: So the coach of Cupertino FC is actually the MVHS coach. So when I was in middle school, I knew I was going to MVHS and then I saw that the coach of my new club I had joined was going to be the same coach as my high school coach. So it just made sense to join.

RT: What are some challenges that you face in soccer?

JH: Yeah, I’m still facing similar challenges to be honest like when I join a new team, like right now I just joined Varsity this year for school. It’s always hard to fit in and gain the respect of my teammates, especially when I play at a high level. 

RT: What are some challenges in club? Is it the same? Is it different in clubs?

JH: Sometimes what I want to do or what I want to play is different from what my coach wants me to do. So I have to change how I play and how I do things.

RT: What about in terms of play style, what are some challenges that you face specifically?

JH: I can work on my confidence, when I get the ball. Sometimes I’m scared to make a move past the opponent. I’m just really passive when I have the ball, but I’m starting to think that if I can improve my confidence more, I can take on more players and be a better player. 

RT: How do you adapt to these challenges? 

JH: Usually from Monday to Friday, I will go to Monta Vista a couple times to work on soccer by myself, I usually search up some tutorial on YouTube.

RT: How big is the time commitment for soccer for starters?

JH: This year it’s Monday to Friday, every day, for two hours, but this year because I’m at a high level now I have to go to practice for two hours every day and also sometimes there are games on the weekends. And of course, sometimes I practice by myself too, so probably 15 to 20 hours a week. 

RT: What about when you were starting to play soccer? 

JH: Soccer started off as a hobby, maybe an hour every two days to just go out and play but definitely less than now. 

RT: How does soccer affect your personal life?

JH: Soccer can change my mood, like when there’s a big game coming, the day before, I’m usually a little more nervous or excited. 

RT: Also for your personal life, what about other commitments that you have? How do you deal with that?

JH: I have to start doing homework during brunch and lunch so that when I get home I could do other stuff because as I said, Monday to Friday, for every day, two hours I go to practice. So, some of that time I could have spent on homework at home, so I improvise and do it at school now. 

RT: Other than school are there any other time commitments that soccer clashes with? 

JH: I workout at the gym, I used to probably workout one hour every day. Now, again I improvise and look at my schedule. I probably only go to the gym like three or four times a week. 

RT: How else does soccer affect your personal life, other than affecting your hobbies? Does it affect your time with your friends, time with your family?

JH: Of course, I see my family less because I get home later every day, but to be honest, I think I get to see my friends more because most of my friends also play soccer. They also are in the same team as I am in and so, I probably get two hours more than I would with my friends every day when soccer season starts. 

RT: How do your teammates and friends support you in soccer?

JH: [After] a play, when I mess up, they’ll sometimes take the blame. They’ll take the blame with me and not let me get screamed at by the coach just by myself. 

RT: Can you describe the experience of soccer at MVHS?

JH: It’s definitely a very fun experience because in school soccer, we all know each other. We’re all already friends, so it’s a positive culture where we help each other improve and have fun in the process.

RT: Can you describe the experience of soccer outside of MVHS, so in clubs? 

JH: My high school coach and my club coach are the same coach. So as for play style, I feel like it’s really similar. I feel like playing for school is much more important than playing for the club because I’m representing something big, I’m representing all my friends and I’m representing my teachers, when I play for school. But for clubs It’s really just me trying to improve myself, there’s not that much motivation.

RH: Do the places you travel to for soccer affect how you play soccer? 

JH: Well for club, we played in a tournament where we had to travel for like two-three hours. There are changes in the weather. Sometimes when we play next to beaches. It’s much more windy so the ball will move differently in the air or if it was raining, then the pitch would be much more slippery, so the ball will also move faster on the ground, so I have to put less power in my passes. 

RT: Do you have a favorite strategy or move in soccer?

JH: I usually do simple moves but they work. Usually I do a body feint to make my defender think I’m going one way when I’m actually going the other. I like to perfect those simple skills. 

RT: What other simple skills do you have that you like to use?

JH: I like to do something called the roulette. So it’s just having two quick touches with my feet and two changes of direction. It really confuses the defender.

RT: What’s the hardest part about soccer for you?

JH: Like playing soccer?

RT: Yeah.

JH: I think it’s definitely your confidence, especially when coach doesn’t believe in you that much. When the coach believes that many other players are better than you and you just want to prove that you’re worthy of playtime, you’re worthy of respect from your teammates. It’s that confidence, it’s really important.

RT: That’s it for Episode 14 of Time Out. Thank you so much, Jason He, for joining me on this episode. I’m Raj Thapliyal and thanks for tuning in.