My experience at Foothill helped me get back on track with my college soccer career. Coming from a NCAA Division I, four-year university I wasn’t sure if I still wanted to play soccer at the college level again. I went out for the team in the winter quarter and I was so happy I did. At first, I was playing for fun but all of a sudden Coach Owen was helping and informing me that coaches from four-year colleges were interested in me. Owen and the coaching staff made sure I was ready and helped me prepare for college coaches to come out and watch me play.
My time here at Foothill allowed me to grow, as a person in ways I never thought was possible. Owen gave me so much confidence as a person and player that I was really able to break out of my shell and play the game I have always wanted to play. After soccer games for the first time, I was so happy with how my team and I played. My teammates and I had so much fun off the field that when it came time for games we were so comfortable as a group that we knew how to play with and for each other. It helped us win games against our hardest competition.
I had one of the most successful and fun seasons here at Foothill College. We came first in league and we headed off into the playoffs. Every practice the coaching staff was making sure we were playing to our best ability. They made sure we always had our fundamentals skills down and from there I was able to play exactly how I wanted to play. With Owens coaching, our team knew that we needed to work hard and that we needed to play hard for each other. He helped us work hard for one another as well as compete with one another in order to improve our skills on the field.
Foothill College also helped me become comfortable and confident inside the classroom as well. I was able to raise my GPA from my four-year college and I applied to a reach school and got accepted. Without Owen’s and the schools help I have no idea where I would be right now. Huge thank you to the coaching staff and Foothill College to help me get back on my feet and get accepted to a good college where I will play on a soccer scholarship.
There is no way to fully describe the impact that playing soccer for Foothill College has had on me as a person—nor how it will continue to impact me for the rest of my life. The head coach Owen Flannery and the rest of the coaching staff are superb; the athletic counselor Laurie Bertani is ready to answer any questions players have regarding classes or eligibility; the dedicated athletic trainers ensure that players are fully healthy and ready to play both during league and in the off-season. This is an incredible experience to have as a student athlete, yet it is rare to find this level of professionalism and support at the community college level.
Playing soccer for Foothill has grown me as a person in innumerable ways. Not only has it been an integral part of honing my time management skills, but playing soccer has been a key aspect to my success in the classroom. Initially when I came to Foothill, I thought that playing intercollegiate sports would hinder academic success; however, contrary to popular opinion, the exact opposite proved true. The work-ethic, dedication, and perseverance that I was cultivating on the soccer field seamlessly segued to how I approached my classes, helping me maintain a cumulative 4.0 because of the lessons I learned as a college athlete.
Foothill is unique, as few academic institutions give student athletes given such a breadth of support in both sports and studies. I have grown so much as a player over the past two years through the coaching staff’s guidance; I have flourished as a student (in both honors courses and nursing school science pre-requisites) through applying the skills I have learned on the soccer field to the classroom. It is an epic journey filled with many memories. While I am now departing Foothill for nursing school, I know one thing for sure: I will be taking my experience as a student-athlete at Foothill College with me after I transfer and beyond.
My time at Foothill College was an amazing experience. I was there for three years and enjoyed each one, but especially the last two when I got to play soccer for the college. I lived in Fremont and would commute every single day, but it was all worth it. Being a student-athlete at Foothill was incredible because of the education I received while being part of a team. Laurie Bertani, the athletic counselor, helped me plan out every quarter and made sure that I got the classes I needed. Without her, navigating the requirements for my AA in Communications and completing the units I needed to transfer would have been much more difficult.
The training center at Foothill was another invaluable support system during my time there. After my ACL surgery they helped me recover to play at the college level. Their focus is to make sure that we play healthy every game, and their dedication to the student-athletes is impressive.
The coaching staff at Foothill is quite honestly the best. They provided me with different views of how to play in certain positions, making it easier to see the game from many angles. Also the coaches’ feedback after every practice and game helped each of the players improve our skills so much. The head coach Owen pushed me on and off the field to succeed. He looks out for his players and their futures. One of his main goals is to get players to move on to the next level and play at a four-year school. Now thanks to his support and guidance I am getting the opportunity to continue playing at a NCAA Div II school in New York City on an athletic scholarship. Playing soccer at Foothill was the best choice I ever made. I met amazing people that I now see as great friends and had amazing coaches that taught me a lot. I am grateful for the opportunities I was given during my time at Foothill. The skills I have learned will continue to benefit me in my future both on and off the field.
Foothill was a school that prepared me for my future both on and off the soccer field.
On the field I was able to develop my skills more as a player and was always pushed to do my best. We played against other competitive community colleges in the area and as a team we worked hard to get better each and every practice. The coaching staff at Foothill is very diverse and will do everything they can to help you reach your goals, from mastering a new lift to one-on-one training sessions. The head coach Owen Flannery has a goal for everyone of his student athletes and that is to help them transfer to a four year university. I would get emails from Owen telling me that a coach was interested in having me play for them and would immediately put me in contact with the other coach. He wants his players to thrive and he helped prepare me for where I am today. Him and some of the other coaches helped me put together a highlight film of my greatest accomplishments over the season to send out to interested schools. Today I am playing for the women's soccer team at California Baptist University and I wouldn't have gotten to this point if it weren't for Foothill and the coaching staff they have there.
Off the field, Foothill helped me academically to be able to move on to a four year college. Foothill offers a variety of different associate programs and has a hard working staff that will work personally with you to get your degree as quickly as possible. Specifically for athletes, Foothill has an athletic counselor, Laurie Bertani, that will work closely with the athletes to make sure they are taking the right classes in order to stay eligible for their sport. I started out with one degree in mind and as I was taking classes to fulfill the requirements Laurie showed me another degree that I could get with those same classes I was taking. I ended up getting my AA in Kinesiology and I wouldn't have been able to if my counselor, Laurie, wasn't there to assist me. In spring 2015 I graduated with my AA and I was able to complete that in only two years. Another aspect that Foothill helped provide is a safe and friendly environment. I was able to make some great friends on my soccer team and also in my classes. I had taken a few night classes over my two years there and I never once felt uncomfortable walking back to my car. Foothill was two of the most fun years of my life and I will alway be grateful for Foothill because it was the place that helped me grow and become the person I am today.
I had two memorable years at Foothill College. I picked Foothill College because I instantly fell in love with the coaching staff. They unselfishly gave their time and were always there to help and support the players. They helped me reach the next level of play and encouraged me daily to strive to be the best player possible.
My most memorable moment at Foothill would be going to the Final Four. It was the first time ever that the Foothill Women's soccer team made it to the Final Four. Our entire team worked really hard and beat teams that not many people thought we could compete against.
Playing at Foothill College was a great experience for me. It helped develop me into the player I am, and the player I strive to become. I am currently playing for Colorado State University. I am truly grateful for the committed coaching staff and the entire team I was able to play with; I would not trade the experience for anything!
My experience at Foothill was nothing short of phenomenal. On and off the field I felt as if I had unlimited resources and help to lead me in the direction I wanted to go athletically and academically. Owen and the rest of the coaching staff challenged us to be better soccer players, students, and most importantly, better people. The coaching staff was eager to help with absolutely anything - wether it was setting up a meeting with a academic counselor, getting in extra technical or skills work on the field, making a highlight film to send to coaches, contacting 4-year college coaches for transfer opportunities, etc.
The staff never ceased to amaze me. Without the support and guidance I received at Foothill during my first two years of college, I do not think my dream of getting an athletic scholarship and the opportunity to play in a top division 1 conference would have came true.
I have now graduated from DePaul University where I played soccer for my final two years of my college career and since graduating, started my career in college coaching. I aspire to be a head coach of a college program one day and hope I can help athletes on the field, in the classroom, and in life, as well as the staff and Foothill community did for me.
Hi, I am from Umea, Sweden. I played soccer, as a goalkeeper, at Foothill for two years. This was probably one of the best decisions of my entire life. I was able to meet so many new people and grow not only as player but as a person as well. It has opened doors to other opportunities that I had no idea were even possible.
I was given a once in a lifetime opportunity to earn a scholarship and play soccer at the University of Hawaii. I now play Division 1 soccer in Sweden and I am so thankful for all the people, players and the coaching staff from throughout the years that have helped me built the foundation to where I am now.
One of the proudest moments at Foothill was when we won league my freshman year, and also when I was named Goalkeeper of the League. Without Coach Owen, none of this would have been possible. I could honestly not have asked for a better coach. I really miss Foothill and the team. These were the two best years of my life and I wish I could do it all over again, and again, and again.