Kisken blowing up in Windy City (Soccer)
Sawyer Kisken of Fairbanks had the kind of college debut most soccer players only dream about.
He scored a goal.
But it wasn’t just any goal – it was the winning goal in overtime for the University of Chicago.
“It was crazy,” he told me. “We had to come back from a goal down to tie up the game. We went into golden goal overtime and within the first minute one of my teammates cracked a shot off the post. I just followed it up and put it in the corner.
“There was a huge dog pile and it was definitely one of the greatest feelings I have had.”
Yet he never let the success go to his head.
“I never really had that thought,” he said. “College soccer is for sure much more difficult than anything else I have played. Everyone is bigger, stronger, faster, and the game moves very quickly.”
Kisken, of West Valley High fame, is holding his own just fine.
The 5-foot-7 midfielder has started four of seven matches and amassed three points, including his first college assist two nights ago in a 2-0 win over Carthage. The win lifted the NCAA D3 school to 5-2 on the season.
Even though he’s just a freshman, Kisken is an impact player and a big reason why the team has started so well.
Question: How did you get to the University of Chicago?
Answer: I knew I always wanted to play soccer in college and I worked really hard to become successful in my sport. My hard work paid off when I got the opportunity to go to a prep academy in Massachusetts last year for soccer and play for both the prep academy and the New England Revolution Academy. I realized on the East Coast that not only did I want to play high level college soccer, but I wanted to go to the best academic school I could. The University of Chicago is ranked the eighth best school in the U.S. right now, and so the combination of the academics and soccer made it the perfect school for me.
Q: What’s it like living in the Windy City?
A: It’s great I love Chicago. There is always something fun to do either on campus or downtown. That combined with the great education at the University of Chicago makes for a perfect situation.
Q: Are you a Cubs fan or White Sox fan?
A: I would have to go with the Cubs because my cousin is a diehard fan. Otherwise, I don’t really have a preference yet.
Q: Why do you love soccer?
A: I love soccer because it is a game of free expression.
Q: Hey man, cool name. Is there history behind it?
A: My dad is a Sawyer by trade so he never thought he wanted that to be the name of any of his children, but after thinking about it for a while with my mom they decided they actually really liked the name.
Q: What is your major?
A: Right now I am thinking about being a bio major and fulfilling my pre med requirements hopefully it works out.
Q: Do you think NCAA athletes should be paid?
A: No I don’t. If an athlete is good enough to make it to the pros, he or she will get their money.
Q: What do you miss about Fairbanks?
A: I miss my family. This is my second year away so I think we are getting more used to it.
Q: What position do you play and what’s your favorite part of playing that position?
A: I play midfield and outside back. I would say I prefer midfield because I see myself as more of an attacker.
