Carver is about team goals, not personal [Soccer]
When you are a prolific scorer and you’re not putting the ball into the net, the game is maddening.
Well, unless, of course, your team is winning. Then it’s awesome.
Just ask Alaska’s Blaine Carver of the Seattle Pacific University men’s soccer team.
After scoring eight goals as a freshman, the Soldotna striker managed just two goals last year.
“I was frustrated last year at times, but I kept telling myself that as long as we were winning I was happy,” Carver told me. “Of course everybody wants to do better personally, but I can’t complain with the results last year.”
The nationally ranked D2 Falcons finished 14-3-2 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament West Regional.
Now a junior, Carver is excited to keep to the Falcons on the same path while getting back on track offensively himself following an off year.
“I do think it will drive me to do better, but I don’t think putting the pressure on myself will help at all,” he said. “We have all kinds of weapons offensively so as long as I follow the game plan and work hard I’ll be happy.”
The team-first, team-second mentality is no joke.
Carver, 20, takes soccer very seriously and trains alone in his hometown. Most people there are focused on netting salmon while Carver is focused on the netting goals.
“I feel pretty good. I couldn’t ask for better teammates and coaches, and hopefully we continue to improve as a team,” he said. “The tradition at SPU is great; the five championships were part of the reason I wanted to attend because it shows they are a program that is committed to winning and doing things the right way.”