Darren Gomez grew up in a small town in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he found a passion for soccer at an early age. Throughout his high school years, Darren kept up with soccer and was eventually recruited by many colleges. Oneonta was the one that stuck out.
"Oneonta had just made it to the Final Four (Darren's senior year of high school), and I visited the school and loved it. Oneonta has a great coaching staff and a great program" said Darren. It was clear after talking with Darren that he meant it. Although a good portion of our conversation was on Oneonta's stellar track record, the majority of the conversation revolved around Gomez's teammates.
Early on in the interview, Darren stated,"I'd say we are pretty much like a family," This was the reason he stuck with soccer throughout his entire life. It wasn't only the sport itself; it was the friendships and bonds that he formed throughout high school and college.
Even though Darren was never officially a captain of Oneonta's soccer team, he expressed the fact that his teammates always rallied around each other and sometimes looked to Darren as a leader. He excepted the challenge. Never wondering if he should pass along certain duties to other seniors, he did whatever was asked of him.
When I asked him what position he played, Darren replied with an appropriate, "wherever they asked me to." This speaks to his ability to adapt to the game at hand and embody what it means to be a true 'team player.'
Collegiate athletics aren't for everyone. It's a daily struggle of balancing school work, practices, games, and all the while, having a social life. Darren Gomez's college career came to end this past Fall season. However, the memories, bonds, and friendships will last a lifetime.
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