Midfielder Owen Gitchell is on a hot streak at the right time for the John Stark boys soccer team. In the last three games, he’s scored two hat tricks and provided two assists in crucial wins against Bow and Plymouth.
The junior captain is leading the team in goals with 13 and in assists with seven. The Generals (6-6-3, 10th) are headed into their season against Lebanon, where a win or draw would improve their playoff seed. Gitchell has a chance to step up big again against the Raiders (9-3-2) when it matters most.
The talented attacking threat has honed his skills outside of the fall season, playing at the club, U.S. Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup and USL Academy Leagues levels.
As we do each week, the first question for this week’s Athlete of the Week will be posed by the previous participant: Tom Maskwa from the Coe-Brown boys soccer team.
Q: How important is building team chemistry and how has it propelled your team’s success thus far?
A: Building team chemistry is extremely important. Our season didn’t start off the best as we lost some games that we definitely should have won. Being able to stay united as a team after those losses helped us turn it around and get some big wins later in the season.
Q: What’s your position and how do you see your role on the team?
A: I play center mid. My role is to win battles in the midfield, distribute the ball and create goal-scoring opportunities. As a captain, my role is to be a good leader and be supportive to my teammates.
Q: What about your sport makes it special and why do you enjoy it?
A: Soccer is the greatest sport in the world. Going out with the boys and playing soccer is something that I will always remember. It’s one of the only sports that almost anyone can play, doesn’t require much equipment and doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It can also unite people from across the world and from all cultures. The recent World Cup we hosted was a good example of that.
Q: As you head into playoffs, how do you think your team can perform to the best of its abilities?
A: Going into playoffs we need to stay together as a team and keep working hard. I know all the boys on the team want to make a run for the title and we’re all hungry. We need to keep fighting all the way to the end.
Q: What are some of your goals for the future?
A: One of my short-term goals is winning our playoff games. A longer-term goal I have is to play soccer in college and to continue playing competitively for as long as I can.
Q: How do you stay mentally engaged in games, practice and in school?
A: I stay mentally engaged by setting goals for myself and always looking for ways to improve. In practice and games, I focus on communicating with my teammates, staying disciplined and trying to make good decisions even when I’m tired or things aren’t going my way. In school, I stay organized, manage my time and remind myself that being successful as a student is just as important as being successful on the field.