BY AARON JAFFE
PRIDE STAFF WRITER

Here at Cal State San Marcos, we are experiencing growth in our athletics program that reflects the importance of athletics to the college experience. When we read about or watch our Cougar athletes perform, we only see what was done on the field of play. Do we know what being a collegiate athlete really requires? To answer this question I traveled to Arizona and sat down with one of the captains of the Men’s Soccer team, Senior Bradley Seidenglanz.

Aaron Jaffe: Thanks for talking with me Brad. I feel it is important to know what being a student athlete is really like.
Bradley Seidenglanz: No problem. I think it is too.

AJ: So what does a typical week look like for you?
BS: We train one to three hours every day depending on if we have a game that day or not. Usually, we have one day off every week, but it all depends on if we have a game or not.

AJ: Is that all season long or does that flow into the offseason too?
BS: Both. In the fall we have our actual season, but we train almost all year long. In the spring we do weightlifting along with our normal training.

AJ: So are you able to work?
BS: Holding a job is tough. There are on-campus jobs and scholarships that help. We get about 14-18 hours a week to hold a job. Luckily, my parents have taken care of me financially.

AJ: What about your social life?
BS: I am with my teammates a lot and it is like a brotherhood, but it is important to maintain outside friendships. It is tough, but I think that a balance is necessary.

AJ: What is your biggest challenge as a student athlete?
BS: Time management is the biggest challenge. We have to maintain a minimum of a 2.0 GPA, but our goal is a 2.75. As a team we are currently at a 3.0 collectively. Finding motivation to keep up with schoolwork is difficult, but it is definitely necessary to being successful.

AJ: It sounds like you are definitely motivated enough to succeed. Best of luck to you in the future.
BS: Thanks.