Study hall is a place for all division one athletes at Cal State Fullerton to do homework and work on classes, while getting help with counselors and tutors. All athletes that did not meet a certain requirement with certain classes or grades, are required to meet every week with a tutor/adviser. With the tutor/adviser, we go over the homework for the week and your grades. I am required to go twice a week, haha. I think it is beneficial for me to go as they help me be organized with my assignments and classes. Today I went over all my grades. My adviser also helped me make a week plan to finish all my assignments, as I have a lot of different assignments from six classes. I try to finish all my assignments in study hall, because I live with six guys in a house. So I know I wont be able to concentrate and finish them if I go home. Therefore when I am not able to finish my homework, I go to the library and try to complete them there. I am on campus for about 12 hours everyday, as this semester is very important for me academically.

Today before training, I went to the Athletic training room because my fingers were in pain. I dislocated my thumb and strained one of my fingers on my left hand. Due to my past history with finger injuries (as I broke my left pointer finger a year ago), I wanted to get them checked out and taped before practice. Even though having finger injuries do not effect you as much in soccer, because we have a athletic training room with excellent staff who are very knowledgeable on injuries, I took advantage of it and went. They gave me some exercises to strengthen my fingers and taped them, so I do not worsen the injury.

At the “ATR”, you can also use the elevated leg machines, ice baths, and massages for recovery as well.

In the spring season, we have weights every other day before training. We can be in the weight room from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on what kind of training the coaches have in mind for us. Today we were in there for an whole hour, so we were able to get a solid session of weights. We have a weight room staff, that specifically coach and focus on the Men’s soccer team. The staff gives us soccer specific workouts, which strengthen specific body parts and muscles that develop our game on the field. So a lot of the exercises consists of core work and resistance. In the weight room we have dumbbells, squat racks, and bunch of different machines that we use occasionally as well. Our weight room belongs to the Athletic department, so only Division one athletes of Cal State Fullerton can get in.

Today we did a whole course, including:

Warm up:

– band work to get glutes activated

-Ankle and hip mobility injury prevention workouts

Work out:

-5 sets Deadlift

-3sets Plank work

-3sets Dumbbell twisted bench press (5seconds)

-3sets Close grip pull ups (6secs)

-3sets Hip thrusts(4secs)

-3sets Box step ups

-3sets Solo shoulder press

-3sets Deltoid band work

-3sets Dumbbell ab work

As you can tell majority of the workouts are for core and legs .

Photo of Mario Gomez IG: @_kg400

In the spring as we are not in our official season. We have a lot of training days, where we don’t touch the balls and just run the whole practice. Fitness is very important for soccer players, as we have 90 minute games which we run about 8 miles in. During the fall we want to focus on more technical and tactical aspects of the game. That is why in the spring they make us run….. a lot. Today, we had a 6 am session. We warmed up with a mile under 6 minutes. Then we went to the stadium and we ran an obstacle called “stadiums”. “Stadiums” are when we run up each flight of stair skipping a step and going down the next flight. Once we finish one side of the stadium, we then sprint to the other side, and REPEAT. We do this around the whole perimeter of the stadium twice. Mind you our stadium is HUGE! These courses of running are soccer related fitness. The under six minute mile relates to the game were running consistently at that pace. The stadiums work on our legs, explosiveness, and endurance.

For NCAA soccer the spring season is the “unofficial season”. The spring is when we have games that don’t count to our RPI(national ranking) record. So during the spring we play all types of teams ranging from professional clubs to Junior/Community Colleges. Today we played the Under-17 Mexican national team. Although they were younger than us, it was a great experience playing them, as they are all top players fighting for professional contracts. We ended up losing 2-0, however I thought it was a very even game. Both teams had a lot of very good attacks but Mexico was able to capitalize on their chances. I thought I played pretty well. I focused on being more dangerous as an attacking player, and I ended up with probably the most shots in the game from the team. Now that I was able to get shots and crosses, for my next game and practices I will focus on being more accurate and getting results with goals and assists.

On rainy days the athletic department does not want us training at our stadium or training field, because we can damage the grass. However, the team cannot afford to miss to many training sessions, as it has been a rainy spring season. Therefore on most rainy days we end up having practice in one of the gyms/basketball courts, playing futsal. Futsal is indoor soccer on a basketball court. Futsal is a little different from soccer. First of all it is indoor, secondly it is 5v5, thirdly it is on a smaller court, and finally there a lot more rules which make the game faster. It is very beneficial for soccer players to play futsal as it really focuses on technique and speed of play, as the ball moves very quickly in a small space.

Today we had a fun yet competitive session. We played many intense mini games and scrimmages, that really got our legs moving. Coaches allowed us to play a bunch of mini games, as they know the physical and technical benefits from futsal.

As a student athlete it is crucial to have good nutrition. It is necessary in order to perform at your best, consistently in the classroom or on the field. I, personally don’t really have a diet, but my main focus when I eat is to eat as much as I can. I focus and try to mostly obtain protein, as i am trying to gain weight.

Today I ate:

Breakfast – Peanut Butter Sandwich

-350 calories

-35g carbs

-18g fat

-8g protein

Lunch  – Salad with 2 pieces of grilled chicken

-440 calories

-13g carbs

-20g fat

-29g protein

-chocolate milk

-200 calories

-25.9g carbs

-8.5g fat

-8g protein

– pho

-260 calories

-32g carbs

-5g fat

-22gprotein

-banana

-105 calories

-27g carbs

-0.4g fat

-1.3g protein

-passion guava juice

-110 calories

-27g carbs

-0g fat

-1g protein

Dinner – pesto pasta w/ chicken

-620 calories

-72g carbs

-18g fat

-40g Protein

-Protein shake

-170 calories

-14g carbs

-5g fat

-20g protein

Total Calories throughout the Day	2255 calories
Total Carbohydrates	245.9 grams of carbohydrates
Total Fat	74.9 grams of fat
Total protein	129.3 grams of protein

On top of this, I try to drink a gallon of water a day.

As student-athletes of Cal State Fullerton, there are a couple of events throughout the semester that are mandatory for us to go. At these events all division 1 student-athletes representing the school are required to go. Today’s event was “Career Day”, an event in the gymnasium full of people representing different companies such as Nike, The Sheriff’s Department, Kings pro, Pepsi, etc. To “Career day” we dress up and bring a resume. We then have mock interviews, ask for advice about the companies and how the people got the jobs. It is an effective event as student-athletes can get professional head-shots and contact information for the future.

I personally was super interested in Nike and their sportswear designing team. I was also very interested in Long Beach State’s Sports post graduate management program. This was beneficial for me to get an understanding of possible opportunities for my future.

Today was a good practice. Today, we had a very intense and focused training. The coaches warmed us up with rondos (a keep-away game played globally from different professionals). Then we went into a small sided game that worked on zonal and man-marking defending. We played four minute games with bumpers on the outside, which required us to play constantly at high pace for four minutes. Than the coaches transitioned us to an 8v8 on a bigger field. The team’s intensity and pressure was very high. I thought I had a good practice as my touches were sharp. It was a good training for me to work on my defending, as that is something I need to work on.

As a soccer player for the University’s team, soccer is not the only thing we are working hard for. As students of Cal State Fullerton we are expected to go to classes like any other students. Because we have training everyday in the morning, I schedule all my classes in the afternoon. This is my schedule for today:

(9:00-9:15) Wake up/Breakfast

(9:45-10:30) Weights

(10:30-12:15) Training

(12:15-12:45) Shower/Get ready

(1:00-2:15) AMST Class

(2:30-3:45) HCOM Class

(4:00-5:15) Eat at the Gastronome

(5:30-7:00) Study hall

(7:30- 9:00) Individual weights

(9:30- 11:00) Library/Homework

(11:30-12:45) Dinner

(1:30) Go to sleep

Today in both my classes I just listened to my professor lecture, as I took notes. My American studies class is on American history, we are currently going over the cold war. My human communication class goes over the different aspects of verbal and nonverbal communications.