Athlete of the Week: Jac Gould

SOCCER FORWARD Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz. Major: Electrical Engineering Favorite book: Catch-22,by Joseph Heller Favorite movies: Star Wars and Braveheart Favorite TV show: The Simpsons Favorite team to play against: Harvard Career amibition: "To play for a Major League Soccer team."

In the fall of 1995, Jac Gould, CC '00, flew in from Phoenix, Ariz., to visit Yale as a track recruit hoping to somehow get the soccer team's attention. Earlier that year, as a junior in high school, he wrote a letter to Harvard to see if they were interested in recruiting him for their soccer program. "I'm sorry," the Cantab coach wrote back, "but we are done recruiting for the year." While at Yale for his visit, he stayed with a friend on the soccer team and was able to convince Yale's soccer coach to watch him play. Soon afterwards, Gould was on the soccer team's recruitment list as well, and the rest is history.

Gould's soccer career has exceeded his and Yale's wildest dreams. Last weekend he set Yale's all-time record for career goals with 37 and overall points with 77, surpassing Kevin Maher, JE '83, who set both marks in 1982. Last year Gould finished the season leading the Ivy League in overall scoring with 35 points, and in doing so set the Yale single season record. He was named Ivy League Player of the Year and is currently a leading All-America candidate.

With the all-time records now his, Gould is free to have some fun and enjoy his final season. After last season, it became obvious that the records were up for the taking. With all the talk surrounding him, he felt pressure to finish the job. "It felt good to get it over with," he explained. "After a few years, it's nice to have the pressure off." Now it's time to concentrate on the team and to win the Ivy League title. "After coming so close, it would be really nice to get the ring," he said.

Before coming to Yale, Gould played for an Arizona club team that won the under-19 national championship. At Thunderbird High School he was named the Arizona Player of the Year. He began his Yale career with a bang as well, being named second team all-Ivy as a freshman and first team as a sophomore.

Despite his status as one of Yale's leading sprinters, Gould hopes that his immediate future lies in soccer. Following this season, he hopes to be drafted by a Major League Soccer (MLS) team and to live his dream of playing professional soccer. While his long-term plans are uncertain, he would love to "play MLS instead of having to get a job."

His more immediate schedule includes the Bulldogs' game against Harvard on Sat., Sept. 25. Gould believes that strong fan support makes a big difference. "All I want to tell people is to get out to the game against Harvard Saturday night," he said. While every Yale athlete looks forward to Harvard games, Gould seems to have a little more fun than most. He loves making the Cantabs pay for letting him slip away.

Photo by John Yi.

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