Q and A with Quincy Amarikwa (UC Davis)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.bakersfield.com/136/story/76865.html

Q and A with Quincy Amarikwa
Liberty graduate is a sophomore forward for the UC Davis soccer team

Batch Data Processor | Monday, Oct 2 2006 10:30 PM

Last Updated: Monday, Oct 2 2006 10:53 PM

Quincy Amarikwa is a 5-foot-9, 165-pound sophomore forward for the UC Davis Aggies men's soccer team. Through Sept. 16, Amarikwa had started all seven matches for the Aggies (3-4-0, 0-0-0 Big West) and was tied for the team's scoring lead with eight points on four goals, according to the UC Davis Web site.

Photos:


Photo by Wayne Tilcock / Davis Enterprise via UC Davis
Former Liberty High standout Quincy Amarikwa is a sophomore forward at UC Davis.

During his freshman season, Amarikwa played in all 19 of the Aggies' matches and started nine. He finished the season with seven points, second best on the team, with two goals and three assists.

A two-sport standout at Liberty High School, Amarikwa earned two Southeast Yosemite League MVP awards in soccer. Also a pole vaulter for the Patriots, Amarikwa set a school record with a vault of 14 feet, 3 inches.

Amarikwa plans to continue to pole vault at UC Davis.

Before we get into soccer, you were a track and field guy in high school, too. Why the pole vault?

I'm not exactly sure. I thought I could do it so I decided to give it a try one day. I'm happy I did because I love doing it and it's a lot of fun.

Are you from a soccer family?

Not exactly a soccer family. My father is the one that is really into soccer. Ever since I was 3, we would go out on Saturdays and play with a bunch of his friends and anyone else that would want to play at Cal State. I always looked forward to going and loved playing. Ever since, my family has encouraged me to play and do my best.

If you could narrow it down to one thing, what was the most important lesson you learned playing high school soccer that has helped you in college soccer?

I would have to say being a leader. This has helped me to establish myself on the Davis team now. High school was a very positive experience for me.

You also played club soccer with Bakersfield Alliance '87. Some soccer players say that there's a big difference between club and prep soccer. Is there a difference?

I don't think there was that much difference. The high school team I played on had a lot of club players on it, so it was basically the same thing, just representing different organizations. We had a lot of the same players. In club, we did play in the Coast Soccer League. The quality of players could be higher than in high school, depending on how far we went in what tournament.

What's the coolest thing about your position?

You get to score all the goals, be creative, try something new ... everything I love doing.

UC Davis is going through a transition to Division I from Division II. What are some of the highs and lows of that process for you personally?

Highs are: We are becoming a very good team; we're getting more and more talented players, and we are playing more and more high-ranked teams. All of this is very good for us.

A few lows are: We are learning to become more consistent as a team ... Consistency is what makes a good program into a great one.

Regarding the transition process, what's the current attitude of the team in this last season before the Aggies become a full Division I member?

A very positive one ... we're a good team and we are really looking forward to being able to qualify for the NCAA tournament.

Do you have a favorite team or player?

Umm, not really, though I play a lot of soccer, I have never really watched that much of it on TV while growing up to have a favorite team or player.

Do you have a view as to why soccer doesn't draw the spectator interest in the U.S. that it does around the world?

Because in my opinion the U.S. likes to be different from other countries in many things that we do, especially with our athletics, which is too bad because soccer is such a great sport.

You said that soccer was a great sport. What is it about the sport that makes it great, that allows it to arouse such passion around the world?

It requires a high amount of skill and there aren't too many sports where everything revolves around your feet. It's a different kind of sport because it's about your feet. Once you get into it, you love it. I look at the guys playing my position at the higher levels just to see what can be achieved.

I think it's boring for some people to watch because they don't know the game, and when you don't have an understanding of what's going on, you don't enjoy it as much. I think some people think it's boring because there are a lot of 3-2 or 2-1 scores. But if you look at football, there are 21-14 or 14-7 games. That's really the same thing, if you made goals worth seven points.