PAUL CONNORS, from North Andover, Mass., knows pretty much all there is to know about goals. On the soccer field, he knows how to stop them. Goal keeper and captain of the men's varsity soccer team, Connors finished his career with a .97 goals against average, a Vassar record. He did not allow a goal in the final 511:38 of the season. Off the field, he maintains a 3.4 G.P.A. in his major, political science, with a minor in international economics. In his spare time, he is a P.E.A.C.E. (Promoting Equality and Community Everywhere) mentor, working with local elementary school kids to promote friendship across barriers of race and social class...a tutor at the New Hope Community Center...an intern at Hudson Valley FoodWorks, a non-profit organization in downtown Poughkeepsie...a S.W.A.P.R. (Students With A Purpose, Recycling) volunteer...there's more, but we're out of space.
What was your main interest in high school?
I've been interested in soccer ever since I can remember. I was pretty lucky in terms of my high school soccer career. I went to two different high schools, and the teams I was on ended up winning the New England championship three out of my four years. I also played on the Massachusetts State Team--made the state team for the first time when I was 12 years old--and then eventually on the Northeast Regional Team, which extends from Maine to Virginia. And then there's the National Team, where you play against other countries.
What are your chances of getting on the National Team?
I'd have a good shot at it. But I'm tentatively planning on going to Jamaica next year to play professionally. One of our coaches at Vassar this year coaches a team in the Jamaican Premier League, and he's encouraging me to go and try out for some teams. If I'm going to try to play professionally, now is the time. So I'll see how long and how far my soccer career takes me, and then I'll go on from there.
Are you considering law school, eventually?
I am. I don't have it all figured out right now, but I'm not too worried about it. I think I'll have options. So I'll wait and see when the time comes.
So why did you choose Vassar?
I got recruited by several schools. Basically I made the decision that academics were going to be my first priority, and I knew that, at Vassar, I wouldn't have to sacrifice getting a good education for playing sports. There are times when it's tough to do both. I use the October break to get ahead on my school work so I don't have a ton of work during soccer season. So it's tough, but it's definitely doable.
What do you like about goal keeping?
I like that I get to be a completely different person as goal keeper. People have told me that I'm just a different person when I'm on the soccer field. When I go about my daily life, I'm sort of laid back. But once I get on the field, I have this competitive fire. There's a lot of yelling. The goal keeper's primary responsibility is to organize the team, because he's the one who can see the most. I organize the defense, but I'm also making sure that the midfielders are getting back on defensive transition and that the whole team is moving forward as a unit. People who don't know a lot about soccer think the goal keeper just kind of stands there and stops shots, but there's more to it than that.
How about the pressure? Do you like that?
I do. I love the pressure. I think I play my best in high pressure situations. I'd say the most exciting moment in my soccer career was having a shut out against Saint Lawrence my freshman year. Their team was unbelievable that year, and we tied them 0:0. I think I had 17 saves in that game. Actually, we've shut them out every time we've played them--and they are the three-time defending U.C.A.A. champions.
What was the most exciting moment in your non-soccer career?
I can’t pick just one moment, but I’d say my experiences working with kids. During the summer, I coach at soccer camps, kids anywhere from the age of 12 to 18. During the school year, I tutor second graders—that’s a lot of fun. It’s through a program called P.E.A.C.E. (Promoting Equality and Community Everywhere), which was started by a former Vassar student and is now a national organization. We take second graders from one school and pair them with students from a school with a totally different demographic profile, and we set up a pen pal program. We come into the classroom and work with them on writing skills, but we’re also teaching tolerance and respect for difference. The kids are great. I really like working with them.