Soccer America Interview-Peri Marosevic (former Raptor player)
| INTERVIEW: Michigan's Peri Marosevic |
| by Bryan Alvarez, Friday, Oct 3, 2008 11:45 AM ET |
| SOCCER AMERICA INTERVIEWS Peri Marosevic, one of the top strikers in men's college soccer. The Michigan junior had an outstanding season for the rising U.S. under-20 national team and has helped the Wolverines get off to a solid start this fall. PERI MAROSEVIC: College: Michigan Class: Junior Position: Forward Hometown: Rockford, Ill. High School: Edison Academy, Guilford (1 year) Youth Club: Rockford Raptors Major: Sports Management Why your team will win the College Cup? We have the potential to win the College Cup. We have chemistry as a team. We're like one person. We fight for one another. All summer, we've been looking forward to this season. We have great experience and a great opportunity to go all the way. Biggest area of improvement needed to win College Cup? We need to focus on playing our game. As long as we stay in tune, follow our game and stay together, we'll be fine. Greatest asset as a player? I'm very upbeat and ready to play. On the field, I put it all out there. I give everything I have in the game. I also put in extra work after practice on my finishing. Biggest weakness as a player? There's always room for improvement. I want to be excellent. I want to be perfect. You can always work on finishing and shooting technique. I also work on heading and accuracy. I continue to work on trying to be perfect. Best advice you received when you entered college? Being with the U-17s taught me a lot. The best advice I got was to work your butt off. What you out in, that's what you'll get out. Focus on the present moment. When you're in class, concentrate on studying. When you're on the field, concentrate on soccer. Compete against yourself. You'll become the person you want to be. It will make other around you do the same. Advice you gave your freshmen about Coach Burns? Coach will be there for you. He will yell when you mess up. But he'll acknowledge you when you do well. No matter what your role is on the team, motivate yourself to accomplish your goals. If you're not getting minutes then be the best practice player you can be. You'll prove that you're able to get on the field. Pregame ritual? Before the game, I'm a relaxed kind of guy. I don't like to get tight. I like to joke around and crack jokes. The game is easy. You make it complicated by thinking too much. I get focused in the warm-up. Postgame ritual? I think about my mistakes so I can improve and eliminate them next time. Next time it won't repeat itself. I also like to watch video after. Favorite hangout when you're back home? I hang out at my friend, Amir's house. We hang out and play Xbox. We played FIFA 08 all summer long. We can't wait for FIFA 09. We also go to the field and kick around. Favorite hangout on campus or in town? I like State Street. There are a bunch of people, restaurants and cafes. People go there and enjoy themselves. Fondest memories-playing high school or youth soccer? Being in residency with the U-17s was one of the best experiences. I got to play against the best players in the country every single day. I was away from home from age 13 to 16. I learned so much. You learn responsibility and how to take care of yourself. When I was at the Guilford High School, I was a freshman and I got to play in a semifinal game. We went to a PK shootout. I used to mess around in practice and try to stop PKs. I wasn't even a goalkeeper and they put me in for this shootout. Here I am, this freshman in a senior high school game! The pressure doesn't even occur to you when you're that young. I stopped two PKs and we won the game. That was crazy! How do you like your soccer-watching on TV or playing video games? I like both. I like FIFA because I get to control them. I get to be [Fernando] Torres! I also like watching in real time. That's when you learn. I watch the EPL every Saturday and Sunday. I like watching Drogba, Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo -- he's my personal favorite. MLS or abroad-where do you want to play? I was born in Bosnia and lived in Germany. MLS has gotten a lot better. MLS is a great choice. I wouldn't mind starting in MLS and then going overseas. But, hey, I'll take what I can get! 18 or 21-what should the drinking age be? I think the law has done its thing right. I don't know. Twenty-one, I guess. It has to be regulated, especially for athletes. Obama or McCain-whom do you support? I've taken some interest in this. They always tell you not to answer these questions. I'm not going to tell you my answer but it's definitely been interesting. |