FALCONCAST: Life as a Soccer Player at Fitchburg State

Join us on FalconCast as Jeremy Allik (COMM '25) chats with Zoe Christostomides (BSAD, minor Journalism '26), the rising junior captain of the Fitchburg State University women's soccer team,  editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Point, and aspiring broadcast journalist.

Zoe's story takes us on a journey from her high school soccer days, where she was a "little fish in a huge pond," to finding her place as a collegiate athlete and leader.  She opens up about the personal growth she's experienced, the pressures of competing for a starting position, the excitement for the upcoming season, and women's sports in general.

If you're pondering whether to join college sports or immerse yourself in extracurriculars, let this conversation be your nudge to embrace opportunities that can shape your future. Take advantage of the special insight into the small school community at Fitchburg State, where close-knit connections enrich the college experience in unexpected, meaningful ways.

Episode transcript can be found here.

***

This episode was produced by Adam Nedelka (DMI '27) and edited by Drew Tremarche (Game Design '25) and Dante Melo (GAME '25).  Sound mixed by Gio Colon (COMM '25) .  FalconCast Season 2 was produced by members of the Spring 2024 Podcasting class at Fitchburg State University.

Click here to learn more about Perseverantia. Join us for programming updates on Instagram. Or reach out with ideas or suggestions at podcasts@fitchburgstate.edu.

Transcript

[ FalconCast theme fades in ]

[ 00min 15sec ]

Jeremy Allik (Host):
Hello and welcome to FalconCast. 

In this season of FalconCast, we are focusing on the extracurriculars at Fitchburg State University. FalconCast is a show where we get into the time management community, personal growth, and responsibility these clubs and sports promote. Switching between the two, we explore what it means to be a part of something bigger than oneself here at Fitchburg State. 

Today we talk to Zoe Christostomides, a member of our women's soccer team and a captain for their upcoming 2024 season. Zoe is a sophomore majoring in business administration with a minor in journalism. She is also the editor-in-chief for the Point, Fitchburg State's university student-run newspaper. 

Zoe, I know I just introduced you, but give us an introduction yourself. 

[ FalconCast theme fades out ]

[ 00min 50sec ] 

[ Background music fades in ]

Zoe Christostomides (Guest):
Sure, my name is Zoe Christostomides and, like you said, I am a sophomore here at Fitchburg State. I'm originally from New Jersey. A little bit about me is, like you said, I'm editor-in-chief of the newspaper here. I'm currently interning at FATV down the street, where I'm continuing my journalistic career path, and I'm going out every day and recording within Fitchburg.  So, thank you so much for having me.

[ 01min 12sec ]

Jeremy:
Of course, thanks so much for being here. Our first question is why did you choose to play soccer in college? 

[ 01min 18sec ]

Zoe:
Growing up, I've always played soccer. It was one of the only sports I played. I tried a couple of sports, but they were not for me. I definitely was not as interested as I am in the sport I play right now. 

But playing in college is a totally different level of playing. Once I reached my senior year of high school, I knew that I wasn't ready to give up the sport that I loved the most and I felt like there was so much more left for me to do. 

Jeremy:
How has your passion for the sport changed at all, or if at all, since playing college? 

Zoe:
Sure. So high school soccer wasn't the best for me. I actually had to work extremely hard because I was up against D1 soccer players as they were venturing from Tennessee all the way to – I don't even know – Coastal Carolina schools that all – my high school bred D1 girls. So for me, I was a little fish in a very, very big pond, but I knew that I could be just as good as them if I worked just as hard as they did. 

And when I came to Fitchburg State I was touring the school and I saw the beautiful soccer field and I realized that I wanted to – I wanted to continue my journey just as they’re doing. 

[ 2min 25sec ] 

Jeremy:
So how does playing soccer for Fitchburg State fit into your life as a student? 

Zoe:
I like to be busy, so I put a bunch of things on my plate and I think soccer is my escape from everything. Usually, when it comes to sports, I feel like people are like “oh I have, I have to go to soccer today.”  But for me it's my break from everything. Like I love playing, I love sweating out all of my stress. And soccer – not that it comes easy, but it comes as a relief to me. 

[ 2min 53sec ] 

Jeremy:
I definitely can relate to that. Being an athlete and playing a sport here, it just kind of gives that. Yeah, it gives the release. It just lets you do something else than worry about school. Why do that when you can play a sport or play soccer? 

Having completed two seasons, what has been the most rewarding aspect of your college soccer experience so far? 

Zoe:
I want to say when I was a freshman, obviously, there's so many nerves going through your body and it's just super hard to get into the groove of things.  Like you're fighting for a spot, you're with a whole bunch of new people and these people have been playing together for so long, and you're just there trying to trying your best to fit in. 

So when I was a freshman, there was a couple of games that I didn't play because I think I was letting my head get the best of me.  And I got the opportunity to play, to start in the finals at Westfield State when I was only a freshman.  And I think that was the most rewarding aspect for me as a soccer player, because I worked so hard to get to where I was and I know that instead of giving up when I got, when I wasn't getting the chance to start, as I've been starting, I think just going back to where I was and knowing that I could do it over again was super, super great for me as a player and as a person. 

[ 04min 11sec ] 

Jeremy:
How do you think this past season went and what do you think separated it from the season before? 

Zoe:
I think we lost a lot of players this past season.  Not during the season, but before coming in there was huge changes. All of our starting midfielders had graduated and a lot of really key players decided that they no longer wanted to participate in the sport.  And I think it was just a drastic change for the team.  We also had a lot of incoming freshmen and a lot of people were still just trying to find their groove. 

So I think just coming together and playing as a team instead of playing as an individual was really really hard for the team.  But we did eventually get the hang of it.  It was a little bit later in the season, but I think that's just a growing aspect. 

As a college athlete and as a student athlete, it just takes a lot of time to really get to where you're supposed to be, and I think now this season coming up, we finally have our key team – like set in stone – and everybody knows how to play with each other now. So it'll be a lot better and I'm really excited for the upcoming season. 

Jeremy:
Absolutely Looking forward to watching everyone play. So how do you think your role now as a captain – congratulations, by the way – 

Zoe:
Thank you 

Jeremy (continues):
– changes next year with the team and the inner workings of everything and how you guys are going to compete. 

[ 5min 31sec ] 

Zoe:
I think for me it's – now I set the bar. I'm the type of person that creates the work ethic. I'm the type of person that leads.  And I really have to take that into consideration, even during practice. Like when I'm goofing off, that sets the whole team for a whole different dynamic that may not be positive all the time. 

So I think the word “Captain” everybody's like oh, “she's captain, she has to do this.”  I think captain is kind of – it's kind of controversial in a way, because I think everybody should have the mindset as a captain.  Like, I don't think there should be one or two or three. I think everybody should be thinking like “I need to set the bar this high for my team” or “I really need to do this to make us better.” 

And I think for me I'm just gonna have to work extra, extra hard for people to want to be in the position that I am, and they eventually will be, because I think every person on my team has that ability. 

Jeremy:
So how do you feel about the future of women's sports in general? 

[ 6min 25sec ] 

Zoe:
I think we're on a high right now. I think we're on the come up, for lack of better term. I think that at Fitchburg State, the women's soccer program – I'm not sure if they actually ever made it to the finals, but we did my freshman year.  And I think that it's just – we're on the road to success. And I think even with women's basketball, like coming up, like it was never women's um, it was never athletics of a woman being promoted.  It was always men being promoted, men on billboards. Men in commercials. But now you see – what's her name Paige Becker? Yeah right. 

Jeremy:
Well, there's Kaitlyn Clark and Paige Becker. 

Zoe:
Right, Kaitlyn Clark, Paige Becker they're on the face of TikTok. They're all over commercials. I just saw a commercial the other day and I was like wait, that girl plays basketball for Iowa. I was like that's Kaitlyn Clark. It's just amazing to see all these female athletes getting the recognition they deserve. 

Like, even at a D3 level. I know it's tough because you can't compare to D1, but it just feels so good to be recognized. 

Jeremy:
Yeah, I think especially the conversation about women's soccer is. I think especially in the United States is that women's soccer has found so much success, like on the international level. And I remember I would always grow up I wouldn't even be watching the men's world cup, I'd want to watch the women's world cup because they actually had the chance of winning. 

Zoe:
I know.  Are you talking about Mia Hamm's time? She was great.

Jeremy:
And Abby Wambach.   I remember in 2011 seeing her get a header in like stoppage time against Brazil right and I was just right it was like one of my favorite live sports moments ever.

Zoe:
Right and I think, even as like a female or even as just another athlete, you see that and you're like, “wow, I just want to be like them,” and like you know you can. Which is such an amazing feeling. 

And I think just seeing female athletes go out and do that it's just a sense of knowing that you could do it too, which I know sounds kind of corny –  it's like if they could do it, I could do it. 

But no, like it really feels like you're a part of that too. It's not just a men's game, it's also a woman's game. 

[ 8min 32sec ] 

Jeremy:
Yeah, like, as a competitor, I just want to see other competitors compete.  It doesn't really matter if they're a guy or a girl – like they're all insanely good athletes.  All better athletes than me, so like I'll just, I enjoy watching it. 

So what would you say to any incoming freshmen that are considering joining a sport in college? 

Zoe:
I would say do it. I would tell them that these are going to be your people for the next four years and many more to come. 

I've been thinking down the line in my future the people that I play with my teammates. They're going to be a part of my wedding, they are going to be in my life forever. And my roommate is going to be the aunt to my kids. 

I think that college sports is so beyond the actual sport itself. It's so beyond the game. It's more of making a family a home away from home, and it's just a sense of comfort and a level of – it gives you something to be a part of. That's what I'm trying to say. 

Jeremy:
Absolutely.  So kind of expanding it just from sports to just extracurriculars. Like you're also involved in The Point.  How do you revolve your life around school, being editor-in-chief as well as playing soccer? 

[ 9min 57sec ] 

Zoe:
It's very tough, I'm not going to lie. Sometimes I think I put a little bit too much on my plate, but at the end of the day I'm doing things that I love. 

Like I'm not here, like “oh, I'm doing doing math.”  Sorry to everybody that loves math that's listening, it's not for me.  But I know what I want to do with my life. I want to be a journalist, I want to work in the broadcast field, and I'm starting my journey now. And I think it's just a reminder. I'm working to what I want to do in my life every day – and The Point is a lot different than playing soccer. It's kind of a different escape, as I talked about before, like soccer was my escape. But I love writing and I think working with The Point is really just giving me a chance to show my skills and hopefully I get recognized by the right person one day. 

Jeremy:
I see that because, like, that's the goal in the long term, but it's still like fun to play soccer and get that exercise for fun. That's how I always looked at sports. 

[ 10min 52sec ] 

Zoe:
Yeah, and it's almost a different type of feeling, like, yeah, it was really great to be named captain, but working – 

It was even a different type of feeling of achievement. When my Professor asked me to be editor-in-chief, I was taken back because I just started The Point when I was a freshman and now, as a sophomore, I took a big leap.  And I think it doesn't go perfect all the time. Like last year I was managing editor and The Point was a little bit rocky – and I will take full responsibility for that [ laughs ]. But now that I have the hang of it, I'm really proud of myself and I'm really proud of the team behind me. 

Like Emma Beqiri – sorry if I'm butchering her last name – she's been a huge role in The Point and it's – you see my name on like the face of The Point, but it's really all of her work behind it. 

Jeremy:
I just read the newest, the newest issue of it. It's good work, it's good, high quality. 

What would you say to people who know nothing about extracurriculars, sports, any club, but are interested? 

[ 11min 49sec ] 

Zoe:
I would say take a chance. You're not tied down to anything and it's good to try it, because you might be kicking yourself down the line if you see all these people achieving what you once wanted to achieve and you didn't take that chance. And I know it might be scary because you're like, oh what if I don't like it? But so what if you don't like it?   It's better to try it, because you might be able to find a passion within it. 

Jeremy:
What was your expectation of college before you got here? 

Zoe:
Oh, wow, that one. My expectation of college was a lot different. I thought I was going to be this little fish in a huge pond. I didn't think anyone was going to know my name. I didn't even think I'd have the group of friends that I do right now. 

I thought it was a lot of just kind of sitting in these big lecture halls and the professor not even knowing your name. But that's another reason why I chose Fitchburg State. My professors, I'm very close with them, they all know who I am, and I made these great group of friends that I didn't think I'd be as close with as I am with my hometown friends. But I was proved very wrong, and I'm so happy to say that I was so it was. 

Jeremy:
Definitely kind of straight away.  But it says you, you were kind of had – like negative first impression or like thoughts, but – 

[ 13min 01sec ] 

Zoe:
Oh yeah, I was so scared to come into college the first day.  I cried on the ride here we were, by the BJ's in Lemonster I think it is.  Because we stayed at that hotel. 

And in the car my mom asked me if I was excited and I didn't answer and she turned around and I was bawling my eyes out. I did not want change. I'm not good with change.  But coming into college I learned that change is inevitable and sometimes, whether you don't think so, change is for the better. 

Jeremy:
Do you see yourself being a New Englander later on in life? 

Zoe:
I don't know. I think I'm not sure where my future is going to take me. I would be happy living in New England, but I also don't see myself going back to New Jersey and living there, so I'm kind of stuck right now. 

Jeremy:
Tell us more about the life of a student-athlete. Anything you want to add, anything that is on your mind as a student-athlete. Challenges the fun parts. 

[ 13min 57sec ] 

Zoe:
So being a student-athlete, as my coach always says, it's not a 12-week program, it's a 12-month program. So I know, in season maybe it's just in the Fall or maybe it's just in the Spring you're always training. 

So if you're in season in the Fall, you're off-season training in the Spring. And I think a lot of people don't know that because in high school you're not training with that same team in the Spring, like maybe you do club or maybe you even do intramural. But it's very different. College, it is a 12-month program and if you want to be a student athlete you're going to have to put that work in. 

Jeremy:
A lot of work in, especially if you want to be successful. If there's any final thoughts or things you'd like to say, please take it away. 

Zoe:
Just to close us off, I think Fitchburg State is a great opportunity for students to be the athlete they want to be, but also be the student they want to be. 

What I mean by that is Fitchburg really allows you to make that connection with people on campus, off campus, whether they're your professors, your coach or just somebody that you sit next to in class.

I think the smaller schools really allow you to connect with people in a different way that you would with the bigger schools.  And just take that chance in going and trying out that extracurricular activity, whether it's newspaper – guys please join – or soccer, which you guys are more than welcome to join too. 

It's something for you to do and you never know, you'll meet someone that could change your life, or you'll just be involved in something that you never knew you needed. 

[ 15min 28sec ] 

[ background music cross fades into FalconCast theme ] 

Jeremy:
Thank you, Zoe, for joining us today, and thank you to our listeners for listening to this episode of FalconCast. We hope you join us for the next one. 

[ FalconCast theme fades out] 

[ 15min 45sec ]
 
[ Perseverantia theme fades in ]

Steven Hattler:
Hey, this is Steven, Class of 2024. You’re listening to Perseverantia, the Fitchburg State
podcast network.

[ Perseverantia theme fades out ]