Northwestern University Athletics
Getting to Know: Joey Calistri
8/19/2015 8:30:00 AM | Men's Soccer
As the Wildcats turn their attention to the 2015 soccer season, NUSports.com caught up with senior co-captain Joey Calistri to learn a little more about the forward. Calistri shares what it means to be a captain, why he chose Northwestern and more in this edition of "Getting to Know."
What does it mean to you be named a captain for your senior season?
Its a great honor. I think whenever you have veteran guys it feels good to be one of those three guys that are trusted with the duties of being a captain. Most importantly, we have a lot of guys that have been around the block on this team. There is going to be a lot of leadership coming from different places.
Why did you pick Northwestern?
One of the main attractions of our soccer program is the bond we have together. It's not something you see in a lot of other places. It's really powerful and you really see it on the field, off the field and in the locker room. There is such a great bond between the guys on the team and I think that's just really hard to find.
Who is someone you looked up to when you first came to Northwestern?
I went to high school with Connor Holloway and Scott Lakin who were two years older than me and played soccer here. They were two guys that helped me through the process and really taught me what Northwestern soccer was about.
How important has your education at Northwestern been to you?
Education is a huge part of being a student-athlete, probably the most important part. All of us here at Northwestern, whether you are on the soccer team or another team, really value education. That is unique to see because it may be different at other places, but here you see education being at the forefront of being a student-athlete and that is really important.
Is there a moment during your career that stands out to you thus far?
We've had a lot of good performances. Most recent would be our game against Maryland last year. There were so many great moments from that game. From going up 2-0 in the first 10 to 15 minutes, then having them come back and then ending it in overtime was one of the greatest experiences I've had thus far.
What are some of your goals heading into your final season in the Purple & White?
The most important goals are the team goals. It all comes down to what the team is able to do. For the most part, everyone has the mentality that they are going to set individual goals with the mindset that it is going to help the team get better. Our main goal is to make the NCAA Tournament and that is always what we strive for. You want to have success in the Big Ten, which is a very strong conference with six teams in the NCAA Tournament last year, so that is always at the top of our minds too.
How much fun is it going to be to play games at Toyota Park this season?
Just to be in that environment is going to be really awesome. If we couldn't play at Lakeside Field, this is the best-case scenario we could have had. The overall environment, the field and everything about the professional atmosphere is going to allow us to have some success this year.
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter,become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook and check us out on Instagram. For more information on following specific Northwestern teams online, visit our Social Media page!
What does it mean to you be named a captain for your senior season?
Its a great honor. I think whenever you have veteran guys it feels good to be one of those three guys that are trusted with the duties of being a captain. Most importantly, we have a lot of guys that have been around the block on this team. There is going to be a lot of leadership coming from different places.
Why did you pick Northwestern?
One of the main attractions of our soccer program is the bond we have together. It's not something you see in a lot of other places. It's really powerful and you really see it on the field, off the field and in the locker room. There is such a great bond between the guys on the team and I think that's just really hard to find.
Who is someone you looked up to when you first came to Northwestern?
I went to high school with Connor Holloway and Scott Lakin who were two years older than me and played soccer here. They were two guys that helped me through the process and really taught me what Northwestern soccer was about.
How important has your education at Northwestern been to you?
Education is a huge part of being a student-athlete, probably the most important part. All of us here at Northwestern, whether you are on the soccer team or another team, really value education. That is unique to see because it may be different at other places, but here you see education being at the forefront of being a student-athlete and that is really important.
Is there a moment during your career that stands out to you thus far?
We've had a lot of good performances. Most recent would be our game against Maryland last year. There were so many great moments from that game. From going up 2-0 in the first 10 to 15 minutes, then having them come back and then ending it in overtime was one of the greatest experiences I've had thus far.
What are some of your goals heading into your final season in the Purple & White?
The most important goals are the team goals. It all comes down to what the team is able to do. For the most part, everyone has the mentality that they are going to set individual goals with the mindset that it is going to help the team get better. Our main goal is to make the NCAA Tournament and that is always what we strive for. You want to have success in the Big Ten, which is a very strong conference with six teams in the NCAA Tournament last year, so that is always at the top of our minds too.
How much fun is it going to be to play games at Toyota Park this season?
Just to be in that environment is going to be really awesome. If we couldn't play at Lakeside Field, this is the best-case scenario we could have had. The overall environment, the field and everything about the professional atmosphere is going to allow us to have some success this year.
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Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter,become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook and check us out on Instagram. For more information on following specific Northwestern teams online, visit our Social Media page!
Players Mentioned
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