Oct. 11, 2001
Lana Bowen is a freshman on this year's soccer team. A midfielder from San Jose, Bowen has seen action in all 10 matches and has received the starting nod five times. In her first collegiate start against Dayton, she recorded one goal on a put-back off the goalie from a corner kick by Danielle Slaton.
Bowen recently took some time to share her thoughts on a variety of questions, including how she is enjoying college life.
Q: Why did you decide to come to Santa Clara?
A: Santa Clara obviously has a really good soccer program. Academically it's awesome as well. I just came on recruiting trips and orientation, it's good school.
Q: How old were you when you first started playing soccer?
A: Probably, seven years old.
Q: Did you play any other sports when you were younger?
A: I pretty much tried every sport there is: basketball, volleyball, softball, tennis, karate, gymnastics, everything...not as serious as soccer though.
Q: What made you stick with soccer?
A: It was the sport I was best at. It was the most fun. My first experience with a coach, even at seven was great, nice people. So, that definitely had an effect on me staying with soccer. Plus, all my friends were on the team.
Q: What has been the biggest adjustment for you in the transition from high school to collegiate play?
A: Playing with a different age group. When you play high school level or club level everyone is within a year of your age and now your playing with girls up to four years older, five possibly. Just playing with their size, their experience, and their knowledge. And then just the mental aspect of it, gaining the confidence to play with those types of players.
Q: What are the goals you hope to accomplish this season?
A: To become as confident as I can with my play and to be happy with how I am playing.
Q: Is there anyone on the team whom you look up to?
A: Yeah, definitely. We have a lot of superstars on our team. It would be kind of hard to just name one, but we have Danielle Slaton on our team. She went to the Olympics, she's the team captain, and basically she is just a model of what a soccer player should be. She just loves the game, loves to play, and there are even more great players on our team.
Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals?
A: Nope, just warm-up.
Q: Is there any significance to your number, 9?
A: It's actually the number that I have had, you know how people say it's "their number". It turns out that I was actually late in picking my number, so I gave our team manager the option. She gave me number nine, and that's my number, so it just kind of worked out.
Q: You're from San Jose, do your relatives come to a lot of the home games?
A: They have been to all of them so far. We have a really good home schedule this year.
Q: Does it help knowing that you have people in the stands cheering for you?
A: Definitely, not so much when I'm playing, but before the game and after, to go and talk to them, because you're in a zone during the game.
Q: How are you enjoying the "college life," dorms, Benson, etc.?
A: I like it. I was pretty free before college, but it just really feels like you are an adult this time. There are certain things that you get to choose that you didn't get to before. I like how the faculty and everyone else treat you. They really treat you like and adult, so I really like that. Benson is a little bit hard to get used to in comparison to my mom's cooking, but it's going ok.
Q: Do you have any hobbies or hidden talents?
A: I'm a snowboarder. I love to snowboard.
Q: So you're looking forward to the snow season?
A: Yeah. Definitely.
Q: Who is the person you most admire and why?
A: Maybe not most, but a music group like Led Zeppelin because their talent is unbelievable and I love their music.
Q: What is your favorite soccer memory?
A: It's not a memory of actually playing soccer. I played on the same club team for three years before I came to college, and we did a lot of bonding activities. I would have to say our team bonding rafting trip was the best.