2007 First Team All-Centennial, First Team NSCAA All-Region, First Team NSCAA All-American, 2006 and 2007 Centennial Academic Honor Roll athlete and a probable repeat in every one of those categories. No matter what figures you throw into the equation, Matt Carlson has had one of the most impressive careers in the history of the Hopkins men's soccer organization. With his career down to the wire and his recent unanimous crowning of Centennial Conference Player of the Year, it seems only logical that we honor him with the title of Athlete of the Week.
Serving as co-captain for three years, Carlson played the difficult and often thankless position of defensive midfielder. His name doesn't often appear on the score sheets nor has he set any kind of scoring record. On paper and to the untrained eye, the specter of Matt Carlson would go unnoticed. But thankfully, games aren't won on paper. Anyone who's been to even a single soccer game knows the profound impact Carlson has on his team, both on and off the field.
What a score sheet won't tell you is that most scoring chances for the Blue Jays, if not all, begin at the feet of Carlson. While offensive players are focused on the goal, Matt has to have the field vision to distribute to all areas of the field. If they lose the ball, it's Matt's job to get it back. It's also his job to cover for any other player that drifts too far forward. Playing just behind the midfield, he's the first line of defense against any opponent. Let's not also forget his aerial contributions. As his head coach will tell you, listed at 6'1, Carlson has no problems taking on larger players, often time-besting them for any ball knocked into the air.
He attributes his harsh style of play to his own personal motto: "Respect All, Fear None." Because no matter what the other team throws at him, he has to be able to stand firm in the face of adversity, but not suffer the pitfalls of arrogance or overconfidence.
"Matt plays with passion, probably more than any other player I've worked with," Coach Appleby, who is just finishing up his first year at the helm of the Hopkins program, said. "My only regret is that he's a senior and this was the only chance we got to work together."
The kid from Connecticut certainly has come a long way. He was only six years old when he first took the field. While some would push forward, eager to take the glory that comes with goal scoring, Matt wanted to be in the thick of it. While the forwards may put the ball in the net, the midfielder is constantly involved in the game on both sides of the ball. It is here that Matt dominated.
But soccer is not the only reason Matt came to Hopkins. We can all see how he excels on the field, but we don't get to see him excel in the classroom. "I came to Hopkins because I knew there was a life after soccer," he said. Evenly splitting the time between work and play, he's been on the Dean's List each of his four years. Looking to graduate with honors, he'll leave Hopkins with a 3.6 GPA with a double major in economics and psychology and a minor in entrepreneurship and management. How he managed to pull all that off and still have the career he did is beyond understanding.
"Work piles up sometimes. Life can get hectic. But I guess I just take things one at a time. Soccer's a break from all that. It's what keeps me sane."
What's next for Carlson? He's currently anxious to hear about a possible internship at a consulting firm. The kicker: They have an organized indoor soccer team.
But this Blue Jay isn't out of the woods yet. The Jays may have lost the Centennial Conference Championship in a nail-biter to Swarthmore, but they still earned a spot in the NCAA tournament. Matt Carlson's career is now in his own hands. Up first is a trip all the way up to Ithaca, N.Y. Whether his career ends there or on Dec. 6 in the finals, we have witnessed the passing of one of the best in our school's history: one that won't soon be replaced or forgotten.
