Gigi Yamamoto
During the women’s soccer match against the CalTech Beavers Sept. 13, Gigi Yamamoto (junior) assisted a goal off a corner kick, contributing to the team’s 2-1 win.
Yamamoto said that as a first-year attacking midfielder, she made some new friends and was one of only three first years awarded the title of First Team All-SCIAC. Yamamoto said her father, who has played semi-professional soccer in Brazil, instilled a love for soccer in her from an early age. According to Yamamoto, her father said that when she was born, Brazil won the World Cup.
“I grew up around a lot of soccer, a lot of passion and a lot of athleticism,” Yamamoto said.
Yamamoto said this love for the game, engrained since birth, eventually led her to begin formally playing at age 9. About ten years later, she joined Occidental as a member of the women’s soccer team.
“I was stepping into a well-crafted system, and we had a lot of success in that system,” Yamamoto said.
Yamamoto said despite her success as a first year, her sophomore year was marked with pain and disappointment due to an injury. Now in her junior year, Yamamoto said she is ready to be back on the field following a summer of physical therapy and training.
“I came into the season wanting to play more than anything, not really with any expectations of myself or my teammates,” Yamamoto said. “I really just want to have a good time and come off the field every game enjoying myself regardless of the result.”
According to women’s soccer coach Colm McFeely, Yamamoto’s attitude along with her talent on the field contributed to her performance during the game against CalTech.
“She’s a very gifted, technical player. She’s got very good vision, so she’s always looking to find space to get into and connect the defense,” McFeely said. “She did that very well in that particular game with CalTech and has consistently over the years.”
McFeely said he recognizes Yamamoto’s contributions to the team and its success as a whole.
“She fills a number of different roles, not just with her playing ability on the field, but with how she sees the game and how she communicates to teammates to try and help them along the way,” McFeely said.
Yamamoto said she sees soccer as more than just a hobby, especially considering how the sport has grown in her lifetime.
“As I grew up, I felt like so did the game, and there were more girls playing and there were more televised women’s soccer games,” Yamamoto said. “I would say, for me, soccer is an art — it’s a form of expression, it’s something that I lose myself in, in the best way. I know soccer will always be there for me when I need it. I feel more like myself when I’m playing.”
Amir Barkan
Among 232 collegiate cross country runners in the Men’s Open 8k race at the 42nd annual Riverside Invitational Sept. 16, Occidental’s top three runners secured a place in the top 15: Stearns (junior) finished 12th, Lindhe-Johan (senior) finished sixth, and Amir Barkan (junior) finished third place. Occidental took second place overall with an average finishing time of 25 minutes, 32 seconds per varsity runner.
According to Stearns and Barkan, four members of the Occidental Men’s cross-country team prepared to pack up behind Barkan at the beginning of the race, although Lindhe-Johan and Stearns were the only two closely trailing Barkan and working together in the push to the finish line.
According to Barkan, he broke farther ahead of everyone else with just a mile left in the race.
“Then we were just flying towards the finish line,” Barkan said.
Stearns and Barkan said the race’s close finish was significant and exciting.
“Crossing the line and having them [Barkan and Linde-Johan] there, having just finished their races as well, was a new experience for me,” Stearns said. “It was a really awesome feeling.”
Barkan also said that having Stearns and Linde-Johan following behind him was a testament to the overall team culture.
“Our team performed in the game together, for the first time in a long time,” Barkan said.
Barkan said his top-three finish was merely a solid start to the season as he continues to strive for athletic excellence and prepares to reach bigger goals and shorter times this season.
“Last year, I actually ran a bit faster,” Barkan said. “I feel like I still have a bunch to work on in terms of getting fit and performance, but I was really, really proud of the team.”
To his teammates, Barkan’s attitude is something to admire.
“He’s someone that I look up to, certainly as far as speed is concerned, but also as a friend and a leader on the team,” Stearns said.
Barkan said he has his sights set on continuing to push himself, wanting to place top five in SCIACs, top 10 in the West Region and eventually top 40 at nationals, which would earn him All-American honors.
According to Barkan, the ability to reach newer and greater running successes originally drew him to the sport in his sophomore year of high school.
“Running and racing is painful, but it’s so rewarding seeing yourself get fit and pushing yourself to new limits,” Barkan said. “In cross country the results kind of speak for themselves. It was so addicting for me to want to continue to chase personal bests and continue to better myself.”
Contact Paige Thomas at pthomas2@oxy.edu
