Max Stanley
In the opening minutes of the men’s soccer game against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Oct. 23, wingback and captain Max Stanley (senior) scored the game’s first goal, beating two CMS defenders down the right wing. Vicente Navarro (junior) set up the play with a long pass from midfield, finding Stanley as he sprinted into the box.
According to Stanley, he has been playing soccer since he was 3 years old.
“I loved juggling the soccer ball with my feet, and I think that was what drew me to it originally,” Stanley said. “But now, I love everything about it.”
Rod Lafaurie, men’s soccer head coach, said he has seen Stanley grow in maturity while at Occidental.
“He’s always happy, and he’s always energetic, positive and willing to work hard,” Lafaurie said. “That’s always something that’s really valuable to have.”
According to defender Andrew Lee (first year), Stanley — who is his upperclassman mentor — is a skilled player and an engaged leader.
“Each underclassman has an upperclassman mentor and he was actually my mentor […] I play the same position as him and I try to emulate what he does on the field,” Lee said.
Stanley said that he tries to continue the welcoming dynamic that he experienced when he first joined the team.
“I could easily call any one of the guys that I play next to my brother, on and off the field,” Stanley said.
According to Lafaurie, Stanley’s experience is one of his greatest strengths.
“At this point, he’s played so many games, he’s very mature and understands the game very well. It’s highly valuable,” Lafaurie said.
Stanley said his endurance is essential to his success as a wingback.
“It’s a lot of running, a lot of getting up and down the field, which I think is not only helpful for me but also provides an outlet for my team,” Stanley said.
Stanley said he wants to continue playing soccer after college, even playing semi-professionally or professionally if he can.
“My brother currently plays in Berlin. So I would love to go join him for a couple of years while I’m still in the prime age of playing,” Stanley said. “If that’s not in the cards, I definitely will be playing all the time [in a] pick-up Sunday league, especially in the spring when I’m technically not in season anymore.”
Meara Hayes
Setter Meara Hayes (first year) leads the volleyball team in assists this season with 268 assists under her belt, including 71 assists in the last 5 games. Hayes said her older sister inspired her to play volleyball.
“My older sister played, and I wanted to be like her, so I started playing. I really liked it, so I kept playing,” Hayes said.
According to Hayes, she was optimistic at the start of the season.
“We have a new coach this year, so my first impression was [that] it’s going to be a fresh start,” Hayes said.
According to volleyball head coach Emily Foster, Meara was initially reserved but has since acclimated to the environment.
“I think that it took her a little bit to warm up to us as a team, but now she’s really come out of her shell,” Foster said.
Foster said Hayes is incredibly positive, lighthearted and always stays true to herself.
“People listen to her when she speaks, because she picks the moments that she talks wisely,” Foster said.
According to Foster, Hayes has improved dramatically this year.
“Her footwork, her communication with her teammates, her confidence, her serve — all of that’s gotten better on and off the court,” Foster said.
Hayes said she prefers to play in a more behind-the-scenes role.
“I don’t really like being the center of attention, but I think that one of my strengths is that I can be stable,” Hayes said. “I’m very focused on what I need to do.”
According to Hayes, although the team started the season with nine new recruits, they were able to establish good team dynamics.
“It shows a lot of resilience, how we’ve actually grown as a team, especially now when we’re so close to the end,” Hayes said. “I’m really excited and really sad, because I feel like we could grow a lot more.”
Contact Taylor Hubbard at thubbard@oxy.edu
