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Freshman works the game
DOMINIQUE DUNCAN CHOOSES OREGON CITY OVER EUROPE
BY DOUG FRY
Freshman Dominique Duncan plays
forward for the Clackamas Community
College women’ s soccer team. Since a
very young age, soccer has been a part of
her life, and she hopes to continue after
her time at CCC is done. We chatted with
Duncan to find out more about her.
T he C la ck am as P rin t: W h at is your
major? If undecided, what interests you?
D om inique D uncan: The m ajor I am
pursuing is sports m edicine, so I would
potentially like to be an athletic trainer
or som ething in the general area.
TCP: How long have you played soccer?
DUNCAN: Since I was six or seven years
old.
T C P : W h a t drew yo u in to p la y in g
soccer at CCC?
DUNCAN: My high school coach reached
out to Janine Szpara and she asked for me
to come over and try out for the team here
at Clackamas.
TCP: You said you w ant to play at a
fo u r-y ear sch o ol, w hat are som e that
you have in m ind? Are you being looked
at by any m ajor schools?
DUNCAN: I have actually been looking
at University of Oregon or Oregon State
University to continue my education and
play soccer. I have been emailed by other
major colleges on the Eastern parts o f the
country, but I don’ t know if I will commit
to traveling that far to see if it is a good fit.
“ Traveling and hiking
has to be one o f m y top
favorite things.”
-Dominique Duncan
TCP: H ow does so ccer im p act your
everyday life ? D oes it a ffe c t a jo b or
fam ily tim e?
DUNCAN: Soccer takes up most o f my
tim e, but I actually am fin e w ith it. It
doesn’t affect m y job at all since I work
w eekends. The job I have currently is
working in guest services for Providence
Park. I prefer to work Thorns games more
than Timbers just because it isn’t as hectic
• (Mamas Put OOOKR l¿ 2ffl6thedatkam aspii«tom
as the Tim bers gam es. I am very close
to m y fa m ily , since m y fam ily is very
supportive of me when it comes to soccer.
They th in k that it is im portant for me
to keep pursuing m y dream o f playing.
Any chance I get to spend time with my
fam ily, I will do so.
T C P : H a v e y o u e v e r p la y e d
internationally? I f so , w here have you
played?
DUNCAN: I have actually never played
on the international level. I was offered
to play for a traveling team in Europe, but
I didn’ t take the offer.
TCP: How did the team in Europe find
you?
DUNCAN : The team in Europe found
me through a recruiting w ebsite I was
on, so they direct messaged me to come
out to play, but considering the costs and
the tim ing o f the event conflicted with
other things in m y life at the tim e, I had
to turn it down.
TCP: W ould you go i f given another
opportunity?
DUNCAN: If I were offered to play in
som e event like that again, I probably
will take the offer since it was something
that I really wanted to do and would love
to participate in.
TCP: Do you like to travel or hike?
DUNCAN: Traveling and hiking has to
be one o f m y top favorite th in gs. Ju st
being outdoors and exploring new places
is exciting to me and can entertain me
for days.
TCP: Do you have a gam e day m eal?
D U N CA N : G am e day m eals usually
happen the n igh t b efore. I do a carb
lo a d in g d in n e r o f s p a g h e tt i an d
occasionally bread. To prepare for game
day, I eat a fillin g break fast th a t m y
coach recommends, that consists of eggs,
hashbrowns and toast. Before my game I
eat a light snack and drink plenty of water.
TCP: How is it to be able to play w ith
team m ates from high school?
D U N C A N : C o n tin u in g to play w ith
team m ates from m y old high school is
som ething I really love because I know
how Veronica (Campuzano) and Mayra
(Pantoja) play.
Travis David V Whittaker contributed to
this article.
DUNCAN