Pursuits That Go Beyond the Pitch: How the Tigers Spent Summer 2024
September 12, 2024 | Men's Soccer
PRINCETON, N.J. – This summer, the Princeton men’s soccer team spent time pursuing academic and professional interests, connecting with teammates and family, and honing their soccer skills through various experiences that showed a commitment to excellence beyond the pitch.
Senior captain Issa Mudashiru spent the summer conducting ethnographic fieldwork at two Chinese-commissioned hospital sites in Sierra Leone for his senior thesis. An anthropology major who is minoring in Chinese language and global health, Mudashiru sought to explore the relations between foreign actors, predominantly Chinese doctors, and Sierra Leonean healthcare workers through an anthropological lens.
Mudashiru was inspired by his mother’s Sierra Leonean heritage, and when he learned that the Chinese had funded the construction of a hospital and other healthcare resources in Sierra Leone, he wanted to get involved. The project sat at the intersection of many of his interests, notably medicine and health policy, Sierra Leonean culture, and Chinese culture. Throughout the summer, Mudashiru visited the hospitals daily to shadow, observe, and converse with the healthcare professionals, learning about the realities of healthcare in low resource communities. He was also able to practice his Mandarin, which he has been studying at Princeton.
With ambitions to become a physician working particularly on global health issues and improving Sierra Leone’s healthcare system, Mudashiru’s summer experience gave him skills and knowledge that will help him make a positive impact in the future.
Also building towards his post-graduate aspirations, junior Will Francis spent the summer interning in Los Angeles, Calif., where he worked on investing and wealth management for professional athletes, mostly in Major League Baseball.
Francis majors in Operations Research & Financial Engineering, and has plans to enter the finance industry following his time at Princeton. The internship offered Francis the chance to combine his interest in finance with his passion for sports, all while gaining valuable career experience.
Teammates Jack Jasinski and Giuliano Fravolini Whitchurch lived in New York City this summer. Jasinski interned at a growth equity firm, while Whitchurch interned at Oak View Group, a global advisory, investment and development company for sports arenas and entertainment venues.
Whitchurch also played for a local USL League 2 team, Ironbound SC, while in New York.
After college, Whitchurch hopes to pursue a career in the sports industry, and his internship gave him insight into the business side of sports. Also combining his professional pursuits with his love for soccer, Jasinski said “I realized that many of the lessons I've learned through soccer can be valuable in my future professional life as well.”
Liam Beckwith and Nico Nee lived together over the summer as well, playing in the USL League 2. Beckwith also interned with Mary’s Meals, a nonprofit that works to provide school meals to children in communities facing poverty and food insecurity.
Meanwhile, freshman Nathan Salerno spent the summer with Columbus Crew II in the MLS Next Pro league, working towards his ambitions of playing professional soccer in the future.
Taking his study of soccer beyond the field and to the books, Gabriel Duchovny worked on translating two theses on football tactics from Italian to English this summer. With funding from Princeton and access from Coverciano, the Italian football federation, Duchovny translated Roberto De Zerbi’s thesis “Il Mio Modello di Gioco”, in English, “My Model of the Game”. He also translated a 2022 thesis by soccer analyst Dario Dileo entitled “L’Evoluzione del Sassuolo di De Zerbi,” or “The Evolution of De Zerbi’s Sassuolo.”
Duchovny first started following De Zerbi and his strategy when his high school club, Met Oval, based its tactics off of De Zerbi's principles. He said “I think anyone who has watched De Zerbi's teams, most likely his Brighton team from 2022 to 2024, knows how enjoyable the style is to watch, and it was equally as fun to read about.”
As the Tigers pursued their passions and aspirations, they also used the summer to connect with their loved ones. James Wangsness reflected on a trip to Hawaii that he enjoyed with his family. “Family time is important,” Wangsness said, noting how the vacation allowed him time to destress and reground himself before the season ahead.
Coming back to Princeton with more knowledge, renewed energy, and deeper connections to the world and those around them, the Princeton Tigers returned ready to put their focus into the 2024 season.
Princeton’s next match will be on Tuesday, September 17th as they take on Colgate at 7 p.m. in Roberts Stadium.