Switching gears from soccer to track and field hasn’t been an easy task for Karl Enarsson, senior international student from Sweden.
“For the soccer team to save money, I temporarily switched sports to track and field. I’ve always played soccer, and now I’m just in the middle of a lot of new things that I have to learn,” said Enarsson.
Enarssonis a business management major and leadership minor and hopes to become a management consultant. He currently works at The Webster in Miami, and he is trying to get an internship this summer.
His accomplishments at NSU include being fourth on the soccer team his freshman year, with more than 1,355 minutes played. His sophomore year, he scored the game-winning goals against Ave Maria and Lynn.
I got the chance to sit down with Enarsson and ask him some questions to get to know him better.
What are your future goals?
“I would like to go to New York or maybe London to get a master’s degree and eventually become a management consultant in the fashion industry. That would be the ideal future for me.”
Do you plan on continuing to play soccer after college?
“Yes, for as long as I can; I’m 22 now, but wherever I am, I plan to play soccer.”
Do you plan on going back home?
“Eventually, yes. After I’ve done my time abroad, I will go back. I really like Sweden; my family is there, and my friends are there.”
Who’s your favorite soccer player?
“I like David Beckham because he’s a really good soccer player and a successful fashion icon.”
Who’s your favorite runner?
“I don’t know a lot of athletes in this field, but Usain Bolt is a cool guy. He has his way, and he’s really confident.”
Who’s your favorite soccer team?
“I like F.C. Bayern Munich because I like the German league, and I think that they’re just machines. They have amazing performances. They’re a team; they’re not just individual players who want fame.”
What do you like about soccer?
“I like the competitiveness and, most of all, the fact that soccer requires talent. There are a lot of sports that you can do if you just practice, but you can’t really do that with soccer. You need to have an innate talent and have a good feeling for the ball.”
What has been your most memorable moment playing?
“I think it’s when I was younger, and soccer was truly the only thing we had in our lives as kids. We practiced for hours from 10 a.m. until 11:30, and then all the kids went home except for my best friend and me. We didn’t have lunch or do anything except play all day long. At 6 p.m., all the kids came back to have another practice session, and the coaches were so surprised that we didn’t leave for the whole day.”
When’s the time you felt most proud of yourself?
“I rarely feel proud of myself because I always have goals, and when I achieve those goals, I set up other goals because I’m rarely satisfied with where I’m at. I don’t have time in between to feel satisfied.”
Have you had a coach that influenced you?
“In the soccer club I played for in Sweden, we had a really famous soccer player coaching us, and this guy was not the typical coach; he didn’t yell and push us. He was very humble and really smart. He coached us in a very motivational and controlled manner. You don’t really see that because there’re a lot of coaches that think that there’s only one way to coaching — shouting and yelling.”
What do feel is more demanding of you, soccer or track and field?
“I’m pickier about my performance in soccer because that’s really my sport, but I’m getting more involved with track and field. I’m starting from scratch, so I have to work harder, and I hate being bad at something. If I’m going to compete, I want to be able to compete, and that’s kind of frustrating at times.”
Do you have any special rituals before you start playing?
“Yes, I just listen to Swedish ghetto music.”
How do you celebrate winning?
“Winning is something I demand. I get happy, but I don’t really do anything. Sometimes we go out as a team and eat.”
How do you deal with losing?
“First, I get frustrated. Then, I analyze why the performance went bad and try to figure out what I can improve next time.”
How do you balance between being a student athlete and working?
“I just do what I have to do. It’s the same situation with track and field and soccer.”
If a movie were to be made about your life, who would you want to play your role?
“Leonardo DiCaprio.”
Photo Credit: COURTESY OF E. CANAL
