Growing up, soccer was the childhood sport of Mathematics teacher Kevin Fagan. From the age of 9, Fagan was involved in competitive soccer and also played for his varsity high school team. In college, Fagan tried out for the university’s team but did not make it, but he did continue to play in college through intramurals.

Immediately after graduating from college, Fagan stopped playing soccer, but a few years later got in touch with some old friends he used to play soccer with, and formed an adult soccer team and has been playing ever since.

Not only does Fagan play in an adult league, but coaches his son and daughter’s teams as well. Through playing soccer and being involved in his kid’s sports, Fagan has been able to exercise regularly.

“Soccer is my number one way to get exercise,” Fagan said. “Playing soccer and coaching my kid’s soccer team is a fun way to ensure that I get my exercise in.”

Along with exercise, playing adult soccer has also helped Fagan rekindle old friendships.

“I’ve met a lot of new people and have been able to reconnect with people I haven’t seen in a long time,” Fagan said. “When I first started playing, I ended up on a team with some friends I played with in high school but hadn’t seen in about five years so it was fun to see them again and to be able to catch up with them.”

English teacher Amy Marsh began playing soccer when she was seven years old, after being inspired by watching from the sidelines as her older brother played. At the age of 11 Marsh began playing select soccer, now known as competitive soccer, and would play year-round.

Marsh continued to play throughout high school and attended soccer camps at schools such as Santa Clara University. Unfortunately, in her junior year of high school, Marsh tore her ACL and was forced to stop playing for a period and ultimately ended up stopping playing soccer competitively.

Although Marsh’s injury set her back, her love for the sport remained. In college, Marsh played on an intramural soccer team and after graduating and moving back home, began playing on an adult league soccer team.

Playing adult soccer has given many opportunities to Marsh, including a social life for her whole family.

“It’s given me something to do that’s active and fun to not only me but my kids too,” Marsh said. “I bring them to the games and they play with all the other kids that are there and I get to spend time with my friends and my brother who is also on my team.”

Marsh accredits her continuing to play soccer to helping her keep friendships and her social life alive.

“I still play with a lot of the people that I grew up playing with so it has helped keep friendships going,” Marsh said. “As you become an adult your social life gets a little bit different. You have more responsibilities so sometimes your social life gets a little bit skewed. So it really just gives a reason for socializing and hanging out with friends and just keeping those relationships going.”

Since he was five years old, English teacher Scott Brink has been playing soccer. When Brink was 11 he joined his first competitive soccer team, turning the sport into a major part of his lifestyle, as he would have to travel all over for his soccer tournaments.

Throughout his high school years, Brink continued to play soccer competitively and was also a member of his high school varsity soccer team. In college, at California State University, Chico, Brink redshirted as a freshman for the university’s soccer team, but at the end of the year decided to stop playing. Still, he continued to play during his college years on teams with some of his friends.

After he graduated and became a teacher, Brink started playing on an adult co-ed soccer team with some of his friends, and has been playing on the team for the past 15 years.

What began as a way to continue his childhood passion has turned into an excuse to spend time with friends.

“At first it was just something active to do. I loved playing soccer and I was looking for an outlet again to continue to play,” Brink said. “Then over the course of the season my teammates and I became pretty good friends and it turned into I want to go see and hang out with my friends.”

As he continues to age and play soccer, Brink has seen a shift in his mentality while playing.

“When I was younger playing competitively felt really important and things seemed very serious, but now it’s more for fun and to see my friends on the team and to get some exercise,” Brink said. “As you get older it’s things like that that become important.”

When mathematics teacher Corey Fukuman was 10 years old, he started golfing. Fukuman would go out to the golf course often with his father and the two of them would just golf for fun. During junior high and high school, Fukuman started exploring many other sports and it became hard for him to find time for golf. However, once he began college, time for golf began to open up and he has focused on golfing ever since.

Although he ventured into other sports as a child, golf was the only sport that allowed Fukuman to get into the competitive spirit.

“I continue to golf because I love to compete and it allows me to compete at all different levels of competition,” Fukuman said. “I’ve played many sports competitively all my life, but at this point in my life it is the only sport that allows me to compete at a high level.”

Golfing gave Fukuman the chance to spend time with colleagues while also getting the opportunity to travel.

“Golf is an activity that allows me to spend quality time with my family and friends,” Fukuman said. “It’s also given me the opportunity to travel and visit some of the most beautiful places in the world like Monterey and Hawaii.”

At school, Fukuman has taken the opportunity to coach both boys and girls golf. He believes it provides a great way to improve on his own knowledge of the sport.

“It’s a sport I am passionate about and I enjoy the bond I build with my players,” Fukuman said. “Coaching allows me to be in the golf course to develop my skills and it also allows me to learn more about the game of golf as it evolves.”

At her childhood home, English teacher Kelly Capell had a swimming pool in the backyard. When she was younger she took swimming lessons and was always in the water.

Growing up, Capell played softball. However in high school, she dislocated her knee and had to go another direction.

Capell decided to swim. In high school, Capell was involved in competitive swim and fell in love. This ed her to get involved in water polo and open water swimming.

Capell now swims with a group at CalFit that has been together for 10 years now. The group still does races. Capell’s favorite race took her under the Golden Gate Bridge. Capell enjoys being able to swim with a group because they help to keep each other on track.

“We push each other and it’s really good for setting goals because we do races together,” Capell said. “It’s really just a way to do physical activity and do it an enjoyable way that keeps you going back every day.”

Capell believes having friends to race and train with is an advantage because swimming can get lonesome so it is good to have someone to be there supporting you.

“They push you when you’re tired. They’re pushing you to be better, the same way I push them to better,” Capell said. “Without that, it’s lonely because swimming is a very isolated sport, but when you pop up in between sets that’s when you can pop up and push each other to be stronger even though it’s not always easy.”