September 22, 2011
Gildemeyer: 'Doin Big Things' with his Golden Eagle Opportunity
Brian Gildemeyer is not your prototypical defensive back. In fact, Gildemeyer may not have even been playing collegiate soccer if it wasn’t for Head Coach Gary LaPietra. Making the most of his opportunity, Gildemeyer, who stands five foot five on a good day, has been ‘doin big things’ since he arrived on Brockport’s campus.
“My decision to attend Brockport came down to the fact that Coach LaPietra was the only coach who actually gave me the time of day during the recruitment process,” reflects Gildemeyer. “And because Brockport was one of the few colleges in New York that offered my major of meteorology.”
Gildemeyer entered the Golden Eagle program determined to make an impact, and he began to leave his mark as a rookie during the 2008 season.
“When Brian arrived on campus his freshman year he was extremely fit so I knew he dedicated himself to the summer workouts,” said LaPietra. “He was very coachable and defended with such a passion that I knew he would fit well into our style of play.”
And fit in is what Gildemeyer did. He played in 15 games as a freshman and entered into the lineup when one of the starting defenders went down with a season ending injury. He has been a starter ever since.
He has hit his stride as one of the Golden Eagles’ starting backs and continues to excel in his role as a senior this fall. The Baldwinsville native has appeared in 61 games for the Golden Eagles making 58 starts. “He came back fitter, stronger and more focused this year which is a true sign that he doesn’t take anything for granted and competed for his starting position like he did when he was a freshman,” added LaPietra. Gildemeyer and the Golden Eagle’s enter opening weekend of conference play with one goal in mind, to win.
“As a team, we want to continue to win,” says Gildemeyer. “For me personally, I’d love to score a goal. I haven’t done that since junior varsity in high school.”
Brockport men’s soccer has certainly been successful with Gildemeyer on the roster posting a current record of 37-17-10 over the last four years, making three consecutive trips to the SUNYAC finals, winning the conference championship in 2009 and posting back-to-back appearances in the NCAA’s.
Despite the success Brockport has had over the last few years, Gildemeyer still tries to soak up as much information as possible.
“He continues to ask questions to enhance his understanding of the game,” says LaPietra. “This is inspiring to the coaching staff and his teammates.”
But he doesn’t just learn on the field. He is a true student-athlete and works just as hard whether he is wearing soccer cleats or not. He is a dual major in Meteorology and Water Resources/Hydrology with a minor in Environmental Science.
As Gildemeyer looks at the remainder of the soccer season and his senior year, his priorities are clear. “Being a student-athlete is not a right, it’s a privilege. Brockport has allowed me to be a student first and an athlete second.”
The National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) campaign ‘Going Pro’ promotes success after sports. According to the association, there are more than 380,000 collegiate student-athletes across the country and nearly all of them will become professionals in a career other than sports. Ensuring their readiness for life off the playing field requires a healthy balance between athletics and academics. Gildemeyer has certainly struck this balance throughout his collegiate career.
As a Meteorology major, Gildemeyer’s schedule has been a challenge from day one due to the limited offerings of classes and labs. This semester alone he is taking 19 credits and has to miss practice completely on Monday and has night class Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. “It makes team tactics a little difficult since I leave early but I have to organize my priorities.”
Just last week, Brockport played to a double-overtime tie against Medaille in which Brian saw 110 minutes of action on the field. “As soon as the game ended he immediately refocused his attention and picked up his gear and hustled to class so he wouldn’t be late,” said LaPietra.
Gildemeyer has managed to stay on top of his studies while not only playing soccer, but also serving as an assistant coach to the Brockport Women’s gymnastics team, captain of the men’s club gymnastics team, a meteorology tutor and vice president of SAAC.
Brian’s background in gymnastics has actually helped aid his play on the field. What he may lack in height on the field is made up through his speed and his ability to jump. “Most teams don’t know that I can out jump most of the taller guys on the field and it usually only takes one time for the ball to be stripped away for them to learn not to judge my height.”
The defender draws some attention from the opposition on the offensive end as well. Everyone knows that the flip throw in can turn any play from the side lines to a corner kick. Few people have mastered this method; however Gildemeyer relies on his gymnastics skills to execute the flip throw with ease.
As if soccer and his studies weren’t enough Gildemeyer has also found time to do volunteer work too. He enjoys helping out at the Brockport clothing shelf. “The clothing shelf reminds me to be appreciative of what I have and the opportunities I have been granted.”
He must live by some alternate clock, because he seems to cram more into his schedule than most college students.
Regardless of how busy his day may be, Brian will continue to be “doin big things” on the field, and in the classroom.
