Soccer an Integral Part of Life for Senior Team Captain Santos

After a 5-1 victory versus Daniel Webster College, Rafael Santos entered the trainer's room with joy and happiness.

"How was your game?" he was asked, with the expectation of great news coming from his confident demeanor.

"I got four goals," Santos said with a big smile while getting treated for an injury. "I've never even gotten a hat trick (3 goals) in college and I got four goals."

Santos has come a long way from his childhood days in Brazil where all his memories include a ball, literally and figuratively. As a 22-year-old, he's the senior captain of Salem State University's men's soccer team.

As a center midfielder and forward, Santos has worked his way to many honors, individually and as part of team. He helped bring the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) championship title back to Salem State in back-to-back seasons during his sophomore and junior years. He has been the leader in a number of goals and points since his start as a Viking. During his junior season, he was selected as MASCAC tournament MVP and named to the MASCAC All- Conference First- Team as well as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Performance Subaru All-New England first-team.

Due to his athletic ability and talent, Santos is a large contributor to many of the Viking's victories, past and present. He shows great leadership skills on and off the field by always staying positive, while encouraging teammates to play to the best of their ability, especially before the start of the game.

Santos works hard with his teammates fighting for victories, but his individual highlights come at the biggest moments, such as playoff games and when the clock is winding down. Last season, Santos scored a goal in the second overtime against Bridgewater State University to bring the Vikings to the championship game, which they won 2-1.

"I would love to score in every minute of every game, but I'm not that good yet," he said. "When time is running down and our season is on the line, I just want it more."

What makes a player like Santos, who has won numerous awards and trophies, which fill a mantel at home and that shine in the cases lining the walls of the O'Keefe Center, stay motivated to get better? Santos replayed a situation from his junior season after the team was losing motivation.

"Our coach (Don Goodwin) brought us into a classroom and handed each of us a piece of paper with the question ‘Why do you play?'" Santos said. "I thought very hard and came up with a million reasons why I love the game. One reason stood out beyond all others and that was simply to get better. My answer was shorter than most, but I felt satisfied with my reply."

Santos is continuing to get better with the Vikings for the remainder of his senior season in the fight for a three-peat championship.

During his off-season, Santos played for the Mass United Football Club, a semi-pro team that plays out of Lynn, Mass. in the summer. He played in all six games for Mass United and scored two goals. Santos hopes to play professional after college.

"I would love to represent Salem State in the MLS or in any league abroad." Santos said. Off the field, the East Boston native is a business management major and looks to finish his degree this May. After his legs can't play anymore, Santos plans on coaching. "There is no way to deny the importance and relevance of this sport to my life," he said.