The job of a captain is not easy, especially for an incoming freshman.

Winning over the locker room and having the team firing on all cylinders from the start of the season all while focusing on individual performance can be a lot to juggle, but freshman forward Connor Kurze accomplishes all of these with ease.

“Connor started with us early in the year,” said head coach Rusty Johnson. “We’ve known him for many years. He played for our assistant and I’ve recruited him.”

Kurze, majoring in kinesiology, said he came to De Anza for a chance to play.

“I went to CSU Chico, but I didn’t have an opportunity to play, so I came back to De Anza to play for coaches, that I know and a team, that has a good reputation,” Kurze said. “This team is full of great players, and everybody works really really hard. I know that the program has been successful in the past, so I thought, why not to come to a great school and hopefully transfer to another great program.”

Kurze has been playing soccer for as long as he can remember. “Thanks to my dad who played and continues to play to this day,” he said.

Besides soccer, Kurze enjoys being outdoors and likes to snowboard and camp and fish and hang out at the beach. He also said he enjoys going to country music concerts.

Sophomore forward and captain of the team Rajaee Delane described Kurze as a good player.

“Honestly, he is one of the better guys on the team, definitely a great leader,” Delane said. “We work well together, which is most important on and off the field. He is a good role model.”

Kurze came into the year with an injury, but Johnson said that it hasn’t affected the quality of his play.

“When he got here he was a little injured,” Johnson said. “He got over his injury and we started using him and played him in multiple positions.”

Kurze has five goals and one assist in 10 games played.

“Connor is a good teammate, a good captain [and] outside – a good friend. He deserves to be captain. He helps out a lot,” said forward Anthony Arduengo.

Kurze said the team gets along well and he has enjoyed his time at De Anza so far.

“De Anza College is a pretty friendly environment,” he said. “It’s my first quarter here. I’ll be here for another year and hopefully transfer out.”

The men’s soccer team is 12-1 on the season and Kurze has been a big part of its success.

“Kurze is very aggressive, he wins ball defensively, he can play when he gets the ball, he can pass with other players, [and] he score goals,” Johnson said. “We played him in right wing, in centre forward, in attacking, in defensive. He is a useful player in all different ways. Because he was so impactful, we decided to make him a captain.”