Bowling Green mens soccer junior forward Pat Flynn currently leads the Mid-American Conference in nearly all major offensive categories and the team plans on continuing to utilize his goal scoring abilities.
“Scoring goals is a natural talent for him,” head coach Eric Nichols said. “He works on a daily basis to keep things sharp, his movement away from the ball is really good and his timing off of his teammates is really good.”
Nichols also said that even though Flynn is a goal scorer, the team is still trying to use him up to his full potential.
“I think we’re learning how to use him better as a team,” Nichols said. “Pat came in as a goal scorer and he’s continued on that path, if anything, it’s more so we’ve learned how to use him better.”
Flynn also said the team’s senior leaders have helped him become a leader himself.
“We talk about standard setters,” Flynn said. “(Jake) Genrich is a great standard setter and we have three great captains that set the standard for us, so I just try to lead, follow them and then take my role; not a vocal leader, but just lead by example.”
Flynn said that he has enjoyed being a part of the team.
“It’s a great program,” Flynn said. “I knew a lot of people here, I’ve been good friends with Joe (Sullivan) since we were young, I talked to (Danny) Shea too, and they both loved it here; so I thought it would be a great decision for me.”
Last season, Flynn was named an Academic All-American for excellence both athletically and academically.
“It’s a great accomplishment,” Flynn said. “Being an All-American shows the true meaning of a student athlete. We come here for school, too. Academics is just people pushing each other, just trying to be better in school as well.”
Freshman forward Tate Robertson said that Flynn has been a big role model for him throughout his brief time on the team so far.
“He’s an upperclassman, so he kind of took me under his wing,” Robertson said. “He told me what I need to know and what I need to do, and I’ve just been trying to model myself after him.”
Robertson also said that Flynn helps to get everybody on the team in the game.
“Probably the best thing is his awareness of the game and how he gets everyone else involved,” Robertson said. “Other teams know who he is… Once the double team comes, he’ll find somebody else to put the ball in the net.”
