Decker at best when under pressure
Staff Reporter Larry Pietron grills soccer junior goalie Anne Decker on her life, on and off the field.
Larry Pietron: How does it feel being the last line of defense for the soccer team, knowing that if you don’t make the save you might be the one blamed rather than the rest of your team?
Anne Decker: Pressure. I take it the same as I do in life. I’d much rather take on challenges myself, rather than putting it on the hands of others.
LP: So with all that pressure do you consider yourself the leader of the soccer team?
AD: I may not be the captain of the team, but I still feel that I am a leader in other ways. I feel I’m more of a vocal leader on the field and in the locker room.
LP: Dating Wynn Michalak, the No. 1 wrestler in the country at 197-pounds, must be pretty intense don’t you think?
AD: Definitely. But when I began dating him he wasn’t number one, so I would like to think that I may have some contribution to his success.
LP: Does Wynn know this?
AD: I’m not sure, I would want to think so.
LP: As the current record holder of most consecutive shutouts for Central, do you ever battle Wynn for rights to best athlete in the relationship in an American Gladiator style showdown?
AD: All day, every day. But I can always hit him with the fact that he doesn’t hold any records yet. But we do get into some pretty heated wrestling matches which usually ends my arguing.
LP: What’s your opinion on the winter Olympic games in Torino. Can’t wait to see what the events are today? Or can’t wait till they’re over with?
AD: I love watching the Olympics, especially women’s hockey. I was so depressed when the U.S. lost to Sweden.
LP: What’s the worst job or job experience you’ve had?
AD: Honestly, I never really have had that many jobs. My life is soccer and coaching soccer, so it’s pretty hard to give any bad experiences.
LP: Name one thing that bothers you about CMU?
AD: Drivers. People just seem to have no idea how to operate motor vehicles in Mount Pleasant.
LP: If you would compare yourself to any famous athlete who would it be?
AD: Terrell Owens. Maybe not every aspect of him like how he fights with his teammates. But I think I can relate to the confidence of his game. He just knows that he’s going to make the catch, put up touchdowns and finish with an end zone dance.
LP: Do you have an end zone dance?
AD: No. But I think I put on a show for the fans.
LP: What do you think is the main reason why the U.S. economy has been so poor the last few years?
AD: I really don’t know much about the economy.
LP: What if I allowed you to phone a friend, who would you call?
AD: Wynn. Because he’s really smart when it comes to politics.
LP: So why do you think that the American people mainly liked Bill Clinton so much more than George Bush even though he was impeached but not removed while in office?
AD: I think he related himself to the people in everyday life. Also I think that President Clinton didn’t have to deal with 9/11 while in office.
