In The Nest: BG Native Shope Living the Dream with Falcons
Presented by Medical Mutual
9/8/2022
Bowling Green native Eli Shope has been a fan of the BGSU men’s soccer program since he was a kid. Now in his fourth season with the Falcons, Shope has moved into a starting role this season.
Q: Where is the most interesting place you have been?
Shope: I’d have to say Caye Caulker Island in Belize.
Q: Did you make any fun trips or do anything fun this summer?
Shope: I made a few weekend trips to see some of the guys. I went to Cincinnati and Cleveland, but other than that I was here in Bowling Green.
Q: When did you start playing soccer and how did you wind up gravitating toward soccer?
Shope: I was about 3 or 4 when I started playing soccer. I was playing some other sports, like baseball and basketball, but I just found soccer to be a lot of fun, and my mom couldn’t keep me off the field.
Q: Do you have any pre-game superstitions or routines?
Shope: I like to drink a little coffee before, and I like to lace up my boots right after I roll out on the field.
Q: As someone who grew up in Bowling Green, you’ve obviously been aware of BGSU soccer for a long time. What is your first memory of BGSU men’s soccer?
Shope: It would have to be the residential camps. I was pretty young – I think I was 9 or 10 when I went to my first one.
Q: Were there any BGSU men’s soccer players you looked up to as a kid?
Shope: There were a ton of guys. I was a big fan of Zach Lemke. Danny Baraldi, Prayag (Jina), (Ryan) Snashall, (Ryan) Comiskey … there are so many guys that I could name.
Q: What made you decide that you wanted to attend BGSU?
Shope: It’s always been a dream of mine to come to BG. I’ve grown up here and idolized the program and the guys who were here. Once I became a junior in high school, I started looking really closely at the school itself. They had the major I wanted to go into, and a lot of my family lives around here, and I wanted them to be able to watch me play.
Q: The last two years obviously went a little different than you might have expected, due to COVID-19. What was it like being a student-athlete, both in the classroom and on the field, during a pandemic?
Shope: It was an interesting dynamic, for sure. With classes being remote, you were around your roommates a little bit more. I enjoyed that it allowed me to do my work on my own time and then focus on soccer during my free time.
Q: You are an exercise science major at BGSU. What made you decide to study in that field, and what are your career goals after college?
Shope: I chose exercise science because it’s a field where I can help people. I like being around people. It also is a field where you can go anywhere you want. It gives you many options to go around the country and work with sports as well. My goal is to go into chiropractics.
Q: What is your go-to restaurant and/or meal?
Shope: I would say my go-to restaurant right now is Tropical Smoothie, but if I have some free time, I’m a big chicken alfredo guy.
Q: Who inspired or encouraged you the most athletically growing up?
Shope: I really looked up to Bastian Schweinsteiger, who played for Bayern Munich when I was younger. He was just a workhorse.
Q: How would you describe your style of play?
Shope: I would say my style of play is fast, explosive, aggressive and hard working. I like to always be moving around the field.
Q: Who is the funniest player on the team?
Shope: It’s got to be Abdi (Faqi). He can make any situation a great one, and he always knows when to pick the right time to crack some jokes.
Q: Where is your favorite spot on campus?
Shope: I think my favorite spot is the new business building. It’s a pretty nice environment where I can get a lot of work done and also see a lot of my friends.
Q: You came off the bench in your first three years at BGSU, but now have moved into a role as a full-time starter this season. What has that transition been like?
Shope: It’s been very exciting. I’ve worked hard over the past few years to get to where I am now, and I think I’m working harder now, honestly. I want to keep going and not let up. It’s definitely been a dream of mine to help us achieve success.
Q: Describe Coach Nichols in one word…
Shope: Intense.
Q: What is your favorite thing about being a part of the BGSU men’s soccer program?
Shope: Being able to work with all of the campers when we host the camps, and seeing those kids when they come out to our games. And, of course I enjoy being able to hang out with the other guys on the team.
Q: What are your goals, both personally and for the team, this season?
Shope: Individually, I want to continue giving my all, hopefully start scoring goals and get some assists to help the team win. For the team, we have very big ambitions, but I don’t think they are unreasonable at all. We want to win the MAC, and we want to go far in the NCAA Tournament.
