Rolf Mellby Field hosted multiple Northfield derbies the week of Sept. 30 as the women’s and men’s soccer teams of St. Olaf and Carleton matched up against each other in two Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) showdowns. However, NCAA Division Three matches were not the only Northfield derbies of the week, as St. Olaf Men’s Club Soccer hosted Carleton Men’s Club Soccer Oct. 5. The Knights proved victorious, winning 3-1, but St. Olaf Men’s Club Soccer played a tough and exhilarating game.
Established in the mid-to-late 2010s, St. Olaf Club Soccer operated as a co-ed team until splitting into a men’s and women’s team a few years later. Fast forward to 2024, and St. Olaf Men’s Club Soccer is thriving. With practices routinely attended by more than 20 players, the club takes pride in its high turnout rate and membership. Such a high turnout rate can be partly attributed to the club’s core value of inclusivity.
“We tell anyone they’re welcome to come,” said Zach Thomson ’26, Treasurer, in an interview with the Olaf Messenger. “We have people who played many years of varsity soccer in high school and people who played one year in middle school.”
The club’s inclusivity is visible in match rosters as well.
“[Rosters] are based on who comes to practices and who puts the effort in,” said Quentin Cook ’26, captain.
While the club’s leadership keeps practices friendly and fun, they ensure practices are also competitive. Like most athletes, members of Men’s Club Soccer revel in competitive environments, whether it be penalty kick competitions in practice or high-intensity game situations. This competitive nature is palpable; when discussing the build-up to the Carleton game, it was clear that the players had one objective: to beat their cross-town rivals.
“We are ready,” Alie Mansaray ’27 said in an interview last Thursday. “We don’t care what team [Carleton] has.”
While the match didn’t turn out in the Oles’s favor, confidence and competitiveness permeates throughout the club.
Carleton is not the only team Men’s Club Soccer plays. Primarily other college and university club teams, Men’s Club Soccer plays games wherever they can find them in the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Whether renting vans for a game in the Twin Cities versus Augsburg or welcoming Hamline to Northfield, the club’s leadership ensures that matches remain a key component of the club. The club’s first match this season was a night game under the lights at Macalester’s football stadium, a great experience that leadership hopes is a sign of things to come.
Games and practices reflect the positive environment of Men’s Club Soccer. The club is a community: a safe space for students with a shared passion. As the global game, soccer serves as a common language that connects people from all walks of life. With international and domestic students alike, the environment of Men’s Club Soccer is vibrant.
“It’s a strong community of people who have gotten to know each other well,” Thomson said.
“I just love the spirit everybody has,” Mansaray said.
The club’s leadership has a simple message for anybody interested in joining: just show up! As St. Olaf Men’s Club Soccer continues to host practices and matches, its principles of inclusivity and community ensure that everybody feels welcome. If you are interested in joining, you can find additional details and contact information on the club’s Presence page.
