Photo Courtesy of AUM Athletics
Attackers in the Gulf South Conference should be worried this season
By: Lex Wedgworth
MONTGOMERY, Ala. − Tasker Wheeler is a soccer defender for the Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) Warhawks men’s soccer team and ready to make a statement this season.
To catch students up on what is currently going on regarding the team, Wheeler humbly answered some questions about the team and himself. It is Wheeler’s first season here at AUM and he could not be more ready to go in there and shake attackers in the Gulf South Conference (GSC) up. The Warhawks are currently undefeated earning two wins, zero losses, and three ties so far bringing in a lot of confidence for the team as a whole to keep pushing the win envelope.
Tasker Wheeler, a junior out of San Antonio, Texas, has only been on AUM’s campus for a month when asked about how he is dealing with his move from Marquette University and Wofford College. He said, “ The style of play is very different from both schools. The people, my teammates… There are a lot of things that the coaching staff want from me here than at my previous schools.” Soccer, unlike a lot of other sports, actually requires great team chemistry to find success so it is great to hear that Wheeler is getting integrated into AUM’s system this early in the season.
At a young age, Wheeler grew up in New York City until the age of six when he then moved to London, England, where soccer is taken anything but lightly, according to a politics.co.uk article “Football Hooliganism,” which stated even some fans have become convicted hooligans, violent street gangs, who are banned from attending football matches.
When asked about what age he had started playing soccer, Tasker Wheeler remarked, “I started playing soccer at the age of four… not a lot of soccer is going on in New York City but then, I moved to London, England, overseas, where soccer is life there. In England, it was the culture. Just ingraining their culture into mine, so there I fell in love with it and it is my pride and joy every day.” In England, lies the best soccer league in the world: the Premier League. The Premier League is home to world-renowned soccer clubs such as Manchester City Football Club, Liverpool Football Club and Wheeler’s favorite, Chelsea Football Club located right in London, England where he spent a good portion of his childhood.
When asked about any inspirations growing up that urged him to work on his soccer skills, Wheeler said he’s a die-hard Chelsea F.C. fan. “I’m a defender. Legends growing up and there are a lot of people I look up to. One specifically, John Terry. He’s a very physical center back and I’d like to think we have the same sort of style… I’m forever thankful for him because I watched him growing up,” he added.
Tasker Wheeler brings a lot to the table being one of AUM’s newest defenders. However, as he mentioned earlier, soccer is a team system, and that requires the entire team. When asked about what the team’s overall goal is looking down this soccer season’s path Wheeler said, “We want to win. We want to win everything. It is a big reason why I came here. I want to win the GSU and from there, go to the NCAA tournament, and win it all… The sky is the limit here and I truly believe that.”
Wheeler, when asked about his own personal success he wants to find in this season, said, “On a personal standpoint, I guess, I want to play as much as possible. I am a player who loves to play soccer and my pride and joy is being the best I can be on the training field, but more especially, in matches… I want to be that leader on the field and be the player I truly know I can be.”
Tasker Wheeler is looking forward to being a great defender for the AUM Warhawks and this kind of enthusiasm coming from a player should give students a lot of hope and belief in finding a successful season with all the great players on the team. The soccer team looks ahead to their GSC competition.