Cal U soccer player enjoys life away from his homeland
By Zach Filtz
There are many student athletes, but not all have enjoyed roasted rabbit for their dinner meal. Lubos Kubik, a senior sports management major and defender on the Cal U soccer team, can say he has.
California University of Pennsylvania is not the first U.S. school for this native of the Czech Republic. In 2012, Kubik was an exchange student at a high school in Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from the school later that year.
Kubik said he came to the United States because he wanted the opportunity to attend college as a student athlete.
“Back home, students could pick one of those [fields] while they attended college, but not both,” he said.
When Kubik researched where he wanted to attend college, he felt at home after visiting Cal U’s campus and talking to men’s soccer coach Emedin Sabic.
“It’s beautiful here,” Kubic said. He also said the temperature is not too warm and generally not too cold.
Aside from playing soccer, Kubik also enjoys participating in the International Club at Cal U, which takes a skiing trip to Seven Springs Mountain Resort during the fall semester. Later this year, Kubik said the group will go on a trip outside the Western Pennsylvania region.
“This year we are also going to New York City, and I am looking forward to that trip,” he said.
Kubik said he has formed many friendships during his time as a member of the club.
Kubik’s father is a retired Major League Soccer player and currently coaches soccer in the Czech Republic.
Kubik said the food he eats back home is different from what he eats in the United States.
“In Czech, we make dumplings sometimes with just fruit inside of it,” he said. Naturally-made food without a lot of added salt dominates a large portion of Czech diets, according to Kubik.
Some foods they eat include venison, baked rabbit and baked duck. Kubik said he liked those foods equally.
“They are all delicious,” he said.
Some American students find Europeans interesting, including a fellow soccer player, Eleazar Luciano.
“Foreign people are very interesting, that is for sure,” said Luciano of Kubik.
Concerning soccer, Luciano said Kubik has all the traits one would expect to find in a coach’s son.
“My friend Lubos is very good at soccer, has a sharp eye on the ball, and is very good at communication,” Luciano said. “He is a very hard-working player.”
Anthony DiFrancesco, Kubik’s roommate, has enjoyed living with Kubik.
“He eats very healthy and cleans after himself well,” DiFrancesco said. “This has helped me have better eating and cleaning habits as well. Along with that, he stays very focused on school and soccer and has made the environment I live in very easy to do the same.”
As for the future, Kubik said he wants to remain in the United States. He hopes to be able to find a job and stay active with soccer. He will be graduating in May 2016.
Zach Filtz is a junior at California University of Pennsylvania majoring in Journalism. You can read more of Zach's work at zachfiltzcalureporting15.weebly.com
California University of Pennsylvania is not the first U.S. school for this native of the Czech Republic. In 2012, Kubik was an exchange student at a high school in Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from the school later that year.
Kubik said he came to the United States because he wanted the opportunity to attend college as a student athlete.
“Back home, students could pick one of those [fields] while they attended college, but not both,” he said.
When Kubik researched where he wanted to attend college, he felt at home after visiting Cal U’s campus and talking to men’s soccer coach Emedin Sabic.
“It’s beautiful here,” Kubic said. He also said the temperature is not too warm and generally not too cold.
Aside from playing soccer, Kubik also enjoys participating in the International Club at Cal U, which takes a skiing trip to Seven Springs Mountain Resort during the fall semester. Later this year, Kubik said the group will go on a trip outside the Western Pennsylvania region.
“This year we are also going to New York City, and I am looking forward to that trip,” he said.
Kubik said he has formed many friendships during his time as a member of the club.
Kubik’s father is a retired Major League Soccer player and currently coaches soccer in the Czech Republic.
Kubik said the food he eats back home is different from what he eats in the United States.
“In Czech, we make dumplings sometimes with just fruit inside of it,” he said. Naturally-made food without a lot of added salt dominates a large portion of Czech diets, according to Kubik.
Some foods they eat include venison, baked rabbit and baked duck. Kubik said he liked those foods equally.
“They are all delicious,” he said.
Some American students find Europeans interesting, including a fellow soccer player, Eleazar Luciano.
“Foreign people are very interesting, that is for sure,” said Luciano of Kubik.
Concerning soccer, Luciano said Kubik has all the traits one would expect to find in a coach’s son.
“My friend Lubos is very good at soccer, has a sharp eye on the ball, and is very good at communication,” Luciano said. “He is a very hard-working player.”
Anthony DiFrancesco, Kubik’s roommate, has enjoyed living with Kubik.
“He eats very healthy and cleans after himself well,” DiFrancesco said. “This has helped me have better eating and cleaning habits as well. Along with that, he stays very focused on school and soccer and has made the environment I live in very easy to do the same.”
As for the future, Kubik said he wants to remain in the United States. He hopes to be able to find a job and stay active with soccer. He will be graduating in May 2016.
Zach Filtz is a junior at California University of Pennsylvania majoring in Journalism. You can read more of Zach's work at zachfiltzcalureporting15.weebly.com