FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University sophomore men’s soccer player Daena Bodie|Guernsey, England (St. Sampson's Secondary School) is this week’s Longwood Male Athlete of the Week. The defender posted a team-best two shots in the squad’s season finale at Big South opponent Winthrop University on October 31. He finished the season with five total shots in 13 appearances, including 12 starts.
Question and Answer Session with Daena Bodie and Bethany Drury
BD: Why did you decide to play soccer?
DB: Well my mom is English so there was a big influence to play soccer. Watching her watch soccer and like the game, I just started to play as a small kid. I didn’t really go out of my way to do it. I just played a few games then stuck with it and kept improving. It’s a big sport in England. I was influenced by that as well with everyone playing.
BD: Why Longwood?
DB: I was in England and I had been trying to go professional and it just never really happened. I was at the point where my parents wanted to move and I wanted to try something different and go somewhere else. I was thinking about going to Australia and playing or coming here to the States. My mom wanted me to come to Longwood so I could get an education and still play. I agreed with her and decided to come here a month and a half before I was supposed to be here. The coach of the team I was playing for knew the coaches at Longwood and it got set up.
BD: What is your favorite Longwood tradition?
DB: The G.A.M.E. It’s a really cool thing to see all the people come out. I also like the big push for student-athletes to go watch each other’s games. I know when we played Virginia Tech this year and all the athletes came out, it was really good because we got really pumped up.
BD: Who is your favorite athlete?
DB: Thierry Henry, he’s a French soccer player who used to play for Arsenal. He’s a really good player and he plays for the New York Red Bulls now.
BD: What is your favorite soccer team?
DB: West Ham United. It’s in an area of London, but it’s actually located in East Ham. It’s my mom’s team. I used to support Arsenal, which is a North London team. My cousin sort of influenced me to be an Arsenal fan, but as I got older I learned more and sided with my mom.
What’s your favorite movie?
V for Vendetta
BD: What’s your favorite band and song?
The Weekend and their song Wicked Games
BD: Any interesting facts about yourself?
DB: I was born in the Bahamas. I moved to England when I was ten or eleven, that’s why I have the accent.
BD: What is your favorite thing about Longwood Soccer?
DB: The team. Having played soccer my entire life, I’ve always liked being around the team and always having people to go to and hang out with. With this team, we’re a close group and we get along. Being able to have someone to fall back on and being able to get by like that is probably the best thing.
