Rowan McLear ’23 spent four years in goal for Beaver Boys Soccer before taking his game overseas for a gap year in Spain. Now a junior at Skidmore College, Rowan is studying biochemistry on the pre-med track and playing goalkeeper for the Thoroughbreds. We caught up with Rowan to talk college athletics, his time at Beaver, and the advice he has for current Beaver athletes.
What has been your favorite part of being a college athlete so far?
The connection you have with all your teammates throughout the whole year, even outside of season, is really special. You have a group of guys you connect with on the field, and that connection only grows off the field, whether it’s social events or helping with schoolwork. Having a group of upperclassmen who can help you through that difficult first fall semester of college is a great crutch when you need it. Nothing beats a good gritty win under the lights either.
What made you choose your college and athletic program?
When I chose to go to Skidmore, they had just let go of their head coach after having one of the worst seasons in program history, winning only three games. I spoke with the new head coach, Brad Campion, after already committing under the previous assistant, and decided not to change my commitment because Brad had the hunger and desire to turn the team into a nationally recognized program. The academics spoke for themselves among all the schools I had offers from, with its brand-new science building and highly respected chemistry staff and research.
What is something you’ve accomplished or experienced since graduating from Beaver that you’re especially proud of?
In between Skidmore and Beaver, I took a gap year to play soccer in Spain. I played in an international academy and for a 5th-tier professional club outside Valencia. The experience let me spend a full year without the stress of rigorous academics, playing the sport I love. I lifted international trophies and experienced a new culture for a whole year. These experiences helped me mature for college-level competition and develop into a starting goalkeeper.
What advice would you give a current Beaver athlete who hopes to play their sport in college?
Start the recruitment process as early as possible, especially with the new 5-in-5 law passed and the ever-growing transfer portal. Don’t sacrifice your education or social life just to play on a better team; you likely won’t play this sport after college, and what you gain from college will follow you after college.
What is your favorite memory from your time as a Beaver athlete?
My junior year, I had the delight of captaining the Boys Varsity Soccer team to a league title and making the NEPSAC playoffs. The pure jubilation of lifting a banner in the gym and pouring Gatorade on our coach after a hard-fought season was the most rewarding feeling I experienced. Being able to do this with a team full of friends and family who went through all the struggles I did only pulls you closer together at the end of a season like that.
What is something you learned through Beaver Athletics that you still carry with you today?
A common thing in high school is a fear of failure, especially in sports. As a goalkeeper, there’s nothing I hate more than standing around for 80 minutes and then being forced to make a game-deciding save, but it’s what I signed up to do. Knowing I trained for these exact situations helps me build confidence in moments when it’s easy to lose focus and make mistakes. At the end of the day, though, the mistakes and failures we learn from are what make us better. If I made mistakes and never used them as learning opportunities, I never would have won that league title or made it on a college athletics team. Be open to criticism and advice. If you’re young and playing sports, I promise you don’t know everything, and that criticism and advice will help you bloom into an even better athlete and scholar.
Is there a coach, teammate, or moment from Beaver Athletics that had a lasting impact on you? Why?
I had the privilege of playing all four years at Beaver when most goalies only get 1-2, and I met many role models throughout my time there. The moment that sticks with me most came my junior year at Harvestfest. We played Portsmouth Abbey at home and got punched in the face early, going down 0-2. In the second half, all I could do as a goalkeeper was sit back and hope my team could crawl out of the hole we’d put ourselves in. In the second half, we managed to scrape back three goals with a packed Dam and win the title over PA. The feeling of hopelessness is so easy to get caught up in with sports, especially as a goalkeeper. But me keeping faith in our team and staying energetic helped us build confidence as a team to come back and win in a stunning fashion.
What is a Beaver Athletics tradition you miss?
Harvestfest, in all honesty. The activities and excitement the whole school used to have leading up to it made the game. Whether it was an afternoon or night game, the pressure to win made victory feel even better.
What advice would you give to current Beaver athletes?
Enjoy every practice and every game with your friends. Don’t take these moments for granted. Every single teammate from both my junior and senior year teams still talks about those seasons. Time goes by quicker than you think, and then you have real responsibilities in life to take care of, so take your time in high school, work hard, but enjoy your friends and the time you share with them. Some practices, not even games, can end up being the highlights of your year, and you won’t realize it until you’re looking back, as I am now.