From the young age of ten, first-year Eldin Husanovic has been honing his soccer skills to one day perform at the top.
After graduating from Manchester Memorial High School, Husanovic traveled to Spain to further develop his skills and love for the game of soccer. Following a one-year stint in Spain, Husanovic decided to look into competing at the collegiate level, ultimately landing at Keene State.
Husanovic’s goals were set high before the Owls started their 2022 season, “I said it before the game, my goal is to win an award,” he said.
In Husanovic’s first appearance with the Owls against Western New England University, he recorded eight saves on nine shots, playing a full 90 minutes. He was named the Little East Conference (LEC) Rookie of the Week following his performance in that game.
Husanovic attributed his success of being awarded LEC Rookie of the Week to his practice and training during the offseason.
“All the hard work I’ve done over the summer paid off… I’m just really happy” he said.
Husanovic said he went into this season focused and motivated to helping his team be successful through his role as goalkeeper.
“I knew I was going to play in this game,” he said. “I went into this game fully ready to do anything I could to win… my goal was to help the team’s record out.”
Like many athletes at Keene, Husanovic’s ultimate goal is to win the LEC championships with his teammates. Sharing that common goal, he said the team has been putting in the effort to work toward that goal.
“The whole team is like a family, we’ve been improving every game,” he said. “Watching us put in the effort is amazing.”
Sophomore defender Ali Alzawar has high praise for the young goalkeeper, claiming that Husanovic’s contributions have made an impact on the team.
“It definitely uplifted everybody seeing him win that,” Alzawar said. “You see him putting in work every day, even if he didn’t get the start at the beginning of the season, but that pushed him to work harder throughout the season.”
He referred to Husanovic’s play as “composed,” claiming he is light on his feet and is extremely poised when it comes to his foot skills — a key skill for goalkeepers. As a goaltender, it is important to not only be solid with your hands, but also to be steady on your feet.
“On the ball, he is definitely one of the best goalkeepers that can play with his feet, I don’t see many other goalkeepers doing this besides him,” Alzawar added.
Husanovic’s play on the field is not the only benefit he brings to the team, Alzawar said. He is one of the leaders in the locker room, uplifting his teammates and being a voice to listen to.
“He will do whatever it takes to win, he’s in the locker room talking to everybody and uplifting people…he’s just doing whatever it takes to win,” Alzawar said.
Michael LaPerriere can be contacted at
mlaperriere@kscequinox.com
