Salem State Athletics Celebrates Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month
Salem State Athletics is proud to celebrate Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month by highlighting the experiences of our student-athletes.
Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, or National Hispanic Heritage Month honors the contributions and importance of Hispanic and LatinX Americans to the U.S. and celebrates all heritages and cultures of Americans with ancestry from the Caribbean, Mexico, Spain, and Central and South America.
Steven Lopez (Fr., Revere, Mass.) - Men's Soccer
Q: You have the chance to share your culture through sports – how important is this to players?
A: Sharing my culture through sports is crucial because as athletes we have a camaraderie that helps us bond through our culture that we later translate into our style of play.
Q: When did you become involved in playing soccer and who were your major influences in the sport?
A: I became interested in soccer right after I witnessed the impact soccer had on my culture and how important it was. A major influence was my hometown soccer team back in Colombia, called Atletico Nacional.
Q: You have players from a wide range of nationalities and backgrounds, how has everyone bonded together?
A: Getting to know everyone's backgrounds and understanding their life story creates a sense of unity. We understand each other in ways that are bigger than just being a teammate.
Q: What has your experience been like at Salem State and how would you like to be remembered as a student-athlete?
A: My experience at Salem State has been very diverse as I've met lots of new and different people with different backgrounds. I'd liked to be remembered as a student-athlete who always showed where he originated from on and off the field.
Liz Zaiter (So., Peabody, Mass.) - Women's Basketball
Q: You have the chance to share your culture through sports – how important is this to players?
A: I believe this is very important especially for me because I don't feel like there is enough Dominican women out there that are involved in basketball or even play sports. So this is how I'm able to express and represent my country in a positive way.
Q: When did you become involved in playing basketball and who were your major influences in the sport?
A: I started playing basketball when I was 6 years old because my dad was a big basketball player in high school and he wanted my brother and me to follow in his footsteps. My biggest influences in life are my parents, my aunt, and my uncle. They definitely pushed me to not give up and stay focused, from picking me up from late practices to taking me to early AAU games. I truly believe I wouldn't be who I am without them.
Q: You have players from a wide range of nationalities and backgrounds, how has everyone bonded together?
A: Our love for the sport keeps us together. No matter how different we are or where we come from the one thing we get to connect on is basketball. We can sit and talk about games, coaches, and even types of basketball gear for hours.
Q: What has your experience been like at Salem State and how would you like to be remembered as a student-athlete?
A: My experience at Salem State has definitely been one to remember, from breaking a record my freshman year to scoring an all-time high for myself of 25 points definitely showed me that the staff is willing to help me develop my skills and make me the best I can be. I want to be remembered as the best. Not just have the best stats, but be the best teammate to the other players, the best coachable player my coaches have, and be a great role model to my younger teammates.
Fabricio Torres (Sr., Lima, Peru) - Men's Soccer
Q: You have the chance to share your culture through sports – how important is this to players?
A: Sharing culture through sports is very important to us as players because in a way we get to connect from different type of cultures through a sport, which is amazing.
Q: When did you become involved in playing basketball and who were your major influences in the sport?
A: I became involved in playing soccer when I was very young. I fell in love with the game by watching Ronaldinho play and also through my dad.
Q: You have players from a wide range of nationalities and backgrounds, how has everyone bonded together?
A: At the end of the day, no matter where we are from, as long as we love the sport the connection remains strong. We've all become so close because of this game.
Q: What has your experience been like at Salem State and how would you like to be remembered as a student-athlete?
A: My experience at Salem State has been pretty good. I would like to be remembered as a winner.
