Athlete Spotlight: Jonathan Chasse

Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications

Salem, Mass. – This week our athlete spotlight focuses on men's soccer player Jonathan Chasse from Haverhill, Massachusetts.  

The business management major talked about the first conference game of the season this past Friday as the Vikings defeated the Falcons 2-1 at Fitchburg. "The game against Fitchburg this past Friday was a pivotal moment in our season, the first conference game is always huge. I think the momentum from our strong start to the season has given us a boost of confidence. But going into this conference matchup, we were determined to secure our first MASCAC win."  

Last week the Vikings had a huge test, as they faced a ranked Endicott team, which ended in a 1-1 tie. "It was undoubtedly a significant challenge for our soccer team. It was a game that carried a lot of weight, both in terms of competition and pride. These kinds of matchups against top-ranked teams are what college soccer is all about. Ultimately, the game against Endicott was a valuable experience for our team. It showed us we can play with great teams."   

The Haverhill native mentioned the United Soccer Coaches Poll that saw his team ranked number six in last week's New England regional poll. "Being ranked number six in New England is a remarkable achievement that brings a sense of accomplishment, motivation, and recognition to our team. It shows us we are up there with the best and our hard work is being recognized."  

The former Knight talked about his job as a goalkeeper. "It is hard being a goalkeeper. It's one of the hardest positions in sports. A pro and con of being a goalkeeper is your position can make or break the game, so if you play good that will significantly help your team, but if you play bad it will hurt you." 

He mentioned the reason why he decided to come to Salem State. "I decided to transfer to Salem State for many reasons, but ultimately it was the best soccer program I could transfer to. My coach at Northern Essex was coached by coach Correia and he told me about the success they had together." 

The senior started playing soccer when he was in sixth grade and talked about the skills that he learned at Northern Essex that he is using at Salem State. "Overall, my time at Northern Essex College provided me with the skills, mindset, and experiences necessary to succeed as a Viking here at Salem State. Those lessons have helped me adapt to the new challenges and opportunities that come with playing at the division 3 level." 

A professional player he would love to see is Lionel Messi.  

The word Viking means something to him. "Being a Viking has many meanings to me, the one that sticks out most means you are a warrior, that's the type of mentality we got to have coming into games." 

Chasse talked about his game day routine to stay focused before the game. "On game days I usually get ready the same way every time, I listen to music and just make sure I'm locked in before we head out for warmups." 

The senior started playing soccer when he was in sixth grade and talked about the message that he has for younger players, who want to play the game of soccer. "I would want to tell younger players, 'just keep practicing and keep working and anything is possible.'"