Zach Kovan: Keeper of His Success

As senior Zach Kovan's time on the Spartans' soccer field comes to a close, he reflects on what this opportunity has afforded him. He shares his pride to wear the Green and White both on and off the field. As one of the 10 graduating seniors on the roster this year, Zach is proud to say that they each bring a different asset to their team in creating a unified experience.

"We have a group of very talented players in our class who are making impacts on the field, scoring goals, making huge plays; people who are also doing amazing things academically," said Kovan. "It helps create a unified feel across the team, and it gives everyone on the team someone to relate to who is an upperclassman. It's one of the best things about our senior class."

He likes to encourage the players who continue to persevere showing hard work and dedication on the playing field but may not get as much playing time.

"I am a good person to talk to," said Kovan. I know where they are coming from in their frustrations; I am able to lead them through those times and hopefully help their mindset, to make them a better player and get them time on the field or enhance their experience here at Michigan State."

Understanding the pressures of playing at such a competitive intensity, Kovan likes to create some stress relief for his teammates.

"I think I am someone who eases the tension of playing at such a high level," said Kovan. "A lot of times things get really intense. I try to be someone who brings it back down to ground level for people. Make the locker room a calmer, more fun place to be," he said.

As for his own stress relief, off the field, Kovan has a true passion for music. He finds he can use the power of music to calm him down and decompress.

"It helps me debrief after a long day of playing sports to be able to sit with my guitar or piano and relax, it has been really helpful," Kovan said.

While he would love to incorporate his love for music and soccer together, he did have the opportunity to sing with his sister, Sarah, who also played soccer at MSU, when they sung together at the Academic Excellence Gala his freshman year. The Gala honors the accomplishments and successes of student-athletes in the classroom as well as the community.

Another stress relief for Kovan has been seeing his dad on campus throughout his day. Zach's father, Jeff Kovan, is the Director of Sports Medicine and Performance and head team physician at Michigan State.

"It's amazing," said Zach. "I love having him here, every time I see him it brightens my day."

As bright as his days are on MSU's campus, so is Kovan's future. This past summer, he had the opportunity to intern at the Nike Headquarters in Portland, Oregon. While at Nike, he was a part of the Human Resources, Talent Acquisition Team. As Kovan encourages his teammates to embrace all that Michigan State has to offer, he has done the same. He was able to land this internship through the MSU Athletic Department.

"The application went out to all the student athletes. Student Athletic Support Services gave me a ton of help with applying, what I needed to know, and the contacts of who to talk to," said Kovan.

Zach was able to accept a full time offer with the Nike Human Resources Department in Portland, Oregon starting in August.

Kovan is grateful for all his experiences at MSU, both on and off the field, and has fully embraced all that MSU has to offer. As for his internship and landing a full time job, Kovan reflects, "If it weren't for the athletic department and soccer especially, I wouldn't have had this opportunity."

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