Camaraderie and competition are tops for Chang on the soccer scene

MIHS senior captain will play for George Fox University next season.

By Andy Nystrom • May 27, 2021 8:30 am
Mercer Island senior captain Josh Chang, front, controls the ball against Interlake. Photo courtesy of Lis Larkin
Mercer Island senior captain Josh Chang, front, controls the ball against Interlake. Photo courtesy of Lis Larkin

When Josh Chang kicks into his soccer world, it’s the camaraderie and the competition that stick with him the most.

From the age of 7 and beyond, the current Mercer Island High School (MIHS) senior captain has enjoyed his time on the pitch, and he’ll compete at the next level at George Fox University in Oregon next season.

The Islanders sported a 5-0 record at post time, and that included a 7-0 senior night victory over Interlake on May 25. In a triumph that featured seven seniors notching one goal each, center midfielder Chang contributed to the scoring spree by booting a cross from Alec Willet into the top of the net.

After last season was canceled due to the pandemic, Chang said the Islanders were brimming with anticipation to return to the pitch this spring.

“I think it’s great because it’s kind of some closure. Even though there’s no state (tournament), these games are still really fun to play with your friends,” said Chang, who noted that they’ve had solid crowd support for their matches.

Following the regular season, Chang said there will be a two-team, two-match playoff for the title featuring the top-seeded squads.

The Reporter asked Chang a series of questions to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his life:

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Play every practice or game as your last one, and that always helps you put in your best effort, maybe even when it’s not the funnest practice. You never know, you could have a terrible injury or something. You want to leave with no regrets.

What special skill would you like to learn?

I would like to get better at cooking.

What superpower would you like to have?

I’d probably like to fly.

What’s something that you’re afraid of that you’d like to overcome?

Spiders.

Do you have a hidden talent that maybe somebody wouldn’t know about?

I’m really good at stacking poker chips.

If you could go to dinner with one person, who would that be?

It would probably be this soccer player on my favorite team, Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League).