INTRODUCTION: Caden Dowd found a great deal to like with the University of Rochester men's soccer program: a similar playing style to his club team in California, a roster of teammates from around the nation and an exciting major of Computer Science. Just what he wanted having worked in Silicon Valley.

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How young were you when you started playing soccer?
Some of my earliest memories are me kicking a ball, I was 4 years old when I began playing soccer.
 
Who introduced you to it?
My dad is the one who introduced me to soccer. I attended the same high school as him and back in his day he was the captain, so I definitely had big shoes to fill since day one. In my house weekends were for soccer, either I was playing, he was playing, or we were watching an EPL (English Premier League) game. My dad was my soccer coach growing up and has taught me how to love the beautiful game.
 
How long was it before you were playing with travel teams?
I think I started playing travel soccer when I was 9. I remember one of the first tournaments we won was in Santa Rosa which is about 2 hours away from my hometown, San Jose. 
 
You played with a very strong club team – Sporting 99B Green – which won the Northern California State Cup twice and were semifinalists in the Far West Regionals. How much did that experience help you?
Playing at Santa Clara Sporting has been instrumental in my success at U of R. I think Sporting plays a very similar play style to Rochester so it's been a really good fit for me. Despite playing with some of the best teams in the nation in high school, there was definitely a learning curve since I was playing with people who were bigger, stronger, and could think faster than me. The Sporting Club was like a family, much like U of R.  
 
When did the first contact come from the University of Rochester?
I was scouted by former assistant Coach (Jack) Burgasser at one of the biggest tournaments in California, Surf Cup. I played very well that weekend scoring 4 goals in 3 games. Shortly after I was contacted by the coaching staff and the rest is history. 
 
The roster has players from a wide variety of states. When you arrived, did that help you feel more comfortable – teammates from Kansas, Minnesota, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and others in addition to New York?
Of course, it was definitely reassuring seeing such a diverse roster of players from all across the country. It's awesome learning about where everyone's from and knowing that if I'm ever in town I have a place to stay for the night. I felt most at ease once I found out that my future roommate, Jayson Ho, committed to U of R too. He's another Asian kid living in California so I knew no matter what happened, we'd be in it together.  

You work during the off-season with the Stream Team, videocasting home athletic events for a variety of Rochester's teams. What's that like?
Working for the stream team has been one of my favorite jobs I've ever had. It mixes two of my passions: technology and sports. Plus I love supporting my friends on the court / the pitch. Even if they don't see me, their parents remember me because I'm that one announcer that gets a bit too carried away and will start screaming into the microphone when Rochester makes a good play. 
 
When you were a first-year, Rochester claimed one of its biggest victories ever by defeating Messiah College to reach the Division III Final Four. Do you remember anything about that mid-November Sunday afternoon at Fauver Stadium?
That day lives rent-free in my mind. I remember waking up and looking out the window after one of the biggest snowstorms seeing the field covered in a blanket of white. It was one of the coolest things seeing coaches from all teams shoveling snow off the bleachers to make room for the fans. I remember sitting on the bench not even able to feel my legs but seeing Will Eisold running 27 mph to chase down and block a shot from Messiah's Nick West. I remember Patrick Conway making a goalline save from a header within the 6 yard box. And most importantly, I remember Ulrik Koren scoring an absolute banger from a cross by Patrice Douge, the entire stadium cheering, and Coach Apple yelling at us to not run onto the field.  
 
When you are home, do you work with any youth programs – coaching, counseling, working behind the scenes, etc.? What do you like about doing that?
At the moment I do not. Back in high school when my sister played soccer, I would help as an assistant coach and hop into practice if they needed an extra player. 
 
What led you to the University of Rochester?
When I was looking for colleges, I wanted to leave California and go somewhere with four seasons. Rochester has a diverse student population and soccer players who are also engineers. But most of all, I really admire Coach Apple. He really cares about his players and I could tell that he was going to help me become a man of good character on top of teaching me how to be a good soccer player.
 
You are majoring in Computer Science. Why does that appeal to you?
I think computer science has unlimited potential. Every day we get closer to a reality like something in a science fiction movie and I want to be someone who can help us get there. Fortunately, I've had a couple of summer internships - United Mechanical, Lockheed Martin, and now Nvidia and have been able to discover my love for user experience and front end development. Being able to work in Silicon Valley, I get to see all of the latest tech trends and it's always been a dream of mine to design something that will streamline the lives of millions of users.
 
Are you involved in any campus groups tied to your studies?
Currently, I am the publicity chair of the Filipino American Student Association and a member of the Computer Science Undergraduate Council (CSUG).