Davidson Spotlight on Soccer Alum Rob Malinzak ’94
5/27/2016 9:45:00 AM | Men's Soccer, DAF
Recently, men's head soccer coach Matt Spear caught up with soccer alumnus Rob Malinzak '94—now married with two kids, a marathoner and orthopedic surgeon in Indianapolis—with a Q & A on why he chose Davidson, some of his favorite memories, the team bond, how soccer/wellness still thrives for him and more.
Growing up in nearby Winston-Salem, what were the reasons you chose to attend Davidson?
Entering my senior year at RJ Reynolds High School, many options were considered. Bigger schools, closer schools, farther schools were visited. In the end, Davidson was by far my favorite school for the academic potential, athletic opportunities and intellectual variety of the students. While medicine and teaching were my main considerations, Davidson offered the ability to interact in many fields while maturing as a student and person. The rigorous standards of Davidson College intrigued me the most. Ward Davis '94 has been a close friend of mine since elementary school, and he was going to Davidson. His older brother, Kearns Davis '91, was also at Davidson, and his father, Bill Davis '60, was a Davidson alumnus. Having known these men for most of my life, I was excited to attend Davidson and to be afforded the opportunity to develop as these wonderful men had during their time on campus.
What was the team and program like, and what are your favorite memories?
From the beginning, the culture of Davidson soccer shaped our futures in so many ways— with most of the lessons not appreciated until years later! Obviously, there are way too many awesome memories to include them all, but here are a few:
There was the first training camp when Coach Slagle let a clipboard fly high and far too dramatically to get his point across: this ain't high school anymore, focus on the lesson and learn the lesson, minimize faulty repetition (concepts adhered to through all the surgical training as well)!
What was the bond like then with your teammates – especially your classmates – and how has that continued?
The entire group of men in the program were able to help guide our individual and group development. Classmates Andy Haile '94, Ben Hayes '94, John Sampers '95 and Ed Denning '94 were so awesome while at Davidson, not only for soccer but for friendship. The healthy competition amongst the entire team all four years was fun and interesting. The group seemed to understand that group improvement meant there must be individual improvement, and the group most often helped any and all individuals willing to show the interest and put in the work.
What have you been up to since graduating in 1994?
I taught high school physics and science while coaching JV soccer at my alma mater, RJ Reynolds High School. From there, I went to Duke Medical School and Duke Orthopedic Residency, followed by a Total Joint Replacement Fellowship in Indiana. I am currently working in Indiana at the Center for Hip and Knee Surgery (World Renowned Total Joint Team). I am also active with Operation Walk—volunteering in Guatemala and Nicaragua once a year, doing about 100 total joints in a week. It's a "teach a man to fish" concept. We bring the entire crew, nurses, techs, surgeons, etc. and help the local folks. I have also been consulting/teaching/training in China, Thailand, Europe and more. I run two marathons a year with my lovely wife, Sandy Moreira, and several half-marathons a year. Sandy is an ER pediatrician and was valedictorian of Duke undergrad. We met at Duke Med School as lab partners. She is the first person I ever did stitches on (back of her head after falling while running with me and my dog). Sandy is from Cincy - hence taking the great job in Indy.
How do you think Davidson College and the soccer program are the same and different now?
Now, having kids quickly approaching the decision time for college (13-year-old daughter, Mackie, and 11-year-old son, Jake), it seems the basics are similar like grades, extra-, etc. But all the kids seem to be so far ahead of what I recall about middle school, including athletics and academics. It is super fun to watch Jake and Mackie, as well as their friends, grow and mature. Soccer has grown so much in the US, and that is huge fun. With increased television exposure and the growing funds for the sport, we all have more access to soccer, near and far. With my son playing in the Indy Fire Development Program, it is exciting to see the level of soccer talent for kids at such a young age. The kids are good, and the coaches are fantastic! Jake's main clothing of choice are soccer kits, and he wears them to school every day! The similarities, I would suspect, relate to the competition. The young men and woman that are most willing to listen, learn and sacrifice for a greater goal continue to most often be the individuals who grow and improve the most.
How have soccer, athletics and wellness remained essential parts of your being and family?
Soccer and fitness remain solid parts of our lives, with the occasional pick-up game with friends being a nice social event and the main focus of soccer participation for me right now. My son, Jake, schooling me with his newest move is also super fun. Fitness is always a priority for us (see marathon discussion above) as well as fundraising and awareness teaching for children fitness programs. The lessons learned on the practice pitch are ever present. Recently, we ran a marathon in Louisville and then the half marathon in Indy seven days later. We knew it would be tough, and I think that is why I tried it—to see how we would do. Kind of like in practice, where we would all challenge each other with tougher drills in the off season, preseason and regular season.
You have contributed to the program for many years – what drives your desire to invest in Davidson Soccer?
Davidson College and the soccer program helped my development in so many ways. The men and women who continue to grow with the Davidson soccer program will enable the future to take great shape! By helping out the program in any way possible, it is my truest hope that more young men and women will realize their greatest potential by aiming for goals outside of their "comfort zones." Aim high, and achieve your best. You never know where the adventure of life shall take you. Davidson Soccer and Coach Spear will certainly enable the player/person to maximize their potential!
Best wishes for continued success on the soccer pitch and in the classroom. And should anyone be interested, come on up to Indy, and we can show you a few total knee and hip replacements!
Growing up in nearby Winston-Salem, what were the reasons you chose to attend Davidson?
Entering my senior year at RJ Reynolds High School, many options were considered. Bigger schools, closer schools, farther schools were visited. In the end, Davidson was by far my favorite school for the academic potential, athletic opportunities and intellectual variety of the students. While medicine and teaching were my main considerations, Davidson offered the ability to interact in many fields while maturing as a student and person. The rigorous standards of Davidson College intrigued me the most. Ward Davis '94 has been a close friend of mine since elementary school, and he was going to Davidson. His older brother, Kearns Davis '91, was also at Davidson, and his father, Bill Davis '60, was a Davidson alumnus. Having known these men for most of my life, I was excited to attend Davidson and to be afforded the opportunity to develop as these wonderful men had during their time on campus.
What was the team and program like, and what are your favorite memories?
From the beginning, the culture of Davidson soccer shaped our futures in so many ways— with most of the lessons not appreciated until years later! Obviously, there are way too many awesome memories to include them all, but here are a few:
There was the first training camp when Coach Slagle let a clipboard fly high and far too dramatically to get his point across: this ain't high school anymore, focus on the lesson and learn the lesson, minimize faulty repetition (concepts adhered to through all the surgical training as well)!
- Pete Cobb '91 my freshman year demanding the ball to help the team win, and Pete delivering in the second half!
- Road trips to Richmond, Va., with Ukrop's grocery store meals!
- The back of Phelps Sprinkle's '93 car, listening to tunes on the road trip.
- Matt Spear '93 asking if I was ready for first major action for the big team!
- Tommy Suter's '95 recruitment weekend!
- Andy Haile '94 as a wonderful friend, mentor and combatant—always pushing us to look beyond our comfort zones in soccer, academics and life (see his tai chi and archery endeavors)!
- Andy Schwab '93 providing medical school application advice!
- Winning games against the ACC big boys.
- Summer leagues.
- Rob Ukrop's '93 elbows to my noggin' during spring practice of my freshman year!
- And of course, the wonderful 1992 season when, after we made the tourney, Coach Slagle asked the entire team if we could beat the first team on the NCAA tourney list, and we all said YES! He then went down each name on the list, and for each name we said YES! Affirming our belief in each other and our opportunity— what an awesome moment (who would have thought the next three weeks would develop like that baby!)
- Cliff offering some awesome wisdom before the semi-final match. Learning to handle defeat, which still sucks, but life goes on, and wonderful things develop through the tough moments!
- Senior year, and again, learning with each other how to handle adversity as well as success.
What was the bond like then with your teammates – especially your classmates – and how has that continued?
The entire group of men in the program were able to help guide our individual and group development. Classmates Andy Haile '94, Ben Hayes '94, John Sampers '95 and Ed Denning '94 were so awesome while at Davidson, not only for soccer but for friendship. The healthy competition amongst the entire team all four years was fun and interesting. The group seemed to understand that group improvement meant there must be individual improvement, and the group most often helped any and all individuals willing to show the interest and put in the work.
What have you been up to since graduating in 1994?
I taught high school physics and science while coaching JV soccer at my alma mater, RJ Reynolds High School. From there, I went to Duke Medical School and Duke Orthopedic Residency, followed by a Total Joint Replacement Fellowship in Indiana. I am currently working in Indiana at the Center for Hip and Knee Surgery (World Renowned Total Joint Team). I am also active with Operation Walk—volunteering in Guatemala and Nicaragua once a year, doing about 100 total joints in a week. It's a "teach a man to fish" concept. We bring the entire crew, nurses, techs, surgeons, etc. and help the local folks. I have also been consulting/teaching/training in China, Thailand, Europe and more. I run two marathons a year with my lovely wife, Sandy Moreira, and several half-marathons a year. Sandy is an ER pediatrician and was valedictorian of Duke undergrad. We met at Duke Med School as lab partners. She is the first person I ever did stitches on (back of her head after falling while running with me and my dog). Sandy is from Cincy - hence taking the great job in Indy.
How do you think Davidson College and the soccer program are the same and different now?
Now, having kids quickly approaching the decision time for college (13-year-old daughter, Mackie, and 11-year-old son, Jake), it seems the basics are similar like grades, extra-, etc. But all the kids seem to be so far ahead of what I recall about middle school, including athletics and academics. It is super fun to watch Jake and Mackie, as well as their friends, grow and mature. Soccer has grown so much in the US, and that is huge fun. With increased television exposure and the growing funds for the sport, we all have more access to soccer, near and far. With my son playing in the Indy Fire Development Program, it is exciting to see the level of soccer talent for kids at such a young age. The kids are good, and the coaches are fantastic! Jake's main clothing of choice are soccer kits, and he wears them to school every day! The similarities, I would suspect, relate to the competition. The young men and woman that are most willing to listen, learn and sacrifice for a greater goal continue to most often be the individuals who grow and improve the most.
How have soccer, athletics and wellness remained essential parts of your being and family?
Soccer and fitness remain solid parts of our lives, with the occasional pick-up game with friends being a nice social event and the main focus of soccer participation for me right now. My son, Jake, schooling me with his newest move is also super fun. Fitness is always a priority for us (see marathon discussion above) as well as fundraising and awareness teaching for children fitness programs. The lessons learned on the practice pitch are ever present. Recently, we ran a marathon in Louisville and then the half marathon in Indy seven days later. We knew it would be tough, and I think that is why I tried it—to see how we would do. Kind of like in practice, where we would all challenge each other with tougher drills in the off season, preseason and regular season.
You have contributed to the program for many years – what drives your desire to invest in Davidson Soccer?
Davidson College and the soccer program helped my development in so many ways. The men and women who continue to grow with the Davidson soccer program will enable the future to take great shape! By helping out the program in any way possible, it is my truest hope that more young men and women will realize their greatest potential by aiming for goals outside of their "comfort zones." Aim high, and achieve your best. You never know where the adventure of life shall take you. Davidson Soccer and Coach Spear will certainly enable the player/person to maximize their potential!
Best wishes for continued success on the soccer pitch and in the classroom. And should anyone be interested, come on up to Indy, and we can show you a few total knee and hip replacements!
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