The Remarkable Student-Athletes of Morehouse & Colgate: Bobby Foose
Introduction
Archer’s Raiders is an organization that seeks to unify politically progressive fans, students, and alumni of Colgate University & Morehouse College through the passionate support of our sports programs. The namesake of this organization is Samuel “Big Boy” Archer Sr., one of the first Black football players to play for Colgate University and Morehouse College’s 5th President.
What follows this introduction is the fifth of many interviews I plan to host that are designed to showcase the nuance and intellect of current and former Colgate and Morehouse student-athletes. People often have the misconception that athletes are one dimensional; lacking the range to speak on different important issues facing the country today. But the fact is that pro and college level athletes are often intimately connected to their communities and the challenges facing them. These athletes have a unique platform to speak on these challenges and raise awareness about a host of important political issues.
Through these interviews and profiles, you will find that Colgate and Morehouse student athletes all have remarkable stories — and that each of them represents the values that our schools stand for in their own unique ways. Hopefully, the Colgate and Morehouse communities enjoy reading the profiles and watching the interviews as much as I enjoy putting them together.
Bobby Foose
The year was 2017, the month, July — Bethesda Soccer Club’s U16 team was preparing to face off against Atlanta United Development Academy in what was billed as a classic matchup between David & Goliath. In the world of American Youth Soccer, the Major League Soccer development academies are generally considered at the top of the food chain — Atlanta was among these academies, Bethesda was not. In fact, Bethesda was the only non-MLS side to make it to the USSDA (United States Soccer Development Academy) National Quarterfinals that year.
Given the novelty of their place in the quarterfinals, one could be forgiven for thinking that Bethesda’s team was composed of unheralded, underrated, and overlooked players — a group of plucky underdogs whose whole was greater than the sum of its parts. But this assumption misunderstands the structure of Youth Soccer in America; and Bethesda’s place in it.
While MLS Academies represent the most prestigious youth soccer programs in the country, they compete in the same league as Bethesda. This league, called MLS NEXT, is made up of 133 clubs spread across the United States and Canada. These clubs consistently produce much of the talent that populates Division 1 College Soccer, and the various levels of the professional game in America.
So, when Bethesda arrived at Atlanta United Training Center on a wet and windy summer afternoon as the only non-MLS club in the National Quarterfinals, they were not short on confidence — and understandably so. As is the case with most MLS NEXT clubs, Bethesda SC was bursting with talent — talent that led them to an undefeated streak that spanned 3 and a half months leading up to their berth in the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, their run in the competition ended in defeat that day against Atlanta. But the soccer careers of the players on that Bethesda team were far from over. Indeed, the Quarterfinalists from Montgomery County boasted 16 future DI players and several future professionals. Among them was one Robert (Bobby) Andrew Foose II.
Bobby Foose is the middle of 3 children, all born and raised in the affluent suburbs of Bethesda, Maryland by parents Bob and Laura. Bobby’s older sister, Kyra, graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brown and is currently pursuing a career in immigration law; while Laila, the baby of the family, is a 2-sport varsity athlete as a freshman in high school. The Foose household is a sturdy one — close knit, loving, and supportive.
Bob is the founder and executive director of the MLS Players Union — a position he has held for almost 2 decades. Before that he graduated from Georgetown Law, and, before that, Brown University. For Bob Foose, family always comes first. Encouraging and practical, loving and realistic, caring and pragmatic — Bob managed to simultaneously exude support for his son in all of his endeavors, while also instilling in him a sense of reality; the knowledge that hard-work, dedication, and consistency are necessary if one is to truly lead a life of fulfillment and accomplishment. And he always kept the spirits of the family high with his quick wit and sarcastic sense of humor — traits that Bobby has adopted over the years.
Laura, the matriarch of the Foose family, has served as the Executive Director of the Social Performance Task Force for 17 years. In this role, she focuses on client protection in microfinance for low-income people in developing countries. As one can imagine, her work requires her to travel often; but she never allowed it to impact her relationship with her children.
Laura and Bobby are practically best friends. They are also, practically, the same person. Indeed, Bobby credits his mother with his outgoing personality, strong moral compass, and altruistic spirit. She is his emotional rock and provides him with advice and support in times of strife. Her sense of adventure and proactivity continue to inspire Bobby to this day.
Theirs was a classic American home; a home built on the strength of the family unit. But, with Bob and Laura often occupied by work during their son’s early formative years, there was a pressing need for another adult to assist in the raising of Bobby and his sisters. This role was ultimately filled by Laura’s mother, Rosemarie Jordan.
Ms. Jordan was a first-generation immigrant from Germany who moved to the states when she was 20 years old. Shortly before the birth of her grandson, Bobby, she moved in with her daughter and son-in-law to help take care of the kids. As a result of this, it was especially important early in Bobby’s life to be familiar with German culture and speak the German language. In fact, it was so important that Bobby’s earliest educational experiences were at a school called the German International School in Potomac, Maryland. The German School is where Bobby became fluent in German — a language that Laura recalls him speaking more comfortably than English as a toddler.
Bobby’s time at the German School was ultimately short-lived — his parents enrolled him in a traditional American school after 3 years — as was his fluency in the German language. As fate would have it, the only thing from the German School that Bobby took beyond his early childhood years was his love of soccer.
Bobby kicked his first soccer ball at the age of 3 at the local YMCA. According to his parents, initially, he had no interest in it at all. His earliest memories of actually enjoying the sport date back to his short stint at the German School, where he played with his friends every day during recess. Eventually, Bob and Laura enrolled him in Rec. League soccer where he experienced great success, albeit against a lower level of competition than what he would face for the remainder of his career.
Upon realizing his son’s natural aptitude and affinity for the sport, Bob asked Bobby if he was interested in trying his hand at club soccer. Indeed, he was very interested — eager to test his skills against the strongest players in the region. And so, at the age of 8, young Bobby Foose joined Potomac Soccer Club alongside his best friend and future Major League Soccer player, Gabe Segal. Two short years after that, Bobby and Gabe were off to Bethesda SC, the club they would call home for the remainder of their youth careers.
At Bethesda, Bobby began to develop the work ethic and competitive spirit that would define his game for years to come. Anyone, even a layman, watching Bobby play soccer at Colgate will likely notice 3 things — 1) Sharp and decisive movements with the ball, 2) an incredible work rate without the ball, and 3) an incredible drive to increase the pace of the game in possession. These traits are all markers of exceptional midfield play and athletic ability. They are traits honed on the practice field, developed over hours and hours of drills and conditioning. The man primarily responsible for overseeing Bobby’s development into a D1 midfielder was former US Men’s National Team player Phillip Gyau.
Gyau was, inarguably, the most important figure in Bobby’s athletic career. A NCAA DI national championship winner as a player, Gyau plied his trade under legendary college coach Lincoln Philips at Howard University, one of America’s most prestigious historically black universities. In 2014 Gyau decided to continue the legacy of Coach Phillips by accepting the position of Head Coach of Howard University’s soccer team.
While he’s not managing the Howard University soccer program, Gyau serves as Head of Skills Development for Bethesda SC. It was at Bethesda where Phillip Gyau taught a young Bobby Foose the standard required to become a truly great soccer player, and, perhaps more importantly, a young man of great integrity. He always encouraged Bobby to work on his game independently, hug his granny, get straight As, and adhere to the golden rule — do unto others as you would have them do unto you. His children, Joe and Mia, were excellent students and soccer players who Bobby admired during his teenage years.
In an effort to meet this standard, Bobby’s years of primary and secondary school saw him commit virtually all of his time to soccer and academics — 7 hours a day in school, 2–3 hours of practice, 2 hours of homework, games on weekends, cross country travel every few months for national showcase tournaments. Excelling on and off the pitch at a high level required a great deal of discipline from Bobby. He was unable to enjoy the frivolities typical of the American teenager. Once he enrolled at Winston Churchill in Potomac, MD for high school, his schedule continued to intensify.
Winston Churchill is recognized by most national publications as one of the 5 best high schools in the state of Maryland. Academically, the rigor is great, and the competition for academic achievement is harsh. Culturally, the school is affluent and homogenous. Politically, Winston Churchill High is a bubble — a bubble marked by economic and social privilege.
Bobby recalls his 4 years at Churchill being very challenging, especially given his obligations as a soccer player. Nevertheless, he continued to perform exceptionally well both in the classroom and on the pitch. Indeed, his excellence as a student-athlete ultimately earned him a scholarship to Colgate University. As a player for Colgate, Bobby experienced both the highs of great athletic achievement, and the lows of disappointing defeat. As a student, his intellect and work ethic earned him the respect of his professors, and high marks in the gradebook. As a person, he left the bubble of Winston Churchill and Montgomery County to develop into the remarkable young man he is today — a young man of great compassion, character, and integrity.
Bobby’s first day as a Colgate soccer player began in the same way that his final day at Bethesda Soccer Club ended — as one of the hardest working players on his team.
For, when it came to soccer, Robert Andrew Foose II had to win at everything. His competitive spirit — honed through hours, days, months, and years spent on the practice pitch with mentor Phillip Gyau — was second to none. Indeed, Bobby won every fitness test administered by the Colgate coaching staff from his sophomore to senior year. Following a disappointing 2021 season that saw the Raiders go 0–18, Bobby was one of the players the coaching staff leaned on to turn the culture around — he was named captain (1 of 3) for his senior year.
Determined to change their fortunes, Bobby led from the front. He and fellow captain Corey Finchum were always the first to practice, arriving at the break of dawn, and the last to leave. Just as the standard of excellence was set for him by Coach Gyau at Bethesda, Bobby would set the standard of excellence for his teammates by example. Along with the coaching staff and his fellow captains, Bobby stressed the importance of accountability, transparency, and togetherness. Together, the leaders on the team transformed the culture of the Colgate program — building a foundation that is sure to last years beyond Bobby’s graduation in 2023.
Their efforts ultimately paid off, as Colgate overperformed preseason expectations by upsetting several nationally ranked teams and earning a spot in the Patriot League playoffs. Bobby saved perhaps the best game of his career for the final fixture of the 2022 regular season. Against Lehigh University, needing a win to secure a home game in the first round of the playoffs, Bobby scored two goals. It was the culmination of over a decade of sacrifice, commitment, and dedication — the perfect climax to a phenomenal career.
Unfortunately, Bobby’s final competitive game as a soccer player ended in defeat against American University in the first round of the Patriot League Playoffs. But as is often the case in life, when one door closes, another opens. And, for Bobby, that door leads to a career in Climate Change Sustainability Services after graduating from Colgate University.
Bobby’s interest in Climate Change policy began with a love of the outdoors that he developed at Colgate. Indeed, much of his free time these days is spent hiking and camping. During the summer after his freshman year in college, Bobby attended a lecture given by The Nature Conservancy — a nonpartisan organization that seeks to advance policy solutions for issues relating to climate change around the world. Their mission spoke to Bobby immediately. After the lecture ended, a member of the audience asked, “what should a college student study if they want to make an impact environmentally?” The response was concise and emphatic: Economics. And with that, it was decided — Bobby would be an Environmental Economics major at Colgate University.
The opportunities Bobby has earned for himself through his academic excellence are a sight to behold. In the summer after his Sophomore Year, for example, he studied at Iceland Ocean Cluster to produce a paper on circular economy, now published in the World Ocean Journal, that focused on their use of fish to create products in a variety of industries. It turns out that their approach is reminiscent of the way that Native Americans of the Great Plains used every part of the Buffalo to satisfy a multitude of needs.
A year later, Bobby accepted an internship with the organization that would offer him a job after college — Ernst & Young. During this internship, Bobby was tasked with designing a sustainability model for companies and states that were failing to meet a host of Sustainable Development Goals. The purpose of the project was to identify which goals should be focused on for the country to improve its sustainability metrics.
Bobby’s passion for Climate Change policy and activism are part of the broader development of his social conscience — a process that began with his exposure to people from diverse backgrounds during his early soccer career and accelerated by the liberal arts education provided to him at Colgate. After graduating, Bobby plans to take a gap year before beginning his career at Ernst and Young; during which he will pursue opportunities to teach English to children in South America — perhaps Peru.
As one might expect from a young man featured in a series called “The Remarkable Student Athletes of Morehouse & Colgate”, Bobby Foose is, indeed, a remarkable individual. His character, intellect, warmth, and kindness made him a pleasure to speak with. The myriad experiences he’s had, and the wonderful people that have raised him — from his loving parents to his demanding coaches — have helped him become the amazing person he is today.
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For the first profile and interview of this series featuring Morehouse College basketball legend James Walker, click here.
For the second profile and interview of this series featuring Colgate University basketball player Jeff Woodward, click here.
For the third profile and interview of this series featuring Colgate University basketball player Oliver Lynch-Daniels, click here.
For the fourth profile and interview of this series featuring Colgate University soccer player Max Edelstein, click here.
For the sixth profile and interview of this series featuring Colgate University soccer player Alejandro Coury, click here.
For the seventh profile and interview of this series featuring Colgate University soccer player Mason Pahule, click here.
For the eighth profile and interview of this series featuring Colgate University rower Noha Shahba, click here.
For the ninth profile and interview of this series featuring Colgate University rugby player Tommy McHale, click here.
For the tenth profile and interview of this series featuring Colgate University soccer player Cason Stafford, click here.
For the eleventh profile and interview of this series featuring Colgate University soccer player Rory Brookhart, click here.
