The Remarkable Student-Athletes of Morehouse & Colgate: Mason Pahule
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 seventh 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.
Mason Pahule
When the average sports fan turns on the television to watch their favorite team play at the highest level of competition, they expect to be awestruck by feats of rare athletic ability — feats typically performed by the stars of the show. Zion Williamson throwing down a 360 windmill dunk to cap off a dramatic win against the Phoenix Suns, Cristiano Ronaldo scoring in the Champions League Quarterfinal with a spectacular overhead kick, Lebron James securing his 3rd NBA title with his patented chase-down block against the 73–9 Golden State Warriors — these are the moments that make us fall in love with sports. Incidentally, they are also moments that most of us could never dream of replicating, for they require a set of physical gifts that only a chosen few are blessed with. These unique athletes are capable of dominating a game at will through the application of said gifts — gifts that have been honed through years of hard-work and dedication.
But, every so often in elite team sports, an athlete appears whose presence envelops the game in spite of their lack of natural physical talent. These individuals are seldom the stars of their teams — in fact, they tend to blend in with their peers. Their plays are thorough, and their games are efficient. They overflow with confidence — not confidence that says that they’re stronger than others; but confidence that ensures they won’t make mistakes. And, perhaps most importantly — they don’t play for the applause or adoration of the crowd — they play for the team.
Many of history’s greatest champions possess a player in this mold. And, while the fans often overlook their value, their teammates and adversaries fully recognize the impact of their skills on the game. In basketball, one such player was Wes Unseld — an MVP award recipient in his 1st year in the NBA while only scoring 13 points per game. In big-time European football, Claude Makelele was the backbone of two star-studded clubs (Chelsea and Real Madrid) that won multiple trophies. And — for the Colgate University Men’s Soccer team — this role is filled by one Mason Chiu Pahule.
Mason Pahule is not particularly fast, and he is not particularly big — he stands only 5 foot 7 and weighs just under 150 pounds. But, as the old saying goes, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. After all, even small streams form strong rivers.
In the Colgate system, Mason performs the vital role of the central defensive midfielder. As the first line of defense and attack, he simultaneously shields the back-line from opposition forwards — breaking up offensive moves, intercepting passes, and making key-tackles — while initiating the Raiders transition attack with his exquisite passing range. Mason’s versatility in this regard is best expressed with words once used by British soccer journalist Jonathan Wilson to describe the centre-half position of the early 1900s: “the fulcrum of the team…he is a multi-skilled all rounder, defender and attacker, leader and instigator, playmaker and destroyer.”
But, for a young man who has such an immense impact on every phase of the game, his style is unassuming — perhaps best embodied by the phrase “simplicity and fortitude”. Indeed, the layman could be forgiven for missing the aspects of Mason’s game that set him apart from his peers and make him truly special — his rare soccer intelligence that allows him to make the right play at the right time; even if the right play is a safe, lateral pass to keep the offense flowing; or his exceptional ball retention skills, even in the face of pressure from 2 or 3 larger, more physical opposing players. Alas, attributes like “ball-retention” lack the flair of silky progressive dribbling or acrobatic goal-scoring ability, so they often go unseen by many. What is also unseen is the consistency, self-discipline, and perseverance that have driven Mason to become the remarkable athlete and person he is today.
A child of modern, metropolitan Sacramento, Mason Pahule was born to Chris, a Planning Director for Pacer County; and Bonnie, a housing developer with D.R. Horton, on July 1st, 2002. Mason is the eldest of the two Pahule children, and his younger brother — Nolan — is currently in his freshman year of high school excelling both academically and athletically, following in his older brother’s footsteps.
It can be said that the Pahule family is the American Dream fully realized — a melting pot of cultures and experiences comfortably tucked away in the suburbs of Rivers Gate. Indeed, both of the Pahule parents are products of ethnically diverse backgrounds, and both are first generation college graduates. By all accounts, the Pahule family is loving and caring, supportive and nurturing, intimate and affectionate. They go on family vacations often, most recently to Croatia, and they even started a family blog dedicated to chronicling the memories and milestones of the Pahule children.
The foundation of this storybook family is the union between Bonnie and Chris — a marriage that is 26 years strong. The two dovetail each other perfectly, Bonnie is aspirational, while Chris is practical — and they both support their children in all of their endeavors. Chris was Mason’s first soccer coach, introducing him to the game when he was 5 years old, and has always been in his son’s corner — assisting him when he needs a helping hand, granting him space to make his own decisions and become an independent thinker, and providing him with a moral compass that has allowed him to develop an admirable social and political conscience.
Bonnie is a second-generation Chinese-American daughter of immigrant parents, Laurie and Matthew Chiu, who arrived in California during their teenage years in search of greater economic opportunities and a better life. Bonnie speaks Cantonese fluently, and has maintained her strong ties to Chinese culture throughout her life. Indeed, the Pahule family regularly celebrates Chinese holidays, and Mason’s Chinese heritage is an integral part of his identity.
While neither Laurie nor Matthew had the luxury of a college education, they taught Bonnie the importance of hard work, grit, and determination. Growing up in a predominantly white environment as a young Asian girl was, at times, tough for her — but it was these lessons that helped her persevere through moments of adversity.
Perhaps the most valuable lesson Bonnie learned from her parents was about the importance of consistency — take life one day at a time with the same approach every day; keep a positive attitude, maintain a humble spirit, focus on the details — the process always matters more than the results because the process produces results.
Many of the lessons that were taught to Bonnie as a child have since been taught to Mason — and, thanks to those lessons, Mason has developed essential traits that have led to the great success he has experienced throughout his life both on and off the soccer field. There are, in fact, no 3 words that better explain Mason’s accomplishments as a scholar and athlete than “process over results”.
“The process”, as it were, began for Mason at the age of 5 on a Recreational League soccer pitch. Neither Chris nor Bonnie had delusions of grandeur when they first signed young Mason up to play for a local team. Instead, their expectations were low — make some friends, burn some youthful energy running around with other kids, and have a good time. But, what they found shortly after Mason began playing was that he had a natural affinity for the sport. Indeed, only a few years after starting his soccer career, the parents of Mason’s best friend and fellow soccer player, Conner Moss, suggested he try out for a more competitive team. He did, and, to the pleasant surprise of the Pahule family, he was successful in earning a place at Sacramento United — one of the most reputable youth clubs in the city.
While Mason was good enough to make it into Sacramento United, he was initially relegated to playing on the B-team — meaning that he was not among the most highly regarded players at the club. Perhaps, at the very beginning of his time at United, his spot on the B-Team was warranted. But, very quickly, it became clear to the coaches at the club, along with Mason himself, that he deserved to be on the A-Team. Shortly after making it to the A-Team, Mason proved to be an indispensable player to the squad. And, after several years of plying his trade with United, Mason decided to take the next step in his soccer development by attempting to join the Sacramento Republic.
Sacramento Republic FC is the premier soccer club in the city of Sacramento. Their development program offers top notch training for youth prospects, and their professional side is a fixture in the Sacramento community. From the moment the Sacramento Republic began playing in the US Soccer League, the second tier of professional American soccer, they’ve been immensely popular with the people of Sacramento, and immensely successful on the pitch. Indeed, in 2014, their first season in the USL, they won the league championship.
Given the professional accomplishments of Sacramento Republic Football Club, it goes without saying that every young soccer player in the city aspires to be a part of their championship-caliber program. Mason first tried out for the Republic in 7th grade, failing to make the team. Undeterred, he continued to develop his game and hone his skills with United — biding his time for another opportunity to prove his mettle to the Republic coaching staff. That opportunity came during his freshman year of high school, and, with two additional years of development under his belt, Mason earned a spot with the Republic.
Now 14 years old and playing for the strongest soccer team in Sacramento, Mason began quickly racking up the accolades. During his final year in middle school, he was invited to compete for United States Soccer Federation Training Center camps, a national identification and development program for the best youth soccer players in America. As he transitioned to and matriculated through Jesuit High School, his alma mater, Mason’s game continued to grow, as did his accomplishments on the pitch. As was the case during his time with Sacramento United, Mason developed into a key player on a Sacramento Republic side that was, at its best, ranked 11th in the nation in 2018. It was also in 2018 that Mason had the good fortune of playing for a coach who he regards as the most influential of his career — Jordan Ferrell.
As fate would have it, Coach Ferrell and Mason Pahule were a match made in heaven. They shared the same soccer philosophy — one founded on hard-work and tenacity; they shared the same values — chief among them being commitment and consistency; and they approached every day with the same mentality — one marked by prudence and humility. Given the unique set of traits possessed by Coach Ferrell, it easy to see why he was admired and respected by all of his players. Indeed, it was impossible to not want to give your all for him on the pitch — his faith in the boys was unwavering, he empowered players to take responsibility for their own successes, and he always gave his players credit for the accomplishments of the team and the club. In a world in which the ranks of youth coaching are littered with hustlers and grifters, Jordan Ferrell was a mentor committed to Thou rather than I — altruistically investing all of himself in the development of the young men he was tasked with coaching while eschewing personal awards and accolades.
While Mason was enjoying his most productive years as a player for Sacramento Republic, he was also excelling in the classroom at the prestigious Jesuit High School of Sacramento. Jesuit is a small, all-male, private Catholic school that requires applicants pass a series of rigorous tests for admission. While the academic environment at Jesuit was quite serious, Mason never felt pressure to maintain his exceptional GPA in school — in spite of having to balance his studies with his time consuming athletic commitment to the Republic. That commitment precluded him from competing with his high school soccer team and significantly impacted the quality of his social life as a teenager. Indeed, soccer and academics took up virtually all of his time — but, as has been the case in every phase of his life, Mason took these challenges in stride, rolled with the punches, and continued to improve as a student and soccer player. Those improvements culminated in Mason graduating with honors from Jesuit and being offered an opportunity to join the Sacramento Republic first team at the professional level.
Hearing Mason recount his journey from rec. league soccer to the heights of the youth game, it is hard to miss the humility he maintains while telling his remarkable story. There is not a hint of arrogance in his voice as he explains his introduction to the sport in his elementary school years to being on the brink of an opportunity to play for the Sacramento Republic’s professional team by the age of 18. That opportunity was ultimately lost, not for a lack of playing ability, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mason, in his nonchalant tone, never appeared disappointed at missing the chance or excited for having earned the recognition of the professional coaches at his club. But, perhaps this should be expected, for it is consistent with the values at the very core of Mason’s being — he has always dedicated himself to the process, and so, he is at peace with the results.
After sitting out a year following his graduation from Jesuit due to his plans with the Republic falling through, Mason was offered a scholarship to play soccer for Colgate University. Before arriving in Hamilton for his freshman year of college, Mason was naive of what life would be like in the tiny northeastern town. Sacramento is a cosmopolitan city with a robust social scene buoyed by a growing, bustling Downtown Commons. In Sacramento, the sun is always shining, the weather is always comfortable, and there is always something to do. While Hamilton is a nice town with nice people, it could not be more different than Sacramento. The weather is cold, the winters are white with snow, and the social scene is…bare. In fact, Sacramento’s population is over 100 times that of Hamilton.
Needless to say, the transition from California to Colgate took some getting used to for Mason. But, as has been the case in every transitional period of his entire life, Mason adjusted and excelled. This is, perhaps, most evident in his trajectory with the Colgate Men’s Soccer team. During the first two games of the 2021 season, he did not play at all. In the following 3 games, he was subbed in at different points of each game. He started his first game for Colgate in the 6th fixture of the season against West Point. From there, he hasn’t looked back — starting every game for the remainder of his Freshman season and every game of his Sophomore season.
In spite of his personal excellence on the pitch during his Freshman year, the Colgate Men’s Soccer team had one of the worst years in its illustrious history as they failed to win a single game. For many freshmen, such an experience could take a significant toll on their mentality and confidence. But, true to form, Mason took it all in stride, leaning on the lessons he was taught by his parents and relying on the traits he inherited from them — consistency, perseverance, self-discipline. Take life one day at a time, face adversity with dignity, remain optimistic but realistic, and trust the process.
After the Fall Season came to a disappointing end, the 2022 Spring Season helped the returning Colgate players build confidence as they tasted victory for the first time all year. The resolve and fortitude they developed in the Spring was ultimately carried into the Fall season, but their mettle was tested early with an away game against the 16th ranked Providence Friars. In the hotel before the game, the atmosphere was tense, and the mood was serious. One of the Colgate assistant coaches noticed Mason’s stoic demeanor and asked if he planned on smiling — Mason’s response was short and sweet: “When we win.”
In an exciting back and forth affair that saw both teams trade goals early on, Colgate pulled away in the end with a dramatic 79th minute game-winner. That victory set the tone for a phenomenal season in which Colgate defied the expectations of all the prognosticators, beating 2 top-25 ranked teams en route to a 3rd place finish in the Patriot League table.
At Colgate, Mason found camaraderie with his teammates, success on the pitch, and purpose in the classroom. He is a recently declared Political Science Major — selecting that field of study because of a personal interest in politics he developed through years of discussions with his parents about the pressing sociopolitical issues facing our country. Upon graduating from Colgate, he plans on seizing the opportunity that was taken away from him 3 years ago by COVID — the opportunity to pursue a career in professional soccer, ideally with his childhood club. Architecture also intrigues him, and he’s planning on working an architecture internship over the summer. This, too, is an interest inspired by his parents, as both have worked in housing for decades.
When he’s not playing soccer or engaged with his school work, Mason enjoys spending time with his teammates — traveling from one dorm to the next, striking up fun conversations that range from the innocuous to the deep; and playing FIFA, whooping tail and taking names. In fact, Mason claims to be the best FIFA player on the entire Colgate soccer team, and, given his propensity for straight-forward, humble honesty, I completely believe him.
Mason Pahule is a well-rounded young man with a social conscience and an incredibly bright future ahead of him. His humility, intelligence, and kindness are admirable, and I enjoyed our conversation immensely — so much so that we talked for almost 3 hours. His story is remarkable, and the best part about it is that it’s just beginning. I can’t wait to continue to watch Mason develop as a soccer player, at Colgate and beyond, and as a person — because for him, the sky’s the limit.
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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 fifth profile and interview of this series featuring Colgate University soccer player Bobby Foose, click here.
For the sixth profile and interview of this series featuring Colgate University soccer player Alejandro Coury, 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.
