The University of Akron Athletics
In Their Own Words - Evan Bush Alumni Postcard
Akron Athletics wants to hear from YOU!
Send us a postcard! Share your story as a Zips' student-athlete and Alum.
Challenge your former teammates and classmates to send us postcards on all of Akron's Zips' social media platforms.
You can upload your own video challenges on your own Twitter (preferred) or other social media accounts, if you do so, please include #ZipsRiseTogether and #ZipsAlumniPostcardChallenge in your social media posts so we can highlight your efforts. Additionally, please visit GoZips.com/AlumniPostcard to complete an online postcard.
Evan Bush (2004-08, men's soccer)
What makes you most proud to be a Zip?
The rich history and legacy the men's soccer program has built and sustained. Playing as a professional for more than a decade now, I always announce with pride that I was a Zip...and every professional player from the US knows exactly what the program stands for.
How are you and your family doing during this time?
We are doing well. I am married to my college sweetheart, Colleen, who also played volleyball at Akron. We have three kids- Isabella, Canaan, and Brooklyn, so our days are full with them home from school, but it has been nice to be with each other every day and know that we are healthy and happy.
Any messages of hope or inspiration for fellow Zips out there during our current stay-at-home orders?
Be flexible and adaptable. Part of what makes up the best athletes is their ability to adapt to new situations and stay strong in the face of adversity. This is a crazy time and one that demands perseverance and discipline. Together, we can and will get through it, and we will be better off because of it.
Do you have any work from home tips that you have learned while quarantined?
Carve out a routine and stick to it. It has been essential for my sanity and work effectiveness to be able to know exactly what time of the day I can do certain things. My kids stay busy because of it and I am able to get my workouts in.
What is your current job, title, ect. that are keeping you busy these days?
I am a goalkeeper for the Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer. I am also a father of three, a Players Association representative, and finishing my MBA through online university.
What was/were the deciding factors(s) that brought you to Akron?
The soccer program and the proximity to home. I am from Concord, Ohio and I wasn't at a point in my life at 18 years old that I could be far away from home and succeed.
What was/were your first impression(s) of Akron?
I thought to myself..."man, I better grow up quickly!" It was my first real opportunity to be on my own and have real responsibilities. The university and athletic department helped me find my way and succeed. There are so many people to thank for that transition, and many of them are still at Akron today.
What makes being a student-athlete at Akron unique?
Since Akron was considered more of a "commuter school" when I went there, it was the other athletes that you became closest with. We shared bonds with other teams that lasted through the years. A small school feel for a big university, you always knew what the other student-athletes were doing and tried to support them when you could.
What are your favorite memories on court, field, etc.?
NCAA tournaments. We had some amazing teams while I was there, and many more since I left. I feel very fortunate to have shared in some great memories with some of my closest friends. Games that stick out as most memorable to me are against UConn in the Sweet Sixteen in 2005, against Ohio State in the NCAA Second Round in 2008, and against Buffalo in the MAC tournament in 2008.
One of the best aspects of being a student-athlete is teammate camaraderie. Give us an example from your experience as a student-athlete.
We would sing songs after each win, both on the field with the fans and in the locker room. The thrill of winning was incredible with a group of guys you truly cared about, and I haven't been able to find that same feeling consistently since leaving Akron.
What is your personal success story?
Akron's soccer program provided me with the tools I needed to fight through the lower levels of professional soccer after graduation. I bounced around for a few years in some bad professional environments, questioning my future. My persistence, which was sharpened by Ken Lolla and Caleb Porter while at Akron, kept me focused. I signed my MLS contract in my fourth professional season and have played for the same MLS team in Montreal for 10 years now.
What is it that you have learned from being a student-athlete at Akron that you will use throughout your life after graduation?
My interest in the business of sport. I studied marketing management while at Akron, but it has provided me with the interest to pursue business in sport after being involved in soccer for the time between graduation and now. That interest has pushed me to pursuing my MBA while still playing professionally, so I can be ready to transition after my career is over.
How has being a student-athlete at Akron aided in your personal development?
I learned the value of teamwork for sure, but even more than that, I learned the value of building a team with diverse backgrounds. The world is becoming smaller by the day in terms of accessibility, so the ability to work with others from different parts of the world is crucial.
Being a student-athlete requires a lot of time management. How have you learned to do so?
Trial and error. Sometimes you get things done quickly and have time for yourself, and other times you have the wrench in your stomach as you are trying to meet a deadline. If you really want to accomplish something, you will find the time for it.
What is your view on the difference between playing and competing?
Playing is what most of the world does every day when they are messing around with games on their phone, playing pick up basketball at the gym, or partaking in leisurely activities. Competing demands a level of intensity that you don't find in playing. The trick though, is to be able to find that joy of playing when you are actually competing.
Being a student-athlete has high physical demands, but also requires mental toughness as well. What have you done to develop both?
They go hand-in-hand. Some people don't have the mental toughness to wake up early and get the work done. They don't have the toughness to recover properly and get ready for the next session. They don't have the toughness to say no and make sacrifices. I developed my mental toughness early in my life through a basketball camp where I learned the value of visualization and meditation. Finding that calm and focus is essential to mastering your mind. It is an ever-evolving process.
Send us a postcard! Share your story as a Zips' student-athlete and Alum.
Challenge your former teammates and classmates to send us postcards on all of Akron's Zips' social media platforms.
You can upload your own video challenges on your own Twitter (preferred) or other social media accounts, if you do so, please include #ZipsRiseTogether and #ZipsAlumniPostcardChallenge in your social media posts so we can highlight your efforts. Additionally, please visit GoZips.com/AlumniPostcard to complete an online postcard.
Evan Bush (2004-08, men's soccer)
What makes you most proud to be a Zip?
The rich history and legacy the men's soccer program has built and sustained. Playing as a professional for more than a decade now, I always announce with pride that I was a Zip...and every professional player from the US knows exactly what the program stands for.
How are you and your family doing during this time?
We are doing well. I am married to my college sweetheart, Colleen, who also played volleyball at Akron. We have three kids- Isabella, Canaan, and Brooklyn, so our days are full with them home from school, but it has been nice to be with each other every day and know that we are healthy and happy.
Any messages of hope or inspiration for fellow Zips out there during our current stay-at-home orders?
Be flexible and adaptable. Part of what makes up the best athletes is their ability to adapt to new situations and stay strong in the face of adversity. This is a crazy time and one that demands perseverance and discipline. Together, we can and will get through it, and we will be better off because of it.
Do you have any work from home tips that you have learned while quarantined?
Carve out a routine and stick to it. It has been essential for my sanity and work effectiveness to be able to know exactly what time of the day I can do certain things. My kids stay busy because of it and I am able to get my workouts in.
What is your current job, title, ect. that are keeping you busy these days?
I am a goalkeeper for the Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer. I am also a father of three, a Players Association representative, and finishing my MBA through online university.
What was/were the deciding factors(s) that brought you to Akron?
The soccer program and the proximity to home. I am from Concord, Ohio and I wasn't at a point in my life at 18 years old that I could be far away from home and succeed.
What was/were your first impression(s) of Akron?
I thought to myself..."man, I better grow up quickly!" It was my first real opportunity to be on my own and have real responsibilities. The university and athletic department helped me find my way and succeed. There are so many people to thank for that transition, and many of them are still at Akron today.
What makes being a student-athlete at Akron unique?
Since Akron was considered more of a "commuter school" when I went there, it was the other athletes that you became closest with. We shared bonds with other teams that lasted through the years. A small school feel for a big university, you always knew what the other student-athletes were doing and tried to support them when you could.
What are your favorite memories on court, field, etc.?
NCAA tournaments. We had some amazing teams while I was there, and many more since I left. I feel very fortunate to have shared in some great memories with some of my closest friends. Games that stick out as most memorable to me are against UConn in the Sweet Sixteen in 2005, against Ohio State in the NCAA Second Round in 2008, and against Buffalo in the MAC tournament in 2008.
One of the best aspects of being a student-athlete is teammate camaraderie. Give us an example from your experience as a student-athlete.
We would sing songs after each win, both on the field with the fans and in the locker room. The thrill of winning was incredible with a group of guys you truly cared about, and I haven't been able to find that same feeling consistently since leaving Akron.
What is your personal success story?
Akron's soccer program provided me with the tools I needed to fight through the lower levels of professional soccer after graduation. I bounced around for a few years in some bad professional environments, questioning my future. My persistence, which was sharpened by Ken Lolla and Caleb Porter while at Akron, kept me focused. I signed my MLS contract in my fourth professional season and have played for the same MLS team in Montreal for 10 years now.
What is it that you have learned from being a student-athlete at Akron that you will use throughout your life after graduation?
My interest in the business of sport. I studied marketing management while at Akron, but it has provided me with the interest to pursue business in sport after being involved in soccer for the time between graduation and now. That interest has pushed me to pursuing my MBA while still playing professionally, so I can be ready to transition after my career is over.
How has being a student-athlete at Akron aided in your personal development?
I learned the value of teamwork for sure, but even more than that, I learned the value of building a team with diverse backgrounds. The world is becoming smaller by the day in terms of accessibility, so the ability to work with others from different parts of the world is crucial.
Being a student-athlete requires a lot of time management. How have you learned to do so?
Trial and error. Sometimes you get things done quickly and have time for yourself, and other times you have the wrench in your stomach as you are trying to meet a deadline. If you really want to accomplish something, you will find the time for it.
What is your view on the difference between playing and competing?
Playing is what most of the world does every day when they are messing around with games on their phone, playing pick up basketball at the gym, or partaking in leisurely activities. Competing demands a level of intensity that you don't find in playing. The trick though, is to be able to find that joy of playing when you are actually competing.
Being a student-athlete has high physical demands, but also requires mental toughness as well. What have you done to develop both?
They go hand-in-hand. Some people don't have the mental toughness to wake up early and get the work done. They don't have the toughness to recover properly and get ready for the next session. They don't have the toughness to say no and make sacrifices. I developed my mental toughness early in my life through a basketball camp where I learned the value of visualization and meditation. Finding that calm and focus is essential to mastering your mind. It is an ever-evolving process.
