Fresno State Athletics
Alumni Spotlight: Michael Alfheim
2/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
Describe your history with Fresno State (years attended, sport(s) played, major, why you chose Fresno State, etc.).
I went to Fresno State to join the Men's Soccer Program. I transferred to Fresno State in the fall of 1981 after playing a year at Fresno Pacific. After a required season as a red shirt hold out, I walked on with the team in the summer of 1982 and played with the team through the 1984 season. Breaking into an established "recruited" team was rough the first two years as I shared playing time with different players, but by my senior season, I had the highlight season of my career as a Dog. While I played for the team, I also worked part-time selling business equipment in and around Fresno, making outstanding money as a college student. This motivated me to declare Business Marketing/Administration as my major at Fresno State, and to this day I still work in the same field of technology sales. Oh, for fun, in the picture above, I am in the white uniform in the action shot, and no, the San Jose State player did not get up after the head to head hit on the punt. San Jose State being our top rival at the time, the games were usually quite physical. Good times.
What has been your career path since leaving Fresno State?
I graduated from Fresno State in 1986, a bit later than I had planned as units from Fresno Pacific did not transfer, so I had some make up to complete. I continued my employment in the office technology industry that now has spanned 31 years between 4 companies. My soccer career was relegated to club teams where I enjoyed play until my mid 40's - which is when the knee finally gave out. Working with technology is exciting - as it is changing all the time. I have utilized Fresno State for recruiting up to this day, looking for 'Dogs who would like to enter a highly competitive and lucrative field of work.
How have you stayed involved with Fresno State and Bulldog Athletics since graduating?
I have always attended football, baseball, and basketball games over the years.
What is your favorite memory from your time as a Bulldog student-athlete?
Like any Bulldog student-athlete, you remember all the fun road trips, the wins, and tragic losses. My favorite memory was my senior season. A new assistant coach, John Bluem, joined Coach Elgorriaga's team. From the moment I met John, I really liked him. He changed the way the whole team trained to more of a model I was accustomed to, and I played much better. My senior year's play included more minutes than previous years as I found a style of play that agreed more with me and my training in the past. It was a very rewarding year and a great cap to my college experience as a Bulldog Athlete.
Is there a game or moment in particular from your Bulldog career that stands out the most?
A moment that stands out with me was banging a 25' volley off the top crossbar against UCLA in the closing minutes of our game in the NCAA Tournament in Bulldog Stadium. It would have been a game changer...oh so close! I still remember the "ping" sound off the crossbar and how high in the air it went after impact, but alas, we couldn't find the net with it. That was one of my best games as a 'Dog, but unfortunately found us losing 2-1 and not advancing. As memories go, that game capped off a great personal season for me where Coach Elgorriaga provided me with the Coaches Award at the end of the year.
What do you remember most about your head coach?
He was known for having fun with the players when he would stand in goal. He played professional soccer as a goal keeper in Spain in his youth, so he would taunt players to "beat him" in the goal. He would refer to himself as "Eagle-eye" and everyone would give it a try. He was a player's coach...enjoying the game and his teams with a hands-on approach that left a positive lasting impression.
Who were some of your most memorable teammates and why?
What was most fun about my years at Fresno State was playing with the players from foreign countries. We had players from Norway, France, Egypt, South America, England, Nigeria, Canada, and Mexico, as best as I can remember in the years that I played. This international environment was a blast...as each player brought his culture to the team as well as his skill.
What does being a Fresno State Bulldog mean to you?
Today there is a feeling of responsibility. This community made it possible for me to get a college education through scholarship, and I owe something back for it. I am able to earn a living today because of my college life, so for Fresno State I have nothing but gratitude. I support the department by buying tickets to watch 'Dogs compete. The other important component is the ability to be available to current Bulldog student-athletes as they consider life beyond college. That is one of the elements about Club Red that is so appealing. Yes, it has been exciting to reconnect with Bulldog athletes of the past and enjoy that fraternity of experience, but I feel there is some real mission helping our graduating 'Dogs to find their way into the working world. That is where I hope I can be of greatest benefit in the future - helping Bulldogs continue to compete in a modern economy. Whether it is recruiting them to the company I work for, or just coaching them on career choices, or even connecting them to career opportunities because of my connections to businesses in the Central Valley, I am hoping in the coming years that I can give back. Yep, I still got that Bulldog Spirit...
