Student Briefs

Joey Piatczyc

Kansas City, Mo.
Senior in Multidisciplinary Studies

Senior multidisciplinary studies major and soccer captain Joey Piatczyc has spent his time at WVU balancing the demands of being a student-athlete with his dedication to his education.

“It’s very difficult, but it gets easier as you get more experienced with it,” Piatczyc said. “We also have awesome advisers who keep us on track. Soccer has helped me grow up a lot.”

The challenge of juggling soccer, travel, workouts and school has taught Piatczyc to become more responsible. Sharing in these challenges with his teammates has provided him with a second family, something the Kansas City, Mo., native values while coping
with a season-ending knee injury.

“I could never go without playing,” Piatczyc said. “I am injured for the season, so this has been as tough as it gets for me. I always want to be a part of the team.”

Soccer has also allowed Piatczyc to travel throughout the country, and recently, internationally.

The team traveled to Seville, Spain, for 10 days this past May. They played against several top-notch clubs, met coaches from the 2010 World Cup, toured several Spanish stadiums and indulged in Spanish food and culture.

“It was unbelievable, and getting to be in another culture was really cool for me,” Piatczyc said.

On and off the field, Piatczyc has been a standout. At the beginning of his WVU career, he was named Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore, he broke two school records in one game, and academically, he’s continued to make the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll and Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Piatczyc’s interest in education and human services stems from growing up in a big family. With three brothers and three sisters, Piatczyc was always surrounded by children, fueling his desire to work with and help kids.

Over the summer, Piatczyc returned home to Kansas City to work in a summer school and child care center, sometimes managing a class of 25 students on his own.

“I was pretty proud of that and I really enjoyed working with them,” Piatczyc said.

Other memorable experiences from Piatczyc’s WVU career include hands-on learning opportunities through organizations including Stepping Stones, Special Olympics, MountaineerThon and Ronald McDonald House Charities. Though Piatczyc hasn’t settled on his future plans, he knows that he wants to help young children in any way he can, possibly outside the United States.

“I want to teach English as a second language overseas at some point,” Piatczyc said. “I think that would be a lot of fun.”

Piatczyc plans to return to play soccer for WVU next season, where he will also pursue graduate studies.