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Cole Hopper, a football player at New Mexico Highlands University, discusses the Discord community on the football team. He explains that a Discord community is a group of people with a common goal or interest. Cole has been part of the football Discord community for almost four months and enjoys the camaraderie and support from his teammates. He started playing football in high school after a background in soccer. He also talks about the sub-communities within the football team, such as position groups, and shares his connection with other kickers who have similar hobbies and interests. Cole also mentions how his injury affected his relationships with other players, but it allowed him to get to know other teammates better. Overall, he recommends joining a community, whether it's for football or any other interest, as it enhances the enjoyment and provides opportunities to meet new people. Alright, so Cole, would you like to introduce yourself before this interview goes down? My name is Cole Hopper. I go to New Mexico Highlands University. I and I play football. Alright, so we're going to be going over the Discord community that you have on the football team there in Highlands. And before we start, what is a Discord community? A Discord community? Yeah, that's like where you get on and put a Gange and chat with your friends. Yeah, pretty much. Alright. I'm just a little unsure what that is. It's a group of people that have a common goal or interest. So like an example would be somebody who speaks Spanish, you know what I mean? Or like skateboarders, that would be another example. Oh, like people who like burritos and people who like Tony Hawk. Yeah. Alright, so I have that. I'm in a couple of those on the football team. Yeah, today we're probably going to be focusing on the football one. Perfect. Yeah, it honestly is perfect. So, you know, how long have you been in the Discord community? I started August 1st. So it's coming up on December, so it's going to be almost four months. Is that correct? It seems like it, honestly. It's been four months, about. And I mean, like, obviously football, you've been doing football longer than that, but like, so when did you start football and how did you get started? I began football my freshman year of high school. And I played soccer my whole life, but I was always a big soccer player, one of the bigger soccer players on the field usually. Metaphorically or like actually you were bigger than the kids on the field? Both, I guess. But just from a size perspective, I was always one of the larger kids on the field. So are, huh? Or no? See, like, I don't feel like that was really necessary to say, but I am one of the bigger guys on the football team. Definitely not the biggest, but one of, yeah, I'm top. Like top five? Top 15. Oh, okay, okay. But I'm not 15th. Oh, okay. And then from there, from my soccer background, I just kind of chose football as my kind of sport to play for exercise. And I just kind of was decent at it, so I just kind of kept getting better and growing at the game and just kept playing for fun. And then all of a sudden people started inviting me to see their schools and then I just kind of knew the flow and I'm here now. Did you ever imagine yourself playing, you know, being a collegiate athlete for football, but like, you know, not the football that you've been growing up playing? You know what I mean? No, and honestly I still don't. You still don't believe it even though? Yeah, it's kind of weird. It's a weird feeling. But it's still real, right? Yeah, definitely. What would you say, like, some of your favorite aspects of the community that you're in? Some of the favorite people, like some of your favorite interactions, you know? My favorite aspects, you said? Yeah, like the favorite aspects of the community, like people, your interactions, just in total, like your favorite things about it. I definitely enjoy, like, the camaraderie. I enjoy that everyone's looking out for everyone else. And it's not just on the field, it's you see each other in the cafeteria or you see each other in the hallways or you see each other in class. Everyone definitely has respect and love for each other. So that's kind of nice, especially when you move away from home. You move away from your communities that you're used to and you just have to jump right into a different community. I agree. And like, people. I mean, there's like probably sub-communities inside already the community, right? I mean, like, or no? Is it all just one big community? No, yeah, there's definitely different, like, for example, the position groups will kind of hang around each other and maybe they'll invite a guy with the same ethnic background. But for the most part, it's groups, a bunch of small groups, position groups that kind of come together when the time it comes to make a whole family. So like my group, I hang out with my position members often, more often than I... What position would that be? Kicker. Alright. And so who are the other kickers that are in your, I guess, sub-community? My friend, William, he's a senior and he's from Texas, a white male from Texas. And the other one is another white male from Colorado. And we all have very... I like to know. Exactly like myself. We all have very similar hobbies and interests. But I don't think that's what kind of makes us come together. It's our passion for the game and our position. Do they also, like, do they also share the same background as, like, with soccer? Or is it just you? No, it's... I'm actually the only one who played soccer. And in fact, sometimes we practice with a soccer ball. And one of the guys who, the other kicker, the other freshman, he had never kicked a soccer ball in his life and he wasn't able to do it. Like, he had no concept of kicking a soccer ball. Even though he was a college football kicker. That is actually very interesting. Are you starting over this guy? So, I'm actually coming back from a pretty big injury. For my ACL. At the beginning of... You're a senior, right? Yeah, my senior year of high school, the beginning of 2023. Do you think that affected, like, um... What's it called? Like, you being injured? Would you say that it affected your relationship to, like, other players? Yeah, because definitely being injured affects my ability to hang around with the guys who are always on the field. Because if I wasn't injured, then I'd spend more time with the guys on the field rather than the guys on the sideline. But it also works vice versa, that I got to know more people who were either freshmen or injured or maybe don't play every down. So, I got to know them better than the guys who are always on the field. I wouldn't say it's a bad thing. I agree. Would you say the community has positively impacted your life? I would say so. Because you always have buddies... Is that something you enjoy doing? Football, no. Camaraderie, yes. Just hanging out, you know? Big on chilling. And that's what this community allows me to do the most of, is just always have somebody to hang with or something to do with your buddies. And what would you say your strongest connections are in the community, like specific people? One connection that I've made more recently is with my neighbors. My neighbors in my dorm room, and they all come over and play ping pong. So, I would say without the ping pong table being the center of that interaction, I wouldn't have made those friends. But I've made two friends. Their names are Tyreek and Roman from just the social interaction of playing ping pong with one another. So, Tyreek and Roman. So, strictly through ping pong? That's a strong connection? Yeah. They're on the football team as well, but they're on defense and I'm on offense. So, we don't interact all that often. Alright, so close this out pretty much. Would you recommend people joining the community? Starting football, meeting new people? I would honestly recommend, if you have any interest at all, whether it's weightlifting, exercising, reading, even like TV and movie or even if it is football, just going out and doing it because no matter what you're doing, there's always going to be a community for it. You just have to find it. Yeah, joining a community makes it more enjoyable. For sure. People with common interests. For sure. And people who are passionate about their interests are always going to be passionate to tell you about them. Like, there's not many people in the world that would have an interest and just want to keep it for themselves. Alright, well, that's pretty much it. That's all my questions.