POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – From backyard games to Division 1 soccer, the Conway brothers are teaming up to play influential roles in what is already a successful Red Foxes season. Jonah, a Redshirt Sophomore that transferred to Marist last spring from MAAC rival Rider University, is accompanied by his Freshman brother Skylar this season.
“It means the world; it was our dream since the beginning,” stated Skylar in regard to what it means to play Division 1 soccer with his brother. “Playing together in college was really important to us and now we are here.” The duo has been playing together since their elementary school days. They envisioned making it to this stage together ever since they were children. Jonah called it a “blessing” that they are able to accomplish this lifelong dream.
Jonah and Skylar are from Mount Olive, New Jersey and played together on the Mount Olive High School soccer team. Two major factors that attracted them to Marist were the opportunity to play alongside each other and the scenery of the campus.
“Our parents and our older brother Griffin are really proud. They enjoyed watching us play in high school and now it is blessed that they can watch us play in college too.” Jonah explained. “We are two brothers that love the game and are thankful to be given the opportunity to team up at such a high level of play.”
It can generally be hard as a freshman in college during the early stages. For Skylar, it was not as difficult as some may make it seem. Under the guidance of Jonah, he quickly began learning the ins and outs of the Marist campus and from there it was easy to focus on his academics as well as soccer.
“I showed him around campus and took him to a couple of my favorite places to eat. It is important that we both do well in school; that is a major emphasis,” Jonah said when speaking about how he has helped Skylar transition comfortably as a freshman. “On the field, I told him it is much quicker and the guys are much bigger so playing smart and getting the ball off your feet quick is important.”
“We are more closely connected whether it be communicating or playing soccer. We know each others game,” said Skylar when talking about the positive effect that playing together has caused. “Being at Marist brings us closer on and off the field. It really helps us as brothers.”
When on the field together, they possess the lethal qualities to elude defenses and wreck havoc in the midfield. Skylar emphasized Jonah’s burst of speed as his best quality as a player and rated it “on another level” compared to himself. Jonah said that Skylar’s best trait was his “ridiculous” touch that allows him to free up so much space during tight encounters with defenders.
Jonah and Skylar share a powerful connection that feeds off of their passion for the game. The brothers are advocates of hard work, and they love pushing each other everyday in practice and enjoy the competitive nature of playing similar positions. Competing for time is something the two are highly motivated by.
Even if one Conway brother is not in the game, he will be the biggest supporter for the other. This stems back to their brotherly competition at a young age in Mount Olive. While playing at the club and high school level, the bar was always set high. They shared a common goal of always trying to one-up each other. Seeing who could win more state, regional, and club titles was something they both took a lot of pride in and used as bragging rights over the other. When the cleats come off though, it is always love and respect between the two.
The compassion and motivation of the Conways have played a major role in propelling the Red Foxes on a late-season surge to try and bring home a MAAC title, something that has not happened since 2005. The Foxes are the #3 seed in the MAAC playoffs and are set to host #6 St. Peter’s this Sunday in the first round.
Edited by Marco Schaden & Oscar Fick