KOBIE MULLEN-FT GIBSON
You could say that Fort Gibson senior Kobie Mullen is a real difference maker as the goalkeeper for the Tiger soccer team as coach Zac Cobler explained.
“Kobie missed the first part of the last season, and you could see a huge difference in our team as soon as he came back. We went from losing our first four games and conceding a bunch of goals to winning 12 in a row with several shutouts. He’s a good distributor of the ball and he’s really stepped up this year to be a leader of our team.”
Kobie started playing soccer when he was young.
“I heard about soccer and thought I would give it a try and have loved it ever since. I played in rec leagues until I reached U-12 and then I started playing competitive soccer in Tulsa. Those leagues are more competitive than school ball and you get your name out there more. You meet players from other schools and establish a lot of friendships,” said Kobie who is also part of the FCA in Fort Gibson.
Along the way in his Fort Gibson career, Kobie has created a couple of lasting memories.
“I’ll always think about our spring break trip to Gulf Shores my sophomore year because it was such a good bonding experience. And then there’s the playoff game against Christian Heritage last year where I made a save to help us win that game in overtime and go on to the semifinals.”
As a senior this year, Kobie takes on the responsibility of being a team leader.
“I think a good leader is someone who hold everyone accountable and knows there’s a goal in mind with every practice and works to accomplish that goal. I think a leader has to be vocal, take and give out criticism, and not be afraid of what other people think.”
As the goalkeeper that has helped his team make the state playoffs for his three years there, Kobie says the whole defense and not just the goalkeeper have been key factors in the Tigers success.
“I’ve been blessed with having a good defense around me with teammates that will listen to me and respect me. It’s also nice to know that you have people on defense that will commit a foul to help stop a goal.”
Kobie would like to go to college and play soccer next year and study engineering.
