Army West Point Athletics
Getting to Know: Jack Ireland
June 03, 2015 | Men's Rugby
Each weekday this summer a new cadet-athlete will be featured in Getting to Know, a Q&A series where Army West Point fans can read about their favorite players.
NAME: Jack Soto Ireland
HOMETOWN: Thousand Oaks, California
MAJOR: Computer Science
DESCRIBE YOUR HEAD COACH: Coach Mahan is awesome. My yuk year I heard stories about him from our ORs that he was a legend and a complete nut. He knows how to push you to your physical and, sometimes, mental brink in order to get you to put in your full effort. He also fulfilled a sense of a father figure -- he's a father and sometimes I felt he'd scold us like we were his kids.
WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL AND WHY: My biggest role models are my grandparents. My mother's parents came from Mexico and they met in Los Angeles. Despite a language and education gap, they were able to hold jobs, eventually own an apartment complex, put two children through Stanford and Loyola Marymount University, and always be there for me when I needed someone to look out for me.
GREATEST ATHLETE ON EARTH TODAY IS: Lionel Messi
FAVORITE ARMY WEST POINT TEAM OTHER THAN YOUR OWN: Wrestling
FAVORITE VENUE TO PLAY IN: Anderson Rugby Complex
OPPONENT MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING: Navy
WHAT TEAM NOT ON YOUR SCHEDULE WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY AND WHY: Cal. My sister played rugby for Cal and I have friends on the team and coaching staff.
HOW ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR SUMMER: This summer I'll go to CTLT at Fort Bragg with an Infantry platoon. After that I'll be at an AIAD with Boeing Tactical Communication through the EECS department with leave in between the two.
ON MY TEAM, I AM THE BEST at getting ready slowly.
FAVORITE MEAL: Pai Thai
IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU GO: Nepal
FAVORITE WARMUP SONG: Omerta -- Lamb of God
BIGGEST NIGHTMARE: Falling down stairs while I'm asleep.
FAVORITE PART OF WEST POINT: Army Rugby and my brothers
DESCRIBE ARMY WEST POINT RUGBY: A bunch of kids who fell in love with sport, competition, and working hard to earn something alongside others that are like you.
FAVORITE TV SHOW GROWING UP: Jimmy Neutron
MOST MEMORABLE ATHLETIC MOMENT: When I beat Andrew Borer in a wrestling match plebe year.
HOW ARE YOU IMPROVING YOUR GAME IN THE OFFSEASON: I'm going to work on developing agility and strength. Due to various injuries and summer training, I felt like I didn't make as big of an impact as I could have this season.
WHAT PLAYER WILL SURPRISE PEOPLE NEXT SEASON: Joe Dlugosch
WHO IS THE STRONGEST PLAYER ON YOUR TEAM: Joseph Pervall
WHO IS THE MOST ENTERTAINING PLAYER ON YOUR TEAM: Logan "Hundo" Weiland
WHICH TEAMMATE IS MOST LIKLEY TO BECOME A GENERAL: Thomas Del Pino
ADVICE FOR INCOMING PLEBE TEAMMATES: Work hard and know your role.
FAVORITE PERSON TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER: Joseph Pervall and/or Cameron Hargis
