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12/07/2017 11:00 PMPaul Zumbo recently completed a great three-year career as the North Branford boys’ soccer squad’s starting goalie by earning All-Shoreline Conference Second Team honors and the Thunderbirds’ Most Valuable Player Award this fall. On the heels of such an exceptional season, Paul has committed to continue his soccer career at Division II Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire next year.
“[The coach and I] were talking for about two years, and he had me go up to Franklin Pierce for a few clinics,” Paul says. “This year, he invited me up for an overnight visit and offered me the spot that day. I accepted it a few days later.”
Paul attended Xavier High School as a freshman before coming to North Branford the following year. Paul has played the goalkeeper’s position for several years, and he’s spent countless hours honing his craft in the net.
“I’m pretty quick and agile and am good at shot stopping. My communication is very good, and I can kick the ball pretty far, which is good for counterattacks,” says Paul. “I’m all around a pretty good goalie, so I’ve been told.”
Head Coach Brett Gagliardi knows that having Paul as the last line of defense proved hugely beneficial for the T-Birds. Gagliardi says Paul did everything in his power to prevent the opposition from putting one past him.
“Paul had a tremendous season for us, coming up with big save after big save each game. It was a relief and huge comfort knowing we had him in goal to clean up anything that got by our defense,” says Coach Gagliardi. “Paul had a knack for being in the right place at the right time and getting any part of his body on balls that entered our box and approached our goal. We could count on Paul to make all the routine plays and even a few highlight ones every game.”
Aside from stopping shots, Paul often got into the action as an integral part of North Branford’s free-kick opportunities. The T-Birds relied on Paul’s big leg to boot the ball down the field and, more often than not, it ended up in a prime position for their attackers to start a charge toward the goal. One time, Paul put it in the net himself.
“It was my first high school career goal. It was exciting. I didn’t think it would happen. I saw the goalie off his line, so I thought he wouldn’t expect it. I just kicked it and it went in,” he says. “We only have a few people that can kick it that far, but they’re not as accurate as I am. I can usually ping it wherever they want me to. From my half all the way in, they let me take free kicks. They trust me on it.”
Paul worked hard on improving that aspect of his game, because he knew how important it was for him to clear the ball out of North Branford’s defensive zone.
“When I first started working on kicking the ball, I couldn’t even kick it that far. Then my coach taught me some technique and how to hit it on the foot,” says Paul, who also plays golf for North Branford and is suiting up for the boys’ basketball team this year. “I started working out my legs to make them stronger, which I think really helped me out to kick it a lot further than most goalies can.”
As he looks back at his last year at North Branford, Paul feels pleased that all of his offseason effort helped him solidify a few prized distinctions with his team MVP nod and a spot on the All-Conference squad.
“That was my main goal, because I’ve been working hard every single year, and I thought this year was my best year of all the other ones,” Paul says. “I’ve worked hard, and I’m playing for an out-of-school team out of Enfield. We travel all around playing different teams.”