CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Former Clarksville High School standout soccer player Bijan Gloston will compete in the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers beginning September 5 as a member of the Guam Men’s National Team.
The America-born Guamanian footballer played goalkeeper for Clarksville High School’s Wildcats from 2008-2012.
Gloston received numerous accolades throughout his high school playing days including being named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s All-State team in Class AAA in 2012.
During his final season as a Wildcat, Gloston finished the year with a 1.5 goals against average and walked away as the District 10’s Defensive MVP.
“My high school experience is one that I will cherish and never forget,” Gloston said. “High school is a critical time in which individuals endure a significant level of personal growth and CHS gave me every opportunity to grow and succeed. I owe a great deal of gratitude to the teachers and coaches that positively impacted my development.”
There were a handful of members from the Clarksville High faculty that were lasting influences on Gloston.
“A few in particular,” Gloston answered. “My math teacher Mrs. Wiggins and my Spanish teacher Mr. Magrans were nothing short of a blessing and I’m thankful to have been under the tutelage of such great human beings. Coaches J.T. Batson, Ted Young and Jeff Jordan are all individuals that I will never be able to fully repay for what they have done for me. They were great coaches that undoubtedly went the extra mile to make me a better player, but more importantly used sports as a tool to teach life lessons that one may not get anywhere else.”
According to Gloston, goalkeeper wasn’t always his most desired position to play, but admitted the switch on the field was essential to his longevity as a soccer player.
“I was originally a forward,” Gloston said. “I had a knack for scoring goals and was a little bit bigger than others at that age. I ended up getting hurt and wasn’t match fit yet, but at one tournament we needed a goalkeeper and I went in. Long story short, we ended up going to a penalty shootout and I made three saves. Afterward my coaches and my dad were like ‘hey you might be able to play this position and be relatively good at the next level’. America is widely known for their goalkeepers who I grew up watching and idolizing especially Tim Howard. Being a goalkeeper wasn’t my first love, but it gave me the best chance to play at the next level.”
Gloston wasn’t always viewed as one of the elites; in fact, he was nearly cut from his middle school team.
“It’s kind of funny out of elementary school I was headed to Richview and tried out for the goalkeeper position,” Gloston said. “I almost didn’t make the cut for the middle school soccer team, but my club coach’s son Hayden (Jordan) had talked to the coach at the time and told him ‘you need to keep this kid’. I owe him a great deal of gratitude and obviously after that I moved up to Clarksville High and became a well-established goalkeeper there.”
While in high school, Gloston simultaneously played with the Knoxville-based soccer club FC Alliance and helped the team capture three Tennessee state titles.
“I previously played for a local team called Clarksville Chaos who was coached by Jeff Jordan,” Gloston said. “We had actually played the FC Alliance team who was known as Little Brazil at the time. As we moved up, it was a better choice for me to extend myself and play for FC Alliance. They’re based out of Knoxville, so I would actually leave Clarksville High basketball and soccer practice and drive up to Nashville to train from six to eight and then make that drive back down I-24 and do it over again. FC Alliance is basically the equivalent to an AAU basketball team for soccer. Prior to converting over to FC Alliance, we won two state championships with the same team. It gave me the platform to be invited to the Disney Showcase in Orlando, Florida where Marshall’s goalkeeper coach began to recruit me. Being a part of FC Alliance was definitely a breakthrough for me as far as making it to the next level and getting exposure.”
In 2012, Gloston chose to continue his academic and athletic career at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.
“I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship after high school to be a student-athlete at Marshall University,” Gloston said. “My college experience was filled with a plethora of trials and tribulations from being red-shirted to becoming the starter. However, I learned the most about myself throughout those mountains and valleys with the help and support of my wonderful parents. When making my decision on the university I would attend, I wanted the same hometown feeling that resembled Clarksville and a team that embodied the concept of family. Marshall University and the athletic department was a perfect fit.”
During his redshirt-sophomore season, Gloston was consistently ranked in the NCAA Top 25 in saves per game for much of the year. He was also named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week Nov. 3 2014 with a stellar performance, coming in a 2-1 win over then No. 15 nationally ranked New Mexico.
Gloston accredited one of his Thundering Herd teammates for facilitating his development and helping himself excel on and off the pitch.
“I had the great privilege and honor to be under Dan Withrow’s tutelage,” Gloston said. “He was a fifth-year senior who was on the preseason all-conference team. He really took the time to nourish and teach me about the position and the leadership qualities that came with it. He showed me at a young age what it took to make it to the next level. He was actually drafted in the MLS Superdraft by the Columbus Crew. Seeing him and his level of play in front of me and being able to train with him day in and day out was invaluable. I owe him a great deal of gratitude for taking me under his wing.”
During his sophomore season at Marshall University, Gloston received an offer that would essentially change his life in more ways than one.
“In 2013, I was approached by my collegiate coach at the time about the opportunity to play for the Guam Men’s National Team,” Gloston said. “He and the newly appointed national team of Guam head coach were old friends and reached out inquiring if he had any player with ties to Guam. With it being my mother’s birthplace, three months later I was on a plane to Cambodia where I received my first cap with the team.”
When it comes to representing a United States territory in national competition, Gloston doesn’t take it for granted.
“I’m truly honored to be a part of the Guam Men’s National Team and I want to thank the president of the GFA (Guam Football Association) and the head coach for the opportunity. The chance to play soccer for the island of Guam is a blessing and it brings me great joy that I can represent the island by doing something that I love.”
Gloston made the decision to step away from the game temporarily in 2015, taking some time off to reassess his situation and ultimately determine his future path in life.
“The reasons for the pause in my soccer career was mainly due to health concerns,” Gloston said. I also wanted to experience other ventures in life and determine if I wanted to find an alternative niche. Upon receiving the call up to participate in the upcoming FIFA World qualifiers, it was an opportunity that I couldn’t afford to not be a part of in pursuit of my dream. Over time with the help of my father, I realized that I couldn’t let my God-given talent that was bestowed upon me be wasted.”
Even to this day, Gloston remains in disbelief on how much the game he grew up playing as a child has altered his outlook on life as a whole.
“It was always a dream of mine to play, but I never thought that a soccer ball would take me around the world,” Gloston said. “I’ve flown around the world twice in 12 days with different trips with the Guam Men’s National Team. I’ve been to Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Singapore, Mongolia, Vietnam and all throughout Southeast Asia. The fact that it can show you different cultures and other walks of life is a real blessing. When you go over to other countries, you see how those people live and whenever you get back stateside it really humbles you. I’ll never forget we were leaving a training session in Hong Kong and we stopped and I looked out the window of the bus and saw a woman with two kids in her hand selling stuffed animals just trying to make it. That image is permanently ingrained into my memory and I’ll never forget her or the daily struggle that people go through.”
Gloston is grateful for what soccer has given him, noting multiple lifelong lessons he has learned from competing over the years.
“I really have nothing that I can say the game of futbol hasn’t given me,” Gloston said. “It’s taught me about teamwork, comradery, and how to pick yourself back up after getting knocked down. It’s the world’s sport. You can impact so many lives just by playing. You can unite towns, communities and even countries. It gives me the ability to inspire others, especially the next generation, and that’s something I really hold dear to my heart.”
Gloston has been a testament of what extreme focus, determination and perseverance can do for someone and wants the younger generation to understand that no dream is unattainable as long as they strive to do three things in life.
“Put God first, work hard and trust the process,” Gloston said. “This gift is my vehicle to reach and touch as many people of the world that’s humanly possible.”