By Bill Sheehan

Paul-Andre Guerin's final season as goalkeeper for Cal State Fullerton men's soccer team has started off with a bang. Guerin has two shutouts for the 4-0 Titans, who are off to their best season start in nearly 20 years. 

His 17 career shutouts rank second on the school's all-time list, just two away from leader Mike Ammann. And he has continued to lower his goals-against average, something he done each year at Fullerton. 

But looking back, Guerin's Titan career almost never got off the ground. A native of the French island of Corsica, Guerin said he started to get cold feet about traveling 6,000 miles to attend school in California. 

"I had never been to the U.S. before, and I didn't really speak any English. I was so scared that I was pushing back my appointment at the American Embassy in France," said Guerin, known as Paulo to his friends. "I didn't want to come. But I finally said to myself, 'Let's go.' And it ended up being the best decision of my life." 

Guerin, who is now fluent in English, has made the most of his opportunity. He became the team's regular goalkeeper as a sophomore. During his junior year, he was named the MVP of the 2017 Big West Soccer Tournament after a standout performance in the championship match. 

Perhaps even more impressive, Guerin, 21, will graduate in December with a business degree in three and a half years. Not bad for someone who struggled to communicate with people in his first months on campus. 

The Titans return to action this weekend at Titan Stadium, playing Air Force on Friday at 7 p.m. and Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday at 5 p.m. Guerin's goalkeeping and leadership are key ingredients in the Titans' success this season, said Fullerton head coach George Kuntz. 

A work ethic 'out of this world' 

"Paulo has progressed quite a bit. When he first arrived, he was very shy, and his English was limited. But his work ethic was out of this world – that's what really struck us. He is a super-hard worker and is always doing a little extra," said Kuntz, who is his sixth year at Fullerton. 

"He is definitely among the elite goalkeepers who have played at Fullerton. He is great on his feet. I've coached a lot of guys, and he's one of the best at holding onto the ball. For the most part, his hands are very sticky. He's improved a lot at directing our players and taking charge." 

Former Titan Nico D'Amato played two seasons with Guerin and they roomed together one summer while playing for the Kitsap Pumas in Bremerton, Wash. 

"In his first year at Fullerton, he was amazing -- a great player. And he keeps improving every time I go out to watch him. He's good with his feet and makes fantastic saves," said D'Amato, who is taking classes in preparation for entering an accelerated registered nursing program. 

"Paulo's a great guy. He's someone you look forward to being around. He brings a lot of positive energy, and he doesn't hesitate to ask you if you need help with anything." 

Following wins over No. 18 Loyola Chicago and Utah Valley last weekend, the Titans are now ranked No. 22 in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer and No. 23 by United Soccer Coaches. Guerin, a team captain, cited several factors for the team's turnaround from last year, when it finished 7-6-8 overall. 

"This summer, some of the older players – Taylor Davidson, Oscar Flores, Sam Molz and I -- organized a "captains' practice" without coaches two weeks before official training started. In previous years, we would get five to eight players to participate. This year we had 25. 

"We've created a new culture, and everyone is on the same page. The team is more disciplined, and everyone is listening to the coaches. I originally thought next year's team would be really, really good because it will only lose a few seniors, but we've shown we can win now. If we can keep this mentality and not get complacent, we can do good things this year." 

Paul Guerin will graduate in December with a business degree from Cal State Fullerton after just three and a half years. Photo by Bill Sheehan

Titans called more confident, aggressive 

The Titans' confidence has grown with each victory, Guerin said. "Coach Kuntz has told us, 'If you don't shoot, there is no way you can score.' Our players have become aggressive. When our coaches make a substitution, the reserves are bringing a lot of energy and spirit onto the field. And everyone is cheering for each other." 

"At this level, you have to have players who treat each other like family and have good chemistry," said Kuntz. "Our guys enjoy each other and fight for each other. I really like their selflessness, and Paulo is a good example of that." 

Goalkeeping is like no other position. There can be long periods of inaction coupled with moments of frenzied activity. "Goalkeepers are kind of crazy sometimes," said Guerin. "I'm a perfectionist. I want to control everything. I get anxious when we are out of position, so I used to yell at my teammates a lot. Now I stay calm and can focus on my own game more, and I only yell during an emergency. I've formed a close bond with our defenders, which also helps. 

"In college soccer, a lot of goals are the result of silly mistakes. At the end of the day, I just need to make the saves. I'm not trying to be the hero, I'm just trying to keep everything simple," said Guerin, who has spent the last two summers playing for Ventura County Fusion of the Premier Development League and Orange County Soccer Club. With the latter, he played with its PDL team but trained with its United Soccer League squad. 

Guerin was born on Bastia, the island's main port, on Corsica's northeast side. He was raised in the resort town of Moriani-Plage, south of Bastia. His father, Jean-Emmanuel, was born in Paris and spent his summers visiting relatives on Corsica. He is a podiatrist. His mother, Audrey, who was born and raised on the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, works for Air France. He is an only child. 

"I love Corsica," said Guerin said, who said the island is a great place for tourists to explore. He especially recommends visiting Porto-Vecchio on the southeast coast. "There are white-sand beaches that are beautiful. Historically, people did not live near the beaches because Corsica was frequently being invaded. But of course, that has all changed now." 

A switch from tennis to soccer 

Guerin's first sport was tennis, which he played for four years starting as a 4-year-old. "My mother thought tennis would be a good sport for me, but I always loved soccer and played it with my friends," he said. 

At age 8, he began playing for the Costa-Verde soccer club next to his home. "The club was looking for a keeper. I had played a lot with my father, just the two of us each standing before a goal. At my tryout, I was diving on my sides for saves. The coach said, 'Wow! You are going to be a keeper.' " 

Costa-Verde had an A and a B team. By his first weekend, he was the starting goalkeeper for the A team. His squad won 15 of 20 tournaments that year. For his ninth birthday, his parents presented him with a "Paulo 97" goalie shirt to commemorate his birth year. He acquired the #97 jersey as a Fullerton sophomore and continues to wear it to this day. 

At 12, he relocated to the city of Ajaccio on the island's southwest side, a three hours' drive from his hometown, to join the French Federation Academy of Corsica. Guerin trained with the island's best under-13 and under-14 players and lived in a dormitory in Ajaccio, which is the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. 

He faces some immediate challenges in Ajaccio. "I got depressed when I left home. At first, I wanted to give up. But when I saw that others wanted to get my spot, I hung in there. Then the coaches questioned my ability to play goalkeeper because of my height. They said I was too short," said Guerin, who is now 6-feet tall. "But I used that as motivation to excel." 

Two years later, AC Ajaccio Academy recruited Guerin. He was promoted to the GFC Ajaccio professional team in his last year in Europe. Competing as an amateur, he started two Ligue 1 games for Ajaccio. Guerin shut out Montpellier and his team played to a 1-1 draw with Nantes. Guerin gave up his sole goal to Emiliano Sala, the Argentinian star who died in a plane crash in the English Channel last April. 

After turning 18, Guerin was at a crossroads. In Europe, there is no system where one can attend college while playing soccer. And many European clubs reserve their goalkeeper slots to seasoned veterans. 

"My coaches helped me connect with Cal State Fullerton," he said. "It fit perfectly because I wanted to get a college education. I wanted to have something other than soccer." 

A 9-year-old Guerin makes a save for his hometown Costa-Verde soccer club in Moriani-Plage on the French island of Corsica. 

An assist from his French-speaking roommate 

Language was his biggest challenge after arriving in Orange County. "I could read – I had English classes in Corsica – but I couldn't speak." One of his teammates, French-speaking Corentin Ohlmann from Reunion Island, eased his transition. 

He started his first 10 games at Fullerton before giving way to David Elias. "It was a challenging year for me. At first, I was blaming the coach for my shortfalls. Then I realized I had to be better. So, I started stepping up my game." 

As a sophomore, he started 17 of 22 games, had a 1.18 goals against average and was named MVP of the Big West Tournament as the Titans defeated UC Davis, 4-3, in penalty kicks in the title game. He racked up six saves in a shutout effort in the final, including a one-handed diving save in the final minutes to keep the game scoreless and send it into overtime. 

"Paulo had a language barrier when he arrived," said Jonathyn Lomeli, who was goalkeeper coach in Guerin's first two years at Fullerton. "We tried to make him feel at home so he could perform well. 

"He was a leader – on and off the pitch. He's a good facilitator with his feet and he has an ability to scan the field and find the best options going forward," said Lomeli, who coaches goalkeepers for the LA Galaxy's US Soccer Development Academy in Carson. "He's is very dedicated to his craft. He understands the game very well and is a high-percentage shot-stopper from short and long range." 

While the team struggled to finish above .500 last year, Guerin had another solid effort. He started 20 of 21 games as a junior, had a goals-against average of 1.10 and was named to the Big West All-Conference Second Team. Andy Gutierrez took over as the Titan goalkeeper coach last year and has been impressed by Guerin's skill set. 

"He brings leadership, confidence, security, a work ethic and a lot of character to the team. His footwork is very good and separates him from other goalkeepers. He's improved his communication with the players on the field. His mistakes are minimal, his IQ is high and he reads the game really well," said Gutierrez. 

"He is very charismatic and is a good person. And it's rubbed off on his teammates. His teammates follow him and try to mimic his work ethic. He's great in the class, great on the pitch." 

Two Titan captains have a lot to talk about 

Guerin enjoys reviewing his performances with his girlfriend, Alba Barrios. She is a redshirt senior defender on the Titan women's soccer team and, like Guerin, a captain. "It's fun to talk about both teams with her, and she really understands the game," he said. 

A business major with an interest in finance and real estate, he will graduate in December. "My dream would be to play professional soccer and then invest my money into real estate and use the real estate to make money." He's said he's uncertain where he will eventually settle. 

Guerin volunteers his time participating at youth soccer camps and also works as a private instructor for goalkeepers. He's taking six classes this semester, so he had to cut down on his time with PlayStation's FIFA video game. 

His goalkeeping coaches – past and present – said Guerin has a good chance to play professionally. "His goal is to play Major League Soccer and I think he has the ability to play at that level," said Lomeli. "If he continues to work and have a good season, God willing, he will be playing professionally next season," said Gutierrez, who noted Guerin had received good reviews during tryouts with the Los Angeles Football Club and Minnesota United this summer. 

But for now, Guerin's focus is on helping the Titans win the Big West Tournament and returnto the NCAA tournament. "Two years ago, we went to the first round and lost. Our goal now is to win the conference tournament and advance past the first round."

Guerin and his girlfriend, Alba Barrios, are captains on the Titan men's and women's soccer teams, respectively.