By Jim Hague
When it came time for Paul Tarnawski to make a decision about where to attend college, there wasn’t a tough choice.
“Rutgers-Newark had a good criminal justice program,” said Tarnawski, a native of Linden, NJ and a graduate of Linden High School. “I’ve always wanted to be a police officer. I love playing soccer and I knew the school had a good soccer team.”
But at the time, Tarnawski had no idea how good of a selection it would be. As it turned out, it was the best decision of Tarnawski’s young life.
You see, Tarnawski would eventually become a starter for the Scarlet Raiders, almost as soon as he entered the R-N campus.
“At first, I was a little iffy,” Tarnawski said. “I didn’t know if I could play at the college level. I was a little freshman and I was intimidated by it all.”
However, veteran Rutgers-Newark head coach Kevin East saw it differently.
“He’s been a real steady performer for us from almost the beginning,” East said. “He started a few games into his freshman season and has been there ever since.”
“I think I eventually fit in pretty well,” Tarnawski said.
Now, as a senior and a center back and the anchor of the Scarlet Knights’ defensive back line, Tarnawski is ready to make a big splash in his final campaign.
“I want to win the NJAC championship,” said Tarnawski, who is a captain for the second straight year and was on the Scarlet Raiders team in 2013 that lost in the NJAC title game. “I think that has to be the goal this year. We’re all definitely positive about it.”
“I expect him to be a leader on the team,” East said.
As a youngster growing up in Linden, Tarnawski was all about playing soccer.
“I played baseball for a couple of years, but soccer captured my heart,” Tarnawski said. “My Dad played soccer for a few years and he used to take me to the park to play soccer. It’s always been fun for me.”
Tarnawski started 17 games as a freshman at R-N, helping the Scarlet Raiders to a 14-8-1 record. He scored one goal in a 2-0 win over FDU-Florham in October that season.
As a sophomore, Tarnawski started 14 games for the 17-6-1 Scarlet Raider squad that reached the NJAC title game and earned the school’s first-ever berth to the NCAA Division III tournament. In the NJAC semifinal win over Montclair State, Tarnawski scored the game-tying goal in an eventual 4-1 Scarlet Raider victory.
Last season, Tarnawski was moved to center back and was elected as one of the team’s captains as a junior.
“The guys on the team look up to him because of his work ethic,” East said. “He provides leadership on the field. He’s been a positive role model to the others. Having someone steady at center back goes a long way for your defense. He’s real important.”
“I feel more comfortable with my role,” Tarnawski said. “It can become a little nerve racking at times, but I like having the responsibility of being the last line of defense before the goalie. I like having that pressure on my shoulders. It makes me feel important.”
The Scarlet Raiders were 16-6 a year ago, which included the program’s first victory in the NCAA Division III tournament. Because he is a top student-athlete, Tarnawski was named to the Capital One All-Academic District 2 team and was selected honorable mention NCSAA College Division Scholar All-East Region.
East gave Tarnawski a little leeway when it comes to corner kicks and set pieces.
“He comes forward on free kicks because he’s so tall (6-foot-2),” East said. “He’s able to get his head on the ball. With his size, he’s a threat in the air off set pieces.”
That approach worked in the Flower City Tournament in Rochester, N.Y., when Tarnawski scored a goal on a header in the Scarlet Raiders’ 3-1 win over No. 19-ranked SUNY Cortland last weekend.
“It’s definitely fun on my part to be able to go up and possibly get a chance to score,” Tarnawski said. “I’ve been able to get to a few headers. This was special to happen so early in the season because last year, I didn’t score at all. It definitely brings my confidence up.”
East likes Tarnawski’s approach to the game.
“He’s very calm and collected,” East said. “He’s very even keeled. He doesn’t get rattled easily and that’s what you want from your center back. You want someone who can show composure and settles the whole team down.”
“We have a great group of guys on this team,” Tarnawski said. “Coach East puts the team in my arms and has faith in me to make the right decisions with the team.”
Not only is Tarnawski an excellent student, but he is also a workout enthusiast.
“He works so hard training in the offseason,” East said. “He almost spends too much time in the weight room. He’s a fitness guy who loves to work out. He’s there all the time.”
“I like keeping fit,” Tarnawski said. “I think the last two years have raised everyone’s expectations of us. I think we’re almost expected to go back (to the NCAA Tournament). We have a good group and I think we can do even better than last year.”
“Hopefully we’ll do some better things this year,” East said.
Tarnawski is having a hard time coming to grips that it’s his last go-round with the Scarlet Raiders. That shy and insecure skinny freshman has developed into a confident young man.
“It has definitely flown by,” Tarnawski said. “I think I notice it now when we line up to start the game and my name is announced as a senior. That’s when I realize it’s almost over.”
But before he leaves R-N, Paul Tarnawski wants to insure that his legacy will live on - and perhaps that will happen with an NJAC championship.
