Some Questions With… Hugo Fauroux

Charleston Battery goalkeeper Hugo Fauroux is our latest guest on SQW. The 25 year old spent time in the academies of Cannes and Monaco in his native France before coming to America to play at the College level for the Lake Erie Storm and FIU Panthers. After college, he played in the lower divisions of US soccer and abroad before spending 2021 with Austin Bold and then joining the Battery in 2022. Read on for his answers…

BYP: You came in as the number two but things have changed given results and injuries. How close are the three of you on and off the field?

HF: We have a very tight goalkeeping corps. You know, Brian (Jones, goalkeeping coach) makes us work hard every day. Joe (Kuzminsky) Daniel (Kuzemka) and I have a good relationship. Joe started as the number one, now it’s my turn. I think we respect each other. That’s what’s most important. Everyday, we step on the field and we give everything. That’s all that matters.

^{Photo Credit Michael Wiser and Ben Clemens}

You all have experience at this level, does knowing that help keep you on your toes in training?

(smiles) with a guy like Joe, how many games does he have? 150 games? That keeps me on my toes every day. I show up every day and I want to beat him. That’s the way it is. Respectfully. Danny’s a rookie, but he’s really good. He’s a really good rookie, so in the same way, that keeps me on my toes. But I’m never satisfied. I want to be the best.

What are the differences as a goalkeeper from the western and Eastern conferences?

I don’t see a lot of differences between the two. I’d say in the West, you have more reserve teams, so you’re playing against more kids. In the East, you have more turf fields, which can be tricky for a goalkeeper. Comparing to Europe it’s a whole different level.

How would you say your communication is with your back line? Is that something you’ve worked on cultivating a lot or is it natural for you?

It’s natural. for sure As a goalkeeper, it has to come naturally. I’ve played 20 years as a goalkeeper, so… The only thing is that when you play with new players, you have to get to know them, because you can talk to certain players a certain way and others another way.. You have to get to know them. That’s what’s happened this year, with a lot of new faces… In the backline especially, so it’s natural, but you’ve got to work on it.

And to build on that, how many languages do you speak?

I speak three languages. English, French and Spanish! It definitely helps on the field. Especially with Geobel (Perez) I speak to him in Spanish on the field. I’d say Spanish is easier for me. I know more English, but speaking Spanish is easier because it’s closer to French. I’m still struggling a little bit with English.

Thanks to Hugo for his time. The Battery next return home to face the Sacremento Republic on July 30th with kick off at 7:30.