February 2024

Interviews from around PC

Photo by Chris Urquia

Julius from Germany Kicks Away

By Chris Urquia


Night is the time to dream, and the day is the time to make dreams come true. For Julius Coelle,
the pursuit of his dreams led him from one side of the world to another. Hailing from Bonn,
Germany, Julius devoted his youth to the pursuit of athletic prowess in the world of soccer.
Since he was 4 years old, he spent his days in school and practicing the fundamentals of the
sport with his father. Practicing four times a week with games held on the weekends, Julius
holds a position as a center mid and has become a formidable opponent to face on the field,
and at 18 years old, he is the youngest member of the Peninsula Pirates Men’s Soccer Team.
Julius was approached by Jake Hughes, head coach of the Peninsula Pirates Mens Soccer
Team, at a showcase event in Frankfurt, Germany in December 2022. While he had offers to
play elsewhere, he spent time researching colleges and committed to Peninsula College in
March 2023 after speaking to the previous seasons team captain who recommended the
college as a good school.
When not studying or playing soccer, Julius has a love for the arts. He loves to paint and plays
saxophone, too.
Growing up in Germany, Coelle reflects on differences between our countries. “A noticeable
difference,” Coelle said, “Bonn is not a large city like places I’ve seen here. There are no
skyscrapers; the architecture is different. Bonn is a walkable city, unlike American cities, and
there is a difference between living in dorms and living at home. It was a big change. What
helped me was being with my team all the time. We are a family. They help me on and off the
field.”
After completing his two year degree in business management, his goal is to transfer to a four
year university, continue playing soccer and furthering his education in business.
“I was 17 when I came here. I might have been the weakest in the beginning, but I worked hard
to get where I am at today,” Coelle said. “I want to thank my family for letting me do this. Not
everyone can do it, so I am very thankful and at the same time, proud of my family. Thank you to
my siblings for always supporting me. I love them all.”

“To my teammates, thank you for being there for me since day one, and to Maurin Frehner, it
was an honor to play with you, my captain. I will see you next summer in Germany.”
Julius Coelle is on track to becoming a key asset to the Peninsula College Pirates Men’s Soccer
Team. With that much drive for success and love for the game in his heart, there is no end to all
that Julius Coelle will accomplish.

Human Trafficking is Alive and Kills

Photo by Chris Urquia

Special Agent Laura Marroquin, Addresses Peninsula College Studium Generale on Human
Trafficking By Chris Urquia

Human trafficking comes in many forms, is perpetrated by many in a vast, underground network, and
respects no nationality, gender, sex, race, ethnicity or creed. It does, however, consistently and frequently
destroy the lives of thousands of people every year.
Trafficking can be found in legitimate and illegitimate industries and may intersect with other criminal
activity such as drug trafficking, human smuggling or money laundering. It can be associated with
relatives, family friends, gangs and transnational criminal organizations.
Special Agent Laura Marroquin of Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) gave an
insightful and thought provoking presentation on the grim world of human trafficking on Thursday, January
11th in the Little Theater at Peninsula College. Marroquin and data from the Department of Homeland
Security show that while the devil works hard, the Department of Homeland Security works harder.