April 20, 2001

College life - an Aussie's perspective© Women's Soccer World July/August 1997

By Janene Mar

Australian National Team midfielder Bryony Duus was seventeen when she decided to take the plunge and try her luck with a soccer scholarship in the tough U.S. college system. Leaving behind family and friends, the Queensland Academy of Sport player set off for territory unknown in the heart of America's deep south. She knew little of what lay before her, and what Duus was to discover on arriving at Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Georgia was not exactly the image of life she had hoped for.

"I wasn't sure if I wanted to go into a different culture, a different life," recalled Duus. "I thought about it for quite a while before I ended up going. I was a bit worried about leaving home, and all sorts of things went through my mind - would it meet expectations, etc. And it was different to what I thought it would be like. But I was interested in trying it by myself, going through the rough times and everything, and I'm glad I did. I've learned a lot of things that will really help me out in the future."

Brewton-Parker College turned out to be situated in a rural area where the typical lifestyle is farming, country music, and the cowboy scene. The region is known for its quality onions, and the closest big town is an hour and a half away. For a teenager raised in the suburbs of Australia's third largest city Brisbane, this was a culture shock. Moreover, the college itself was a very small private Baptist establishment with an array of strict rules and regulations, quite different from other American colleges, and vastly foreign to life back at the University of Queensland where Duus had studied for six months before leaving for the U.S.

"It was all a bit of a shock," said Duus. "It's kind of in the middle of nowhere and there's not much to do here at all. But I've turned that into a positive and it's worked out well. It's good in that I can concentrate on soccer and my education."

"Also, the way I was brought up, I'm not really religious. But I'm not the only one - a lot of sports people here are in the same situation. So there are some religious, some not, and we all respect each other's point of view."

The southern accent was another initial difficulty to overcome for the youngster. "Even though we're speaking the same language, their accent is hard to understand. It hurts your ears listening to them at first. Plus our team was very diverse, with some speaking little English. So communication was a problem to start with."

But it was soccer that brought her all this way, and according to Duus, the school's sports program is good. The soccer program really picked up through a concentrated effort which coincided with her arrival. The college had recruited worldwide and, as a result, Brewton-Parker became an instant "United Nations" of players. Duus, along with fellow teammates Trena Youngblutt, Toni Brescanini, and Georgette Leake, made up the Australian contingent, and were joined by others from Sweden, Holland, England, Canada, and Switzerland.

With just five Americans, the mixture attracted the wrath of others for its lack of local talent. Despite the flak, Brewton-Parker hit back with impressive results on the field. In Duus' first year, the team barely missed the nationals after a loss to the college which ended the season with the top national ranking. Last fall, in Duus' second season with the team, Brewton-Parker finished first in the South East region, earning the right to contest the National Title, the first time the college had made it to that level in any sport. There, against the cream of the nation, they surprised all by finishing an impressive third overall.

Although a member of the smaller NAIA, Brewton-Parker also takes on teams from the NCAA Division One in non-competitive bouts whenever possible. "The bigger colleges expect to win against the smaller schools, but we've beaten a lot of those teams, unexpectedly to them."

On a personal note, last season was not all good. Duus had been set for a big year, shifted to a striking role from her usual spot in midfield. With five goals in two games, Duus suffered a serious ankle injury in the third match, and missed most of the season. She came back in time to play the regional finals and the nationals, finishing with a remarkable nine goals from her six games played.

Has playing in the famous college system benefited Duus' soccer career? "Yes and no," is her reply after a brief pause. "No, because I've been away from all the representative soccer in Australia, which has picked up a lot since I've been here. It's been hard, trying to keep touch properly with the National Coach and everyone."

"And yes, because the competition is really consistent for such a younger age group. There's no one team that's not good, you always know it's a tough team you'll be up against. I've learned a lot playing against a lot of other top teams, and experiencing coaching of different styles and the American way - it's really good."

Reports of Duus' form in America were sufficient to gain her debut selection into the Australian Team for their USA Tour prior to the 1996 Olympic Games, welcome news to the youngster who didn't really give herself a chance at that stage. Not that she was unknown to national officials back home. Before taking off to college, Duus had worked her way up through the ranks, having first been named in the Australian U-16 Squad at age thirteen. She was a member of the Australian Youth Team which won the prestigious Dallas Cup in 1995, a special memory for Duus who scored the winning goal in extra time. In the same year, she was called up to play for Australia "Green" against the touring Russian Team.

Soon after, Duus was briefly involved in preparations for the World Cup, and in 1996 was named to the inaugural Olympic Athlete Program squad. In June this year, she played for Australia in the U.S. Women's Cup.

"Playing these internationals is a really good experience," she said. "I didn't think I'd get this far so early. I just take it step by step and make the most of it each time I get to play."

"At this stage, I'd like to play at the 2000 Olympics and hopefully the 1999 World Cup," she added. "I'll work my hardest, but if it doesn't happen, then so be it. I'll be giving it my best shot."

Duus in the meantime has unearthed another sporting prowess. Despite having never played before, she now is also a member of the college tennis team. The two sports run over different seasons, although at certain times she goes straight from tennis to soccer training. Her natural talent with the racquet saw her reach the NAIA semi-finals in her state.

As for the other side of college life, Duus has had no problems keeping her grades up to scratch, with a major in psychology. Classes are scheduled for the morning with training every afternoon. There is compulsory study hall, and even on soccer trips, the players have to pack their books for the journey.

Being a small school with relatively limited resources, the team always travels by charter bus rather than flying as the big colleges might do. Their furthest regular road trip is to Miami, fourteen long hours away. Living and studying in a small school, away for sometimes four days at a time, team harmony becomes a vital factor within the group.

"A lot of us live with or next to each other in the same dormitory," explains Duus. "And it can be hard. If something goes wrong at training or at the dorm, some people tend to take it with them on to the field. Sometimes it's not good, but we need to stick together."

Duus shares her room with one other student, and the bathroom adjoins the next room. "At first I was really disappointed with the conditions of the dorm. It was totally bare, but once the posters and curtains went up, it wasn't too bad. Actually it's become quite comfortable - I've seen other colleges that have worse. This is my home away from home, so I've got to make the best of it."

Like most young athletes, she had to deal with homesickness during her first year away from family. "About six months after I'd got here, I got homesick all the time," said Duus. "And that was really hard because there's not a lot you could do about it, except try to take your mind off it. Now it's not too bad."

"I thought I could better myself by coming here, but maybe it's not bettered as much as I thought," she revealed. "But I have really enjoyed it here. I've learned a lot - not just soccer - about myself, other cultures, other people. It's a really good experience which will benefit me in the long run."

Duus had not been home since taking up her scholarship, and was excited about returning a week after Australian Team duties in the U.S. Women's Cup. After spending the holiday break with her family and friends, it will be back to Brewton-Parker for her third college season kick off in September.