For many Colonel athletes, coming to Nicholls means leaving friends and family at home and experiencing life on your own, but for five soccer players, coming to Nicholls not only meant leaving home, but also leaving the country.The Nicholls Soccer team has five international players this year. Four of them, senior forward Kaity Mattsson, junior midfielder Carolyn Noble, freshman forward Alexandra Marino and freshman defenseman Christina Bilczuk all call Ontario, Canada home, while junior midfielder Sam Etherington is from Newcastle England.
Many athletes often travel away from home to play at the college level, but few consider leaving the country for the opportunity.
“It was the best offer I had. I was a bit behind trying to find a school in the States, this seemed like my best option at the time and it turned out that it was,” Etherington said.
“I liked it because I could come in as a freshman and make an immediate impact on the team,” Noble said.
The upperclassmen who have been here know what Nicholls is like, but for freshman Christina Bilczuk, coming to Nicholls was much more than just to play soccer.
“I like the community and the area. It’s a small school and I would have been overwhelmed at a bigger school,” Bilczuk said. “I like being in small classes, getting to know my professors. It was a big deal for me.”
Many Nicholls students are able to go home on the weekend to visit family, but for these five soccer players that is not an option. They all agreed that using Skype along with text messaging was the easiest and best way to communicate home. Marino has taken the texting a little too far racking up almost $1000 phone bill. “So I can’t text anymore,” said Marino.
When asked about what they miss the most, family was by far the number one answer along with the colder weather. Some of the interesting answers came from basic things. Etherington said that she missed the food, which was a surprise to the rest of them, while Noble said that she missed having a car.
“I have a big Canadian flag in my room and in my kitchen,” Mattsson said when asked if they brought anything from home to remind them.
In adjusting to their new surroundings, they also had to adjust to a new style of play.
“I feel at home (Canada) it is much more of a technical game, where as opposed to here its more of a physical game,” Noble said.
Freshman Alexandra Marino noticed the different style of play as well. “At home its much more technical. It works your mind compared to here, where it works your body. You have to be strong,” Marino said.
Even though Etherington, Mattsson and Noble have been here a couple of years, it still took some time for them to become accustomed to their new lifestyle.
“I’m from a big city so its like I got the best of both worlds,” Etherington said. “Back home I have whatever I want and go wherever I want cause everything is there. Here it’s more quiet and relaxing.
In her time here, Mattsson has had a positive experience at Nicholls. “It’s a really personable school,” Mattsson said. “You get to know everyone and it feels safe. I don’t feel nervous leaving my apartment at night to go on a run.”
Even though the majority of the Colonel soccer team is from America, these five girls play an important part of the strong team chemistry they talk about. Last weekend, Mattsson, Noble, Etherington, and Marino all played important roles in the 6-2 Colonel victory. Both Mattsson and Marino found the back of the net, while Etherington and Noble both accounted for assist.
Look for these players to continue their positive impact as the 2010 Nicholls soccer team continues to break records this season. Their next home game will be on Oct. 10 against in-state and Southland Conference rival Southeastern Louisiana.
