Houghton College has a rich heritage of placing emphasis on diversity. The athletic program is no exception, celebrating and encouraging the participation of international students on sports teams. Head Coach of the men’s soccer team, Matthew Webb, has seen over 16 different countries represented throughout his years of coaching including Scotland, Japan, Cameroon, Nigeria, Trinidad, and Chile.
Webb said, “The international guys bring a different cultural heritage with them. It is always enjoyable to learn from them and see how their backgrounds shape who they are and influence the rest of the team. They often bring a different style of play and add diversity to how we play the game.” American athletes have the opportunity to learn from and play with students from different cultures, while at the same time these international students have the chance to travel to New York, play a sport they love competitively, and make lifelong friends.
Houghton soccer player, Jose Flores of Chile, said that, although the U.S. is culturally different from his home, he has been able to adapt quickly. Along with giving thanks to God, he credits this smooth transition to the warm reception of his teammates. Sydney Pow, a sophomore Canadian student participating in women’s lacrosse and volleyball, also emphasized the importance of her teammates’ acceptance and encouragement in her positive experience of sports at Houghton. Basketball and tennis player, Jordan Scott, also Canadian, appreciates the reinforcement of hard work and teamwork, stating, “Houghton College athletes have been crucial in shaping me into the man I am today and the man I hope to become tomorrow.”
Being an international athlete has some challenges as well. One such challenge is a mountain of paperwork. Jason Mucher, Associate Athletic Director for Compliance and Communications, heads up the technical side of the program. Mucher works with students one on one to get to know their playing history, as well as to make sure they are a good fit for Houghton, and Houghton them.
For Jacob Dunnett, a Canadian soccer player, the main challenge of playing for Houghton is that he is far from his family. Before college, his family came to all his games, but the distance has lessened their involvement. Other athletes’ families have overcome this by watching live stream of games online, but that technology is not available for every sport.
Grace Lee, a sophomore field hockey player from South Korea, expressed her feeling that “as an international student, people don’t fully understand who and where I really come from. People here have similar experiences so they understand and relate, but coming from a different place makes it hard to expect them to understand everything.”
International students’ stories vary, but are similar in certain aspects. Some students attended Houghton’s summer sport camps before college, while others weren’t even planning on going to college until they were approached by a Houghton coach. One thing is true for all of these athletes: they love what they do, and constantly strive for excellence