Alumni Spotlight Series: Matthew Durrans

MATTHEW DURRANS Class of 2016 Interviewed by Michelle Noble | June 2016

A

long-standing Mulgravian, Matthew Durrans left Mulgrave in Grade 9 to move to Germany and

pursue his dream of becoming a professional soccer player. Faced with the challenges of moving to a new country, a language he didn’t speak, the rigors of the IB, and performing at a high level of soccer, Matthew persevered against all odds and has grown tremendously from his ambition and experience. As many of Matthew’s fellow 2016 classmates take a similar leap of faith when they leave home in September to pursue their dreams, Matthew shares some advice and wisdom that he has gained along the way on his journey. We hope you enjoy this Alumni Spotlight on our youngest graduate to be featured.

Matthew, it’s been a pleasure having

U-19 Junior Bundesliga. The process

helped me gave me another

you back in Vancouver for a couple

to be invited to play on this top-

opportunity to tryout with a larger

of weeks! At what age did you first

level team was a difficult one. I

and more famous club in Munich

start playing soccer?

contacted a soccer agent based in

called TSV 1860 München. The team

Germany, and after preliminary

allowed me to have four training

conversations about where I had

sessions with them in late August

previously played, he gave me the

to see if I had the potential to play

chance to fly to Germany in March

with them for the 2013-14 season,

of 2013 (when I was in Grade 9) for

and after performing extremely well,

a 10-day trial with a team in Munich

I was given the chance to join the

called SC Fürstenfeldbruck. The

U-16 team at TSV 1860 München.

I began playing soccer at the age of three with the West Van Soccer Club. I have only positive and happy memories playing the sport that I instantly fell in love with at such a young age.

What team are you playing for in

tryouts proved to be successful for

Munich? What was the process to be

me as the club told me that I had

invited to play on this team?

performed well enough to be given a spot on the team for the following

What were some of the biggest challenges you had to overcome when moving across the world to a new country?

The team I am currently playing for

season. After much discussion when

in Munich is TSV 1860 München,

I returned to Vancouver to finish

which is a professional team

At the age of only 14, there were

my Grade 9 school year, I decided

playing in the 2nd Bundesliga

many challenges that I had to

to take this chance and move to

Division in Germany. I play for

overcome when moving across the

Germany. When I went back to

their Under-19 team in the youth

world to a different continent to

Germany in August to begin my year,

academy, where we play against

follow my dreams. Initially for me,

the soccer agent who had previously

it was the language barrier. Prior to

teams around the country in the

moving to Germany, I had no lessons

culture in Germany. Another major

in a short period of time. I tried

in German so I could not understand

challenge was leaving my friends,

to speak to my friends as much as

what anybody was saying on the

school, and home, and giving up the

I could in German, ask them for

soccer team, whether that was

privilege of attending such a great

help with grammar questions that

on the field, in a game, or in the

school like Mulgrave. Because I was

I had, and then apply it whenever

changing room. This was extremely

at Mulgrave for almost 10 years, I

I could (like at a store). This was

difficult and at times demeaning, as

made some incredible relationships

not easy but it was necessary, as

I had no idea what the other players

with other students and teachers

to be successful in soccer I had to

were saying about me or what the

that I have kept to this day.

learn how to speak the language in

coaches wanted me to do. Of course, most of the players could speak some English and would try to help me out; however, in Germany, they refrain from speaking English too

Having no background in German, how did you learn to speak the language fluently in such a short period of time?

often as they want German to be

It was extremely difficult! I had

the primary language. This is simply

to persevere on a daily basis and

their culture; if you live in Germany,

take many risks trying to speak

you must speak German. The first

with the other players. The simple

few months up until the winter

answer to how I did it is that I

break in 2013 was undoubtedly

just had to immerse myself in the

the hardest time for me as I was

German language and culture and

trying to adapt to the language and

break as many barriers as I could

order to communicate on and off the pitch, build closer relationships with people, as well as understand team tactics that would be applied in game situations.

What you went through, making the decision to leave home and follow your passion, is what the rest of your peers are now going through as they graduate from Mulgrave. Do you have any advice for them, given your experience?

ABOVE: Matthew’s Mulgrave School photo.

ABOVE: Matthew and two friends at a Mulgrave Cypress ski trip in 2013.

ABOVE: Matthew at the Alumni Summer Kickoff event in June, 2016.

ABOVE: Matthew and his Mulgrave classmates in G9.

My main piece of advice for them

The caliber of soccer in Europe

like American football or basketball.

would simply be just to do it. Do not

compared to North America is

This difference in the overall

make a decision about your future

extremely different. The differences

culture of soccer is transparent in

based on trying to keep ahold of

come in the coaching, the attitude of

my daily life, as everything on the

things in the past; do what you feel

the players, the professionalism and

news in terms of sport is about

is right and let go. Do not be afraid

the general culture of soccer. The

soccer. Whenever somebody asks

of leaving behind your friends,

most basic difference in Europe is

you, “Are you going to watch the

“

game?”, they are only talking about

family or your home because they will always be there for you to come home to. Looking back on my decision to go to Germany in 2013, it would have been the easiest decision of my life if I were presented with it today. This experience has taught me so many things, not just on the field playing soccer but off the field developing my personality from a teenager into a young adult. It

DO NOT MAKE A DECISION ABOUT YOUR FUTURE BASED ON TRYING TO KEEP AHOLD OF THINGS IN THE PAST; DO WHAT YOU FEEL IS RIGHT AND LET GO.

”

one sport. As a soccer player, this environment really motivates me to become the best I can be as I see how much soccer means to people in Europe. Another difference is the coaching. The coaching in Germany is phenomenal and each coach takes his/her job very seriously.

This also applies to people like the physiotherapists, managers and

has positively affected me and will

that soccer is not considered a sport

the assistants to the head coach,

continue to for the rest of my life.

– it’s a lifestyle. In North America

as everyone puts 100% of their

I get the impression that soccer,

concentration and effort into their

although very popular amongst

work to make the team as successful

younger kids, is just another sport

as they can be. The youth coaches

How does the caliber of soccer compare from N. America to Europe?

“

THE TWO MAIN SKILLS THAT MULGRAVE TAUGHT ME THAT HELPED TO PREPARE ME ARE TO BE ORGANISED AND TO BE A RISK-TAKER.

”

in Germany that I have worked

a sport at such a high level? Do

finish off your homework, and then

with are dedicated to making

you have any advice for a student

going to bed without seeing friends

good players into great players in

interesting in competing at a high

or just relaxing/playing video games

the hopes that they will become

level while taking the IB?

or watching a movie. However, with

professionals in the near future, and for me, this is a big difference.

In Germany, the goal for these academy coaches is not necessarily to have an amazing season and be number one in the league (at a U17 level for example). The bigger goal is to produce professional soccer players who will play in the top leagues around the world. The final difference, but arguably the most important, is in the professionalism in Europe compared to North America. The way the team is run and the effort given to the job from the kit man to the head coach is all done to high standards. On the field, the training is taken very seriously, and there is a system for warm-up, training, and cool-down, and there’s even structure in the details, like who takes the equipment out for the training sessions. The training sessions are run extremely professionally and because of these little details, I find North America is not at the same level as in Europe.

How did you find balancing the demands of the IB while playing

I found balancing the demands of the IB while playing a sport at a high level to be, at many times, difficult yet rewarding. The advice for a student interested in competing at a high level while taking the IB is that you have to have three characteristics: 1. Motivation – You have to be

all of this being said, if you possess these qualities and are 100% sure that this is what you want, at the end of all of it, it is extremely rewarding.

Therefore, for me personally, I would not have done anything differently and am extremely pleased that I have achieved what I have so far in both school and soccer.

motivated on a daily basis, and you

Having been a Mulgravian since Grade

have to give 100% in school and in

1, are there any skills that Mulgrave

sport.

taught you that helped to prepare

2. Organisation – You have to be

you for such an ambitious endeavor?

organised, especially in school, as the IB is extremely demanding. You have to make sure you are on task for assessments and are not leaving them to the last minute.

3. Willingness to sacrifice (especially during Grades 11 and 12) – You have to be willing to sacrifice many things if you want to be successful doing the IB as well as competing at a high level in a particular sport. You may have to sacrifice things like not being able to go to a party on Friday night because you have a game Saturday morning, coming home at 9:00pm after leaving for school at 8:30am to

I think the two main skills that Mulgrave taught me that helped to prepare me are to be organised and to be a risk-taker. Without being organised, I would not be able to balance the demanding IB with my high-level soccer, and therefore, my dream to become a professional soccer player would not happen. Without being a risk-taker, I probably would not have taken that chance all the way back in 2013 to come to a different continent to play soccer. I am very grateful that an amazing school like Mulgrave has taught me these skills, as they have

ABOVE: Matthew with his mom and dad.

ABOVE: Matthew with his brother, Nicholas.

allowed me to reach my full potential

not only as a soccer player but as

What does the fall have in store for

and have given me a chance to make

a person. I owe a lot of what I have

you?

my dreams come true.

achieved to him, too, because he has

Have you had any role models throughout this whole process?

pushed me so that I can reach my full potential in my soccer career.

He is an incredible individual with

My role models throughout this

an amazing amount of spirit that

entire process have got to be my

seems to touch everybody that he

parents. My mom and dad are simply

meets, and I am proud of what he

the greatest parents any kid could

has achieved, too, academically and

ask for, and I am so very privileged

athletically.

for what they have sacrificed in their lives for me to get to this stage in my life. They possess many important characteristics that make them

My dream is to become a professional soccer player in Europe.

While I have worked extremely hard at this, I have also pursued my IB education. This fall, I will be taking a gap year from school so that I can concentrate solely on my soccer career. I will also be keeping my options open for the future by

You’re lucky to have such a loving

applying to universities in the US

and supportive family! Favorite

where I can play NCAA Division I

soccer team?

soccer. Therefore, I will be studying

fantastic people to be around. I can

My favorite soccer team is

only hope that one day I can be as

Manchester United. This has been

great as they are. I owe everything

mine and my other three siblings’

that I achieve to them because

team since day one as a result of our

without them, none of what I have

dad who was born near Manchester

done, or what I will do, could have

and has been supporting them

happened. Another key figure who

since he was a boy. It would be an

is also a role model to me would be

incredible day if I could step onto the

my brother, Nicholas. He has always

pitch one day wearing a Manchester

been there for me, inspiring me

United shirt with ‘Durrans’ on the

on a daily basis in so many ways,

back and play in front of 75,000 fans

as well as consistently critiquing

under the lights of Old Trafford, the

me to make me who I am today,

Theatre of Dreams.

and writing the SAT in the fall of this year. I have also been approached by the Canadian National Soccer Team, discussing my involvement with the national team in the near future.

I am very excited for this coming year, and I hope to accomplish as much as I can, especially in soccer, to fulfil my dream of becoming a professional soccer player.

Matthew Durrans, 2016