British students choose the USA for university sport

By George Butler

Photo by Arthur Osipyan on Unsplash

Photo by Arthur Osipyan on Unsplash

In 1946, Winston Churchill branded the relationship between Great Britain and the United States of America as the ‘special relationship’.

Years of military, political, and economical partnership thrusted this relationship into the forefront of future deals between the two international superpowers.

Not only have the two countries thrived upon this relationship, but it has enabled a large influx of British students to cross the Atlantic Ocean to study and play collegiate sport in the USA.

This was highlighted at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 where 22 of Team GB's athletes were former American university or college students.

The American Dream

Anton Mukhin wanted to experience world class facilities and the professional lifestyle whilst gaining his university degree - Photo by Anton Mukhin

When asked about the benefits of going to the USA for sport, Anton Mukhin, 25, who attended the University of Missouri said: "Facilities in the USA at division one level, and even at some division two colleges, it’s ridiculous.

"You compare it to Loughborough for example, which has one of the best facilities in England, you come here, and it is on par if not better even at division two level.

"I looked at it and thought, if things go right, I'll have no university debt, I'm going to experience a new culture, and I'm going to have a degree at the end of it which sounded like a win win for me."

Alex Bamford feels the facilities and university system plays a major role in attracting British talent to the USA - Photo by Austin O'Connor via Instagram

Alex Bamford, 20, plays football for Marshall University.

He feels young athletes are better off in the US college system than in the British university system.

Bamford said: "I think the college system in the US is far superior to the British university system especially when it comes to football.

"Most people tend to believe it is the other way round, however, those in the system who have experience both will definitely tell you the quality, facilities and opportunities in the US are second to none across the board and are honestly incomparable to any UK university."

Bayley Campbell concentrates on sport and studying whilst the university takes care of nutrition and physiotherapy - Photo by Justin Kaplan via Instagram

Bayley Campbell, 22, has an athletics scholarship at the University of Oklahoma.

Campbell said: "I feel that the facilities and the infrastructure surrounding the university sports teams are unmatched.

"I go and train, eat and get treatment at elite facilities that many professional sports team in the UK will struggle to compete with.

"I have everything planned and sorted for me, with nutrition having a consistent supply of protein shakes and energy snacks.

"I can get treatment immediately and scans within a few days of the initial injury."

Scholarship Opportunities

With 180,000 sport scholarships on offer in the USA per year, the opportunity to access high level sport whilst at university is high.

Combined with the opportunity to play, is the opportunity to experience playing on live television.

Bamford said: "The opportunity to travel across the country, playing football in front of thousands of fans while being televised on ESPN is an incredibly special privilege that I’m very grateful for and one that I couldn’t recommend more.

"For me there was only two or three really good football Universities in Britain all of which
would have thousands of kids from all types of footballing backgrounds.

"Most top universities will have a training facility, a gym specific to football, a nutrition centre and a physio room.

"All of these create a professional environment which lead to a higher performance culture that is special to be a part of."

Top universities in the USA are always looking for top talent from the UK, and those that have experienced success here can expect to find programmes that support their ambition.

Mukhin said: "I think now the American colleges are turning a lot more to guys that have come from academies in Britain.

"They are looking for those that are used to amazing facilities because they can offer the same thing.

"It makes players not feel like they have gone down a grade by leaving football in the UK."

Anton Mukhin feels university facilities in the UK pale in comparison to those in the USA

Campbell added: "I’m using elite facilities, but the
scholarship system is a bigger factor because I am able to be a full-time athlete and get an
education.

"Scholarships make you want to come to the USA but the facilities influence you where you will go.

"The collegiate system helps by allowing the athlete to fund training and help injury management."

“There is so much money in collegiate athletics here in America, and that is more down to the way the public views the sport here.”

The American Draft Systems

The USA boasts a draft system which enables professional sports teams to select the best talent from universities and colleges.

The National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and the National Hockey League (NHL), are considered to be the major leagues in the USA.

They have their own version of the draft system which they have used for many years.

The NFL draft dates back to 1936, the NBA draft began in 1947, with the NHL draft not starting until 1963.

Finally, the MLB draft was first undertaken in 1965.

Both Mukhin and Campbell believe the British university system can learn from the American draft process.

Mukhin described how it could be the chance for people to go back into professional sport.

Campbell added: "It would work if the academy system was replaced with a university system where players would attend a university of choice and after two or three years, they would then be eligible to enter the draft and be signed."

However, Bamford feels there would need to be a big cultural change would need to take place in the UK in order to implement a similar system.

Bamford said: "For example, there is no drinking throughout the season and the schedule is so tight that your whole day centres around football.

"Whereas the drinking culture is so embedded in UK universities that you would be in the minority if you weren't getting pissed most nights.

"On the other hand, you would certainly be in the minority at the top programmes here in the US."

Going Pro

The ultimate goal for any athlete in the American collegiate system is to turn professional.

However, Campbell feels athletes in the UK struggle to bridge the gap from youth sport to the professional stage when compared to younger athletes at the same stage in the USA.

Campbell said: "It can take a few years to adjust to the senior level and being able to fund training full time and remain injury free can be difficult.

"I feel British universities can learn from the system because in the USA, the university treats the teams and athletes as professional athletes with the training, nutrition and treatment.

"The athlete is better prepared for the next step and the level of competition is a lot more competitive."

Campbell feels young athletes in the USA are better prepared for the professional ranks due to their time within the American collegiate system - *Photo by* *Justin Kaplan* *via Instagram*

Campbell feels young athletes in the USA are better prepared for the professional ranks due to their time within the American collegiate system - *Photo by* *Justin Kaplan* *via Instagram*

Mukhin has spent time in the US both playing and coaching football, and he supports the claim that the US university system can be a platform for British players to turn professional.

Mukhin said: "I think there is a very big possibility that if you come from a good footballing background, there is a good chance of making it pro at a good level compared to England, especially at the start of your career."

However, with some sports there are still some hurdles for young athletes to clear.

Bamford said: "There are some complications surrounding the route to professional sport.

"It is more than possible at the right place, it mostly depends on the university you are playing at and the success you enjoy over the four years you spend there.

"Marshall won the division 1 national championship the year before I arrived which brought through an incredible
amount of attention to the program and resulted in 8 of the starting XI signing pro contracts a year later.

"The only potential difficulty is the rules surrounding international players.

"Across the three professional football leagues in the US all teams are only allowed to register a certain number of international players (players from outside the US).

"In general, there are around eight international places in a full squad so therefore the system heavily favours homegrown players as clubs will mainly reserve their international spots for their best
players.

"This is a major obstacle for international players that I hope will be altered in the next coming years, yet still the path is there if you’re good enough.

Bamford feels the route to professional football in the US is tough, but more forgiving than in the UK - *Photo by* *Austin O'Connor* *via instagram*

Bamford feels the route to professional football in the US is tough, but more forgiving than in the UK - *Photo by* *Austin O'Connor* *via instagram*

"I feel like in the UK the pyramid is much less forgiving and if you’re not playing at an academy at 18 the chances of you signing a professional contract is not impossible but difficult with how the leagues are set up.

"The professional teams in the US look directly at the best college teams when recruiting which highlights the clear pathway."