Alyssa Synakowski, Sports Features Editor, @synakowsk
First appearing in print August 25, 2014
Clyde Field was buzzing with excitement as fans poured in to see the first ever Division I men’s soccer program in Utah play. For Tyler Brown, hundreds of spectators watching, assessing, and judging his game was nothing new for the experienced midfielder, a former minuteman for the University of Massachusetts.
His knowledge of the game goes much further than the distance between Utah and Massachusetts. Brown comes from a military family that moved to numerous locations in his youth but the majority of his time growing up was spent in Garmisch Patenkirchen, Germany playing soccer for the accomplished Munich International School.
Germany, with Europe in general, is known for being a soccer powerhouse in the world. Brown’s competition that he faced most frequently were his own teammates that competed for the Bayern Munich youth academy.
“There are so many kids that are going pro right out of high school in Europe and Germany,” said Brown. “That prepared me a lot to play at the University of Massachusetts and to come here and bring that experience.”
Brown has the resume and talent for Division I soccer but was often discouraged by doctors who told him playing at any high level was just not in his future.
About 1 in every 1,200 children will be diagnosed with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease – blood supply to the hip joint stops and as a result, the bone cells in the affected area die leaving the femoral head softened, distorted, or even fractured.
Brown is the statistic, that 1 child out of 1,200 to be affected and because of the disease, the growth plate in his left leg stopped growing. His right leg is now 1.5-2 in. longer than his left leg but even so, he is defying the odds and the doctor’s hopeless outlook by simply wearing inserts to correct the difference.
Brown’s dream has always been to play professional soccer and has been working towards that step-by-step. The first step has been checked off his to-do list by playing for the powerhouse MIS Starnberg team in high school.
The commute from his home to school took nearly an hour on bus. The day started early at 6:30 in the morning so he could be in class from 9:00-4:00 p.m. and then when his two hour soccer practice was done each day, he would normally make it home after 7:00 in the evening where he could then hit the books to study for class.
“It’s been worth it. If I didn’t have soccer, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to play here in Utah or anywhere else,” said Brown. “I’m thankful for soccer and everything that my parents sacrificed so that me, my brother, and my siblings could play as well.”
A grateful Brown is now living the dream here at UVU. All the miles driven or flown with his parents to countless tournaments across Europe are worth it because he is now a Wolverine playing Division I soccer once more.
