International attraction

When Daniel Vidal came to Ball State University in the fall of 2004, he was lost.

"I didn't know where classes were and what to do in class," he said. "I was afraid to speak out loud when people were asking where you are from and what your major is.

"Just knowing I was from a different place, people would look at you weird."

Vidal was thrown into a new environment. He wasn't used to the weather, the college-town atmosphere or speaking English all the time. He got homesick.

"I didn't want to be here," he said. "I got cold, I was depressed."

Three-and-a-half years later, the senior men's tennis player from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico is scheduled to graduate in May, but he isn't sure he is ready to go back home.

RECRUITING

For more than 20 years, men's tennis coach Bill Richards said, the team used to play host to a huge international tournament. Athletes from all around the world came to the tournament and from that a connection was formed, Richards said.

In the early 1990s, players at the tournament from Puerto Rico began to show interest in playing for Ball State, Richards said. Ball State was also interested in the players and from that mutual interest a long lasting relationship formed between the Ball State men's tennis team and Puerto Rican players, Richards said. For almost 20 years now, the Cardinals have had at least one Puerto Rican on the roster each year, he said.

Of the 18 intercollegiate athletics teams at Ball State, almost half of them were represented by athletes not from the United States during the 2007-2008 school year. Sixteen individuals from six countries, including the United States' territory of Puerto Rico, represent seven of the Cardinals' teams.

The women's tennis team is tied with the men's tennis team for the most players from outside of the United States with four each. The women's team has three players from Australia and one from England this season, the most international players in the history of the program, coach Kathy Bull said.

"My personal philosophy is always to try to keep a good balance [of international and domestic players]," she said.

The most difficult part about recruiting players from overseas is scouting them, Bull said. When she gets players from other countries, she said, she doesn't get to see them play in person before they commit to Ball State. Because of the difficulty of scouting, she said, it is hard to know how good a player actually is.

"It's a bit of a gamble," Bull said.

Not only is there a gamble for the team, there is also a gamble for the athlete, Bull said. Most of the players who come to Ball State from other countries do not get to visit before they make their decision of what university to attend, she said.

The women's tennis player from England, Emma Retter, said she relied on the Internet to get a feel for what Ball State is like before committing. She was also able to talk to Bull on the phone, she said.

A lot of the potential recruits use Internet searches to contact her and show interest, Bull said, and the Internet has become the best source in recruiting international athletes.

Because she does not have the budget to go overseas, Bull said, she relies on DVDs and YouTube to watch players she has never seen play in person.

Track and field coach Randy Heisler said his sport makes it easier to recruit players from abroad.

"In our current technological state we're in, it's not that hard at all," he said.

Unlike other sports in which players have to be judged against the level of competition they're facing, Heisler said, track is based purely on statistics. He used the analogy that 19 feet in another country is the same as 19 feet in the United States.

"If you're good in the middle of the Ukraine, you're good wherever you're at," Heisler said.

Finding students who can help on the field is easy, Heisler said. Finding students who have a good academic background and want to come to the United States is the hard part, he said.

Women's golf coach Katherine Mowat, who is from Burlington, Ontario in Canada, said recruiting players to come to the United States is made easier by the fact that it is the natural progression if they want to continue playing golf after high school.

"In some cases, I find Canadians easier to recruit because I played junior golf in Canada," she said.

Instead of struggling to get them to come to the United States, Mowat said, the struggle is to convince them that they do not have to go to a warm-weather state.

"My challenge is to prove you don't have to be in Florida or Tennessee to be successful," Mowat said.

Bull also said it can be a challenge to convince athletes that Muncie will be the right place for them.

"Almost every young person in the world has heard of Chicago, Los Angeles and New York," she said. "So it's more of a challenge [to get them to come to Muncie]."

To convince players that Ball State is right for them, Bull said, she is truthful about what it is like in Muncie. She said she sells the education of Ball State, the high graduation rate that her team has had and the success of the individual.

Also, the presence and success of international players on her team has helped in the recruiting process of other international athletes, Bull said.

Richards said his players from Puerto Rico do some of his recruiting for him.

"It's really about players recruiting players more than coaches recruiting players," he said.

Vidal said he was the leader in getting his three current Puerto Rican teammates to come to Ball State.

He said he knew Jorge Rodriguez since he was 10 years old and convinced him to visit Ball State. When Rodriguez got here, he fell in love with it and transferred, Vidal said.

The recruitment of Jose Perdomo was similar to that of Rodriguez, Vidal said. With the three players from Puerto Rico at Ball State, they were able to convince Eduardo Pavia to join the Cardinals despite him receiving offers from some of the best teams in the NCAA, Vidal said.

"We were all friends back home," Vidal said. "It's not like we just met here."

CONTROVERSY

Like Ball State, almost every men's tennis team in the NCAA has international players, Richards said.

"In men's tennis, you can't compete at a high level without international players," he said.

Although there is a large number of international athletes competing for men's tennis teams in the NCAA, Richards said, the subject is very sensitive and controversial. People from the United States are worried about positions on collegiate teams being occupied by foreigners, he said.

"Here in the United States, people are putting all kinds of time and money into careers in junior tennis and you have all these international players coming, and it limits the number of opportunities," Richards said.

It has not been a big issue with Ball State and its Puerto Rican players, Richards said, because they are considered American citizens when they come to the United States, because Puerto Rico is an American territory.

Bull said on the women's tennis side, parents also are concerned that international athletes are taking positions away from American players.

Mowat said the controversy of foreign athletes taking positions from Americans at the collegiate level is not limited to tennis.

"I'm definitely aware of the controversy," she said. "I know that people do have a problem with that."

Mowat said she makes it a priority to recruit local talent before looking internationally. With new recruits, she said, she will have five players on her roster from Indiana next year.

Bull also said it is her priority to start her recruiting process with local talent. She said she first focuses on Indiana players, then expands to the Midwest and entire United States before recruiting international players.

However, sometimes it is required that she looks abroad for talent, Bull said.

"If something happens late, international is probably the best bet," she said.

When something occurs late in the recruiting process that requires a new recruit to come in, Bull said, she sometimes has to focus on international players because the Americans have already committed to collegiate teams.

Vidal, who said he had committed to a Puerto Rican school before even considering coming to the United States, was a late addition to the Cardinals.

He said he thinks there are not enough foreign players in NCAA athletics.

"Coaches should recruit more in Puerto Rico," Vidal said. "There's a lack of international students, at least athletes, and I just don't know why."

BENEFITS

A common sentiment between the Ball State coaches with international athletes on their rosters is it is not only beneficial to the international players, but also to their American teammates.

"The neat thing about having all the international players involved in a particular sport is it definitely gives the American players an opportunity to be involved with individuals from other countries," Richards said.

Mowat said having players from different cultures enhances the experience for everyone on the team as they all get to learn about different cultures.

"My team really embraces the cultural differences between them," she said.

Vidal said having international players helps his teammates expand their minds. His teammates ask him what the differences are between the United States and Puerto Rico, he said.

Sophie Quist, who is one of three Australians on the women's tennis team, said even the players from the same countries bring different experiences, because they grew up in different areas and went to different schools. Even her teammate Haly Calderwood, who also grew up in Sydney, Australia, brings different experiences to the team than her, she said.

"We're all quite similar but everybody brings individual experiences from different parts of world," she said.

Retter said the Cardinals, while from different parts of the world, are brought together by their love for tennis.

"It makes it more interesting when we're all from different countries," she said. "We all bring something different to the team."

The experience of getting to know people from other parts of the world and their cultures not only expands players minds, Quist said, it also makes them want to learn more about other cultures beyond just their teammates.

"It kind of makes the whole team want to do a little bit of traveling, she said.

ADJUSTMENTS

With a legal drinking age in the United States of 21 years old compared to 18 in Australia, Quist said she has had to adjust some of her social habits since arriving at Ball State.

"You have a different party style," she said. "I've been legal for a couple years there but not quite here."

Most of the adjustments needed to transition to life away from home, Quist said, she made in high school.

"I've lived away from home quite a bit," she said. "So I didn't find adjusting difficult in that respect."

Before Quist came to the United States to play tennis for Ball State, she went to boarding school in Australia and spent time at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona, Spain. The time away from home while in high school made the adjustment to life in the United States easier, she said.

Like Quist, Richards said a lot of men's tennis players learn to adjust prior to coming to college as they compete internationally in high school. The transition is also made easier when they come to Ball State in the fall, before the spring season begins, he said.

"For the most part, if players come in the Fall Semester I think the transition is relatively easy," he said.

Although the transition is easier, it is still always difficult for students to be thousands of mile away from home, he said.

Retter said she is able to call home a couple times a week, and being part of a team provides support that makes the adjustment easier. Playing a sport also makes the adjustment easier in other ways, she said.

"When I first got here, sometimes you're just so busy you don't even think about missing home," Retter said.

Bull said the transition is also easier for players who are from places Ball State gets a lot of its international athletes because the cultures are similar. Places like England and Australia share a lot of the same music, clothing and food as the United States, she said.

One of the biggest differences she has seen, Bull said, is the difference in education. International players are often used to one test at the end of the semester instead of multiple tests and quizzes throughout it, she said.

Retter said the entire schooling system is different in the United States than in England. In England there are no core classes, she said. Also, she said Ball State is huge.

In addition to the schools, the sports are not as big in England, Retter said. In the United States there is a lot more money put into them and the training and competition are more intense than in England, she said.

Vidal said Puerto Rico is more laid back than the United States. He said he prefers the Puerto Rican style but doesn't mind the American way.

Quist said the collegiate sports are more team oriented than what she was used to and she likes the team mentality.

"Not only are you winning for yourself, you got a whole other group to support," she said.

While there are differences like which side of the road people drive on, Quist said, the people from home are a lot like Americans.

"Everyone here is the same as at home," she said, "here to have fun and work hard."

Quist also said the environment is a lot different in Muncie than in Australia. She said she grew up near the beach, but she does like the smaller country town of Muncie.

Heisler said the players who come to the United States to compete can often make the adjustments easier than others would because of their character.

Athlete Profiles

Canada

Brooke MacGillivarySophomore, Field HockeyIn her first year as a starter for the field hockey team in 2007, Brook MacGillivary earned first team All-MAC honors. The forward and midfielder from North Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada was the second in the conference in goals scored this past season with 15. In the 15-goal season, the sophomore had four games with multiple goals, including a career day in which she had four goals against Kent State. In the 2007 season MacGillivary had half of Ball State's goals and three times as many as the next person on the team.

Paige EsfordSophomore, Women's GolfAt the Shootouts at the Legends this past fall, Paige Esford led the Ball State women's golf team individually with a three-round score of 226. The sophomore from Kingston, Ontario in Canada tied for seventh at the event, the best finish of her fall season. In all five of Ball State's fall event, she finished in the top five individuals for the Cardinals. In 11 rounds she averaged a 79.45 during the fall season, which was fourth among the six Ball State golfers. Her low round of the season was a 73, which she accomplished twice.

Amy Roberts Sophomore, Women's GolfIn her freshman year with the Ball State women's golf team, Amy Roberts finished third on the team during the spring season with a with an average round of 83.46 The golfer from Toronto, Canada, now a sophomore, began the fall season for the Cardinals with a 77 at the Thunder Golf Invitational, the best score at the event. She finished the fall season with a 78.81 average round, the third best for Ball State. In the team's five fall events, Roberts finished in the Cardinals' top three all but one time.

Puerto Rico

Jose Perdomo Junior, Men's TennisOf the Ball State men's tennis team's 12 dual matches this spring, Jose Perdomo has anchored the singles play at the No. 1 position two-thirds of the time. At No. 1 singles, the junior from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico is 4-4, and he is 1-2 at the No. 2 position. In the fall Perdomo went 7-7, including a pair of wins at the Polo Ralph Lauren ITA All-American Championship. Last year he made first team All-MAC for the regular season and was also the All-MAC Tournament Team. His 12-11 record last spring was third best for the Cardinals.

Jorge Rodriguez Junior, Men's TennisThough he saw little action last year in singles play for the men's tennis team, Jorge Rodriguez went 14-10 in doubles play as a sophomore, including a 4-1 mark in the conference. This year the junior from San Juan, Puerto Rico is 4-7 in singles play and 7-5 with three partners in doubles play. In singles, he has played at the No. 4, 5 and 6 spots. In the fall Rodriguez went 9-5 in singles play for Ball State, including a win against a Big Ten opponent. Rodriguez is the older brother of gymnast Bibiana Rodriguez.

Eduardo Pavia Freshman Men's TennisWhen he came to Ball State this year, Eduardo Pavia brought his No. 42 rating in the United States among high school tennis players. Pavia was eligible for the national rating because he is from Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. He began his freshman year 5-0 with a championship at the Ball State Invite Flight A in the fall. He is 5-6 this spring as an individual and has played all 11 of his matches as one of the top two Cardinals. He also teamed with three other Cardinals in doubles play this spring.

Daniel Vidal Senior, Men's TennisOne year ago Daniel Vidal was on the sidelines for the men's tennis team with a broken ankle. A year after the medical redshirt, the senior from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico has a 5-1 singles record, the best winning percentage among the Cardinals. Vidal Is 2-0 at the No. 5 position and 3-1 at No. 6 singles this season. He has also teamed with five teammates at points throughout the season in doubles play. In the two years prior to his ankle injury, Vidal had a 17-15 singles record. This past fall he went 9-4 in singles play for the Cardinals.

Australia

Georgina ThomsonFreshman, Women's TennisIn her first fall season at Ball State, Georgina Thomson went 5-7 for the Cardinals. The freshman from Sydney, Australia won her first collegiate match at the Ball State Fall Invitational. Through the first nine meets this spring season, Thomson had the second best winning percentage on the team with a 6-3 record. She is one of three Cardinals to compete in the first nine meets and the lone of the three to post a winning record through nine meets. She was also in the first nine in doubles, also with a winning record.

Sophie QuistSophomore, Women's TennisBefore coming to the United States to play tennis at Ball State, Sophie Quist left her home country of Australia for Spain in high school to train at the Sanchez-Casal Academy. Quist went 10-10 last year, her first season with Ball State, while playing in the top three spots for Ball State. Her play earned her a spot on the All-MAC second team, as she went 5-3 in singles play in the conference. This year the sophomore has anchored the Cardinals' single play at the No. 1 spot, in which she went 4-4 in the Cardinals' first eight matches.

England

Kirsty O'ConnorSophomore, Women's GolfIn her second invitational in the spring season with the Ball State women's golf team, Kirsty O'Connor got her first collegiate win. The sophomore from Burnley, Lancashire, which is in the United Kingdom, tied with teammate Sarah Windlan as the champion of the Butler Spring Invitational with a two-round score of 156. Her season average score of 82.06 was the second best on the team behind Kallie Harrison's 80.06. She won the MAC Tournament Preview this past fall and finished second on the team with an average round of 77.63.

Romania

Germany

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