Though she gained attention for her soccer skills in eighth grade, UCA senior Sydney Brough has played the sport since she was just three years old. 

Her goal from a young age was to play Division I soccer, so as she gained recognition from recruiters, she started attending soccer ID camps to further improve. 

“We had many different D1, D2 and D3 schools come watch us play, including UCA. I began the process of deciding which school was the best fit for me and ultimately decided Conway, Arkansas, was going to be my home for the next four years,” Brough said. 

Brough is from Toronto, Canada, and majors in nutrition science with a management minor. After she graduates, she plans to eventually attend veterinary school. Before then, she’d love to play soccer professionally and spend some time playing in Europe. 

At a young age, Brough participated in a soccer league called Timbits, sponsored by Tim Hortons, a Canadian multinational fast food restaurant chain. 

“I was always the smaller player, so I had to fight for everything. I guess that is where I learned to be aggressive and have tenacity and never give up,” Brough said. 

The soccer player also participated in taekwondo, which helped her develop strength and the ability to focus. 

She managed both sports until she reached an age when they became more serious and required additional effort. 

“I was spending many days with my dad driving between sports and balancing school. Soccer was taking more time as I moved to Rep soccer and was playing a year higher than my age. It was a hard choice as I loved both, but my heart was always in soccer,” Brough said. 

Two main factors motivate Brough daily: her dad and God. Back home in Canada, her dad never missed a game or practice. It’s difficult for Brough not to have her dad in the bleachers for each game now that she’s at UCA, but she knows he’s always watching her games from home.

“My dad has always been my biggest supporter. Before games, I think of him and it motivates me to play for him and everything he has done for me. Stepping off the field without him there is not the best feeling,” Brough said. “Secondly, we play for one which is God. Being at UCA has taught me that God is in everything we do and he is our glory.”

Some of Brough’s most memorable moments include winning an Ontario Player Development League Championship, being captain of the Ontario Provincial team and stepping foot on the UCA soccer field for the first time. 

Since juggling school and soccer, Brough has learned the importance of taking care of herself. For other student-athletes, she recommended making schedules for school and sports activities that include important dates and clear deadlines. 

Brough also recommended communicating with professors early on, making and checking off to-do lists, having a balanced diet, getting plenty of sleep and avoiding procrastination. 

“Since I am not superhuman, I believe that the toughest part is mentally fighting against myself. Since the workload had doubled, I first struggled with it because of the sudden intensity of the school schedule in comparison to my experience in Canada,” Brough said. 

With time, balancing both schoolwork and soccer became easier for Brough.