TicketsBearcat to Watch: Tim Brown
9/2/2003
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by Shawn Sell, Asst. Sports Information Director
Throughout his soccer career, Cincinnati senior Tim Brown has made a habit of making his dreams come true. The Wellington, New Zealand native has not only been able to suit up for the Bearcats over the past three seasons, but he has also been afforded a chance to represent his country in under-22 matches around the world.
Brown?s most recent exploits in international play came this past May when he made an appearance with New Zealand?s under-22 national team in a match against Japan. He made the most of his opportunity, playing the entire second half of the match.
?I think it is the ultimate to be selected to play for your country and I am very excited to be chosen,? Brown said prior to the match.
As one would expect, Brown?s path to Cincinnati was far from routine. Brown committed to the Bearcats through a ?leap of faith,? making the decision to come to UC without the benefit of a visit.
?I knew a couple of New Zealanders that had gone through the collegiate system and it worked out well for them,? he says. ?I just made up my mind that I wanted to come to the States and things just started to happen here. I talked to (former UC head coach) Jeff Cook here and he impressed me a great deal. It was just a gut instinct to come here and its worked out great so far.?
When Brown made the move to Cincinnati, he brought with him former teammate Sacha Nathu, who joined him in a Bearcat uniform for his first three seasons. The pipeline from New Zealand to Cincinnati continued a year later when Brown got the UC coaches interested in a familiar face in Brown?s life, current UC teammate Wiremu ?Woody? Patrick.
?Woody?s my best mate,? Brown says with a smile. ?After my first year, I told the coaches, you have to get a hold of this guy because he?s a quality talent. Woody lived just down the road from me back home and it?s been great to have him over here. It made the transition here a bit easier.?
That?s not to say Brown?s had a tough time that far away from home. Brown is quick to credit members of his team and the university community for making him and his fellow countrymen feel at home in the United States.
?Everyone here has just been so good to us,? he says. ?There just have been no problems.?
Well, maybe there has been one small issue for Brown and company.
?The food here is a little bit suspect,? Brown says with a wry smile. ?That Skyline Chili business, I can?t handle that. Back home we eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fresh meat, where as here everything is processed like 50 times.?
After three years of getting accustomed to the lifestyle of America, Brown is squarely focused on helping the Bearcats achieve a level of success not known by many previous UC?s teams. The Bearcats hit their stride at just the right time last season, just missing an invitation to the NCAA tournament after falling in the championship game of the Conference USA tournament.
?I came here and we still haven?t won anything, like a conference championship,? Brown said. This year we just have to win something as a team. It?s nice to get all-conference selections and all that stuff, but at the end of the day your judged by what your team wins. This year with the right attitude and dedication, which I think we?ve already shown in the preseason, I think we have the opportunity to win the conference championship and get into the NCAA?s. If we get there, you never know what?s going to happen.?
With all but one starter returning from last season?s C-USA runner-up, the chances would seem good for UC to take the program to the next level. But according to Brown, the Bearcats? biggest hindrance in that battle might be themselves.
?I don?t think there are any obstacles that we won?t put up ourselves,? he says. ?We just have to be confident in our abilities and bring hard work and dedication to every single game and training session. If we turn out to play every day, I can?t see us being any less than successful with the quality of players that we have.?
Unlike some college students, Brown is quite sure about what he wants to do when his college days are over and it comes as no surprise that it involves playing soccer.
?My dream is to play soccer as long as I can and I hope to do it in the States,? he says. ?I would love a shot at the MLS (Major League Soccer), but there are a lot of kids that would like that same shot. If you work hard and play well, those things will take care of themselves.?
If in a couple of years, you see Tim Brown?s name gracing the roster of an MLS team, don?t be surprised, it?s just Tim making another dream come. After all he?s made a habit of it.