Many athletes must overcome adversity in
order to reach their ultimate goals. For
senior defender Matt Kuehl, adversity early on in his soccer career became the
driving force behind success.
Kuehl began playing soccer when he was
five years old. By the time he reached
high school, however, he would come face-to-face with the first obstacles of
his young career.
A higher level of play and a shaky
relationship with his team's head coach all but killed Kuehl's love of the game.
“Even before high school, I was one of
the top players for my club,” Kuehl said. “But I didn't appreciate it, I didn't try in
practice; I didn't feel like I had to. Then
in high school I didn't get the playing time.”
When Kuehl graduated from Hononegah High
School in 2006, he had ruled out playing college soccer.
“I was extremely discouraged,” Kuehl
said. “I never wanted to see a soccer ball again.”
Kuehl took a position as an assistant
mechanic for a company in Rockford, Ill., the summer after graduation. He spent three years away from soccer until an
opportunity of chance presented itself when he enrolled in John A. Logan
College in Carbondale, Ill.
Kuehl's roommate during his time at John
A. Logan was a random assignment who just so happened to play for Southern
Illinois University Carbondale's intramural soccer team. The team was short a few players, so Kuehl
agreed to step in.
“I went out and played a couple times
and the coach came up to me and told me I should be playing somewhere other
than an intramural tournament in Carbondale,” Kuehl said. “I called my mom that night and said, 'I know
I have to do this, I know I need to play soccer.'”
Kuehl made the decision to seek out a
spot on an NCAA Division III team. His
search landed him at Kishwaukee College in Malta, Ill.
“I didn't do anything as far as training
for a sport in three years,” Kuehl said. “Preseason was the hardest thing that year. My coach pushed me really hard because he knew
my capabilities. But I just remember coming
home from practice most days feeling so happy. I knew that's what I was supposed to be
doing.”
After spending his freshman year of
eligibility at Kishwaukee, Kuehl had completely turned his game around. He was ready to pursue a higher level of
competition and set his sights on joining a Division I program.
With the guidance of his Kishwaukee
coach, Josh Woita, Kuehl played several prospective players camps in northern
Illinois, despite some negative feedback from a few D1 coaches.
“It made me want it more,” Kuehl said. “When someone tells you that you can't do
something that you really want, it just makes you want it that much more and it
motivates you.”
When he graduated from Kishwaukee in
December of 2010, Kuehl came in contact with recruiters from Bradley. His style of play fit well into the program,
and he worked his way into the starting lineup by the fall season of 2011.
“It was hard to jump onto a team,” Kuehl
said. “I was treated like a freshman
only I was 22, 23 years old. But once my
first semester was over I got to know a lot of the guys and I really enjoyed my
spring season. Things have just been
getting better and better.”
Now in the middle of his senior season
with the Braves, Kuehl is preparing to graduate in December with a degree in
sociology. As for post-graduation plans,
he hopes to continue on in the sport he has grown so much in.
“Even if it's not playing professional
soccer, I want to stay in the sports field,” Kuehl said.
As for his decision to join the Bradley
squad, Kuehl couldn't be more pleased.
“My experience here so far has been a
good one,” Kuehl said. “I've learned a
lot and I've been pushed the way I wanted to be pushed. It's what I was promised and that's what I've
gotten. It's definitely been a journey. I wouldn't ever take it back, I'm happy with
the way it all turned out.”
You can catch Matt Kuehl and the rest of
the Braves Wednesday at 6 p.m. when they take on nationally-ranked Northwestern
at Shea Stadium.
