Stefan J Collins
Repawter: Lisa Greener
Hello, Stefan. Can you please tell us a little bit about your book?
My new book details the process of how students from the UK and Europe can earn scholarships to play their sport in the United States and study towards earning a bachelor's degree.
I'd looked into the process very early on and by the time I was 16 I had a pretty good understanding of what I needed to earn a scholarship.
There were so many things I didn't know, that inspired me to write this book. I cover all the information you'll need to do in order to get the attention of college coaches, what the expectations are from you as a college athlete, what the academic requirements are, and what it's like being a student athlete, and what the experience of being a student in America is like in general.
When did you decide that you wanted a career in American sports?
I knew I wanted to play college football in America at a young age. I think I was either eight or nine, by which time I was very much obsessed with American football and I knew that I wanted to play in the NFL when I was older.
Were there many opportunities to play in the UK before you went to America?
Yes, there were opportunities to play in the UK before I went to America. Nowhere near as many opportunities as there are for kids in the UK today.
Was it difficult to convince your family that you were serious?
Not in the slightest. Thankfully my dad had a very good understanding of what the process was to play college football and he believed it was a realistic goal. He knew how hard I worked and how seriously I took the training.
Did the sport goal change as you got older or was it always the same?
The goal was always to play college football. It started off as wanting to play for a big division one team. I always watch Notre Dame play on TV. Notre Dame is one of the most popular and prestigious universities in the US. So I wanted to play for them.
I never had the chance. But by setting a bar that high, I ended up with numerous offers to play for other teams. And if you read the book, you'll discover it at University where I eventually ended up playing, we had NFL scouts to come to our games.
Did you break many bones during your college and university career?
Thankfully, I never had any serious injuries. When I lived in Bristol I jammed the joints together in my right hand and couldn't make a fist for several weeks but I was still able to play. I tore a ligament in my ankle that sidelined me for about six weeks. In America that I think the worst thing that happened was I got hit by somebody in the ribs with the helmet.
What was the biggest adjustment you had to make in the states?
I think the biggest adjustment was probably getting used to the academic system they use. I had to take numerous classes which didn't have a lot to do with business but some of them I found quite difficult but there was others which I really enjoyed and I think it definitely broadened my horizon once I got used to them.
What was the biggest culture shock over there?
So, culture shock is an interesting one. I travelled to America so many times prior to going to college there that I wasn't overly shocked by that much of the culture.
One thing I will say, which is very specific to the university I went to, living in a small town with a lack of people and a lack of public transport and not having a car was definitely a culture shock.
I was heavily reliant on my friends to drive me to places I needed to go to and if they weren't available then I'd feel quite stranded. If I could redo that experience I would have bought a cheap car.
What did you miss the most about the UK?
The thing I missed most about the UK were definitely my friends and family. I frequently spoke on the phone to my family and friends, which is definitely one of the best things about modern technology. I can't imagine what it would have been like to go through the same experience 20 years earlier and not be able to FaceTime them whenever I wanted.
What was the most unexpected experience you had over there?
It was being on a spring break trip in Florida in March 2020. I was sitting on a beach with a few of my friends and I checked my phone to see hundreds of notifications telling me that our college cancelled classes until further notice because of the corona virus pandemic. A few days later I had to get the last flight available to London and all I had was whatever I packed with me for my beach holiday in Miami, so not ideal clothing for the UK.
Which sport do you enjoy playing the most now?
Overall, I guess it has to be American football still, although I do love baseball as well. And if I'm just playing casually with my friends, golf is great, but it has to still be American football. Yeah.
What does the future hold for you now? What direction would you like to go in?
I love writing, I love journalism, and I love sports. If this book sells really well, then I'd love to write another book and at some point, I'd really like to move back to America and work in sports over there.
Is this your first book?
Yes, this is my first book. When I was younger, I attempted to write a few fictional stories. I think they turned out okay, but I never got around to finishing them properly. I found out when I got older that I was far better at writing nonfiction, mainly sports based nonfiction.
How long did it take you to write it?
By the time I'd finished the first draft and then gone through the second draft, read through it and made the necessary changes, it took around a year and a half and then about six months of editing with my publisher, Lisa, after that.
Do you have other books in the pipeline?
So, I have a few more ideas in mind for books I could do in the future. There were so many outtakes from the first draft of this book that I could probably put them all together and just form another book right here
There's a few other ideas I have in mind, too, but I'll keep them to myself just for the time being until I'm ready to announce them.
