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Bucelle.  A "student athlete" in America, he enters football

Bucelle. A “student athlete” in America, he enters football

It is no exaggeration to describe the life course of Beauzellois François Basty, son of Alain Basty, president of the association La Foulée beauzelloise, as extraordinary and inspiring to young people. Currently a project manager at a large company, François Basti completed his university career in the United States combining studies and high-level soccer coaching.

How did you come to study and act in America?

After college in Blacknock, I joined a training center in Niort for football training while continuing my studies at Saint-Cernin High School in Toulouse. Then I did a year at Stops. During this year, I found this opportunity to go to America for a sports company, even if it focuses more on tennis.

Why America and not another country?

I was good at football but I wasn’t ready to stop my studies to devote myself fully to it. American courses are the best, they offer the highest university sports level and a secondary diploma, thanks to organized schedules.

How did you apply?

I sent a video of my soccer training and also had to take English language tests (Toefl and SAT). I went to England for a year to improve my English and pass the exam. Better grades, bigger scholarships.

What was next for you?

Many universities are interested in my profile. My choice fell on Green Bay, Wisconsin. While playing on the college football team, I enrolled in a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Was it difficult to reconcile the two?

As a “student athlete,” everything is done to ensure you succeed through coaches, work teams, flexible schedules. If the student abandons his studies or does not get good grades, he will be ineligible to play or lose his scholarship. But more than 90% students pass.

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How did you find the American Football approach?

A university term is short: it starts in August and ends with finals in November or December. Their approach is more athletic than technical, even though they have tried to outdo European technicians over the years.

What path did you take after 4 years of study?

I had a lot of physical ailments. After graduating, I moved to Chicago for 2 years to pursue a Masters in Business Administration. I also got a coaching license, which allowed me to coach a Division 3 soccer team. I went back to France after several surgeries and decided to stay.

What do you take away from this American experience and what message do you want to convey to the youth?

It was such an enriching experience that I wanted to pursue something different. Together with a friend, David Snotty, we created an organization called Horizon Life Sport to help young European athletes like me get scholarships to move to America. For young people who are attracted to this football/study course, I tell them that English is a must and they should not be afraid.