Chris Galea could walk around the streets of Moonee Valley without fans approaching him when he was playing soccer for the Essendon Royals earlier this year.
But it’s not the case in Port Angeles, Washington, where Galea is a member of the title-winning Peninsula College soccer team.
Galea, 19, is back in Australia this month after completing his first season with the community college in the Pacific North West of America. It was a successful one for Peninsula, winning the soccer title in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC).
Galea is one of half a dozen Australians offered places at Peninsula to fill their soccer team this year.
“We live in an apartment complex close to the college; most of the team does,” Galea said. “During the season you train every day except for Sunday, and when classes aren’t on sometimes twice a day.”
Galea and Peninsula were partnered up by NSR Australia, a Melbourne-based company that links potential college athletes with American programs.
Galea had graduated high school at St Bernards College in 2011 and spent one year at university in Australia studying digital media and design.
He had broken into the Essendon Royals senior team, starting last season in FFV state league 4 west before the move stateside.
“I liked the look of the whole [Peninsula] program,” Galea said.
“They were winners last year, it looked like an exciting adventure.
“It’s a really international team. There are the Australians but also Mexican and Brazilian players. I think it’s a good team.
“I think I’ve definitely improved as a player, especially mentally with training being an everyday thing; it’s not like back home.
“When we’re at school all the soccer players stick together. We’re always playing and training, even now without the coaching.” Having had a taste of college soccer life, Galea is now hoping to transfer from his community college and attain a place in the big league, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
“After two years the idea is to transfer,” Galea said. “Major in whatever you want to major in and see what offers you get. It’s as much about the education as the soccer…soccer is very big here, particularly this part of the country with the club [professional] teams and the [NCAA] division 1 colleges.
“When I was playing at Royals I was happy, but this has changed [expectations] a bit.”
The college year finishes next April and will be followed by a new soccer season, where Galea will be classified as a sophomore.
“I played a lot of minutes for a freshman. Coming back as a sophomore next year there will be more opportunities.
“I played on the left and right wing, just trying to get minutes and do some hard work, get the coaches’ trust.”
Peninsula beat Clark 1-0 in the NWAACC final last month. Galea, being a freshman, didn’t see game time in the final.
While some American institutions pride themselves on gridiron or basketball, at Peninsula it’s the soccer players who are the big men on campus.
“I couldn’t tell you what our crowds are, but at the games it’s loud,” Galea said.
“There are newspapers, the games are covered online, people in the town here know the players and the team. Just yesterday, I was at the local store wearing a tracksuit with the Peninsula colours and people were saying ‘well done’ on winning the championship.”
With the games being shown on the web, Galea’s father Martin, a previous senior coach of the Essendon Royals, has been watching online. “He’s watched every game he could,” Galea said.
“I know my mum and sister miss me a lot. But I’m doing OK.”
