The Impact Sussex Had On My Life.

Sam Dunn, an international player from Australia, came to the United States to study and play soccer. Coach Vernacchio recruited Sam for the men's team and believes Sam's story is exactly what the program is always striving to help their players achieve. Vernacchio said,  "Sam's story each year is one that I always tell. It is a story of perseverance, dedication and sacrifice. As cliché as it might sound, I watched Sam mature from a boy to a man. I feel fortunate to have coached Sam and now seeing where he is in his life, I couldn't be more proud."

When Dunn was asked how Sussex prepared him in life, Dunn said "Living away from home and studying at Sussex had an immense impact on my life, although I didn't realize it at the time. Training never stopped, demands at school continued to pile up. But here's the thing, the people and culture at Sussex helped, supported and pushed me when I needed it most. The college promoted an atmosphere for success, but not to mollycoddle you through classes. Moving into my sophomore year, my roommates and I took on more senior roles on the team. We wanted to lead on and off the field. Personally, I had to put in a lot of work in the offseason. Now being in the sports industry, I know how to present myself, both physically and mentally, and how to execute my services for the benefit of my clients and athletes. I learnt from my experience as a collegiate athlete at Sussex that the final goal isn't as important as the well-being of the individuals trying to achieve it."

Dunn has certainly made an impact on both the soccer team and college community at Sussex. When asked why he chose Sussex, Sam said "Sussex was not my first choice, I'll admit that. I expected to attend a larger college and get the whole American college experience which is depicted to many of us back home in Australia. When reality finally hit, and I realized that $60k a year was not sustainable, the option to attend Sussex opened up. Knowing what I know now, and having experienced what I have experienced, Sussex would have been my first choice. Yes, studying at Sussex DRASTICALLY helped me transfer to a 4-year institution to complete my bachelor's degree. After a great two years, I was able to transfer to finish my bachelor's degree and play soccer at a 4-year college, for a fraction of the cost that it would have been if I went there for my freshman year."

The journey after Sussex led Sam to finish his junior year at Belhaven in Mississippi and his senior year at Elmurst College in Illinois. Getting to see different parts of the country has certainly helped continue to develop Sam into the man he is today. Dunn now operates a mobile training service and is also on the Franskston Dolphins VFL (Australian Rules Football) team. He is currently finishing up his Master's degree in sports science at Victoria University.

Sam was asked what advice he would give to both the players now and those who are coming in, he said "Acceptance is huge! You must accept things and people for how and who they are, and deal with the situations with the resources that you have. If you aren't where you want to be, do something about it. Don't just sit and dwell on what could have been, or wait for someone to come and fix it for you. Change starts with you and with your attitude. And you can't change anything with a bad attitude. Make use of every opportunity that is presented to you, in soccer and in school, and you'll look back at your time at Sussex with a great sense of satisfaction."