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The
weather has just dipped below freezing, rain is pelting down,
wind is biting into exposed skin, and only the bravest of parents
have ventured out of their heated vehicles - most have gone in
search of the nearest and warmest coffee shop! Yet Roman's legions
are on the field enthusiastically focused on that evening's lesson
seemingly unaware of the elements. As they do their final stretches,
a cloud of steam from the heat they have just generated hovers
above them, and as they walk back to the dressing room you see
them talking, joking, and laughing. It's nights like these that
remind us that there is so much more going within the school than
just soccer training. This observation, something we've all seen,
was pointed out by parent Lauren Peel in a speech given this past
Christmas. Lauren, whose son Ryan will be graduating from Tulis'
program in 2004 after nine years (driving from east of Mission),
went on to say, "For many of the (players), Roman's (school)
will be a constant from year to year when schools, teachers, coaches,
and teams change. Roman has been a mentor for Ryan longer than
any other teacher or coach, (and) the lessons learned weren't
limited to soccer."
When
Tulis first opened his school in 1993, his objective was quite
simple. He wanted to provide a training venue that was intense
and competitive, and one that would challenge players to become
all that they could be. Over the years, he has not wavered from
that objective, and with the success of his protégés
in Canada, Europe, and the United States, there is no disputing
the fact that he is doing something right. However, Tulis goes
well beyond just providing a competitive environment.
He
works hard to develop not only successful soccer players, but
outstanding, well rounded people as well, and he is constantly
reminding his players that "academics must come first and
soccer second". He knows that a professional European soccer
career is the dream of many, but the reality of few, and for most
players their future will be revealed in the diverging pathways
that they will discover along the way.
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In
the past few years, players from the Tulis School have slowly
been migrating south of the boarder to play on full or partial
scholarships for US universities and colleges, and word of their
success has spread like wildfire. In the fall of 2002, the school
was overwhelmed by the tremendous interest from NCAA Division
One American college and university coaches. Inquiries came from
all over the States. Numerous coaches made special trips to the
school to watch the players in action, and they were very impressed
with what they saw. By autumn of 2003, Tulis' Burnaby training
facilities had become a regular stop-over for American collegiate
coaches in search of new talent.
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2003
Graduating Players. (Left to Right) Top: Wylie Clarke,
Evan Turner, Nigel Marples, Collin Bussey, Bottom: Kevin
Harmse, Aaron Young, Roman Tulis Jr., Nathan Li. Missing:
Gabrielle Makarewicz and Anthony Marrello
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In
the past few years, players from the Tulis School have slowly
been migrating south of the boarder to play on full or partial
scholarships for US universities and colleges, and word of their
success has spread like wildfire. In the fall of 2002, the school
was overwhelmed by the tremendous interest from NCAA Division
One American college and university coaches. Inquiries came from
all over the States.
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Numerous
coaches made special trips to the school to watch the players
in action, and they were very impressed with what they saw. By
autumn of 2003, Tulis' Burnaby training facilities had become
a regular stop-over for American collegiate coaches in search
of new talent.
Roman
is extremely proud of those players who have been picked up by
US institutions and is very excited that the road has now been
paved for the school's younger players who wish to pursue a US
education, but he is quick to point out that the fields south
of the border are not his player's only options nor is it his
only priority. "My sincere hope for each of my players is
that after they graduate from my school, they take their years
of soccer training and combine it with their academics and excel
in both, and it doesn't really matter what country they do it
in." His graduating class of 2003 took that message to heart.
The group consisted of ten players. Nine of the 10 have moved
on to higher education; five have migrated south on soccer scholarships,
four chose a university here in B.C., and one decided to forgo
further education altogether and is currently playing professionally
for a European Premier team and is a member of the Canadian U23
Men's National team.
Regardless of which road they choose to travel, all Tulis grads
take with them many life lessons taught by caring mentors, wonderful
memories of times spent with good friends, and the knowledge that
with the right attitude, anything is possible.
Lauren Peel summed up the past nine years with Tulis best with
her MasterCard analogy: "Number of pairs of gravel cleats
purchased - plus or minus 13; Number of uniforms - about 10 and
more gallons of laundry detergent then I care to consider; Number
of kilometres driven - at 160 km round trip, 8x per month, 9 years
- about 120,000 km - just for Roman practices; Number of stops
at fast food restaurants on the way home from practice - too embarrassing
to admit; Number of European Trips: Four and lots of photos (and
memories); The Roman Tulis Experience - Priceless!"
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