Beyond borders: UHV soccer player leaves England, finds place in Victoria
In the town of Portsmouth, a port city nestled on the southern tip of England, a young athlete discovered his passion for soccer at the age of five. Little did he know that his passion would one day take him across the Atlantic Ocean to the University of Houston-Victoria, where he would become a standout player and earn his keep on the Jaguar’s soccer team.
Having spent his life in England, Adam Thompson said soccer came naturally to him, and he eventually developed his skills as a multi-sport athlete who also competed in cricket and rugby. At the age of 16, fueled by the desire to see the world, Thompson made the decision to pursue the idea of coming to America to play soccer on a scholarship.
“There was more of an opportunity in America,” Thompson said. “In England, I could have gone to uni and just been at home, but I thought it was a good experience to go and travel to America and play soccer while doing it.”
At the age of 18, the gears were finally in motion to make that happen.
During that period of his life, the young 18-year-old was playing a few showcase games in England when he was made aware by his agent at the time that a school had been noticing his talent as a player. The connection eventually led him to Adrian Rigby, the head coach of the UHV men’s and women’s soccer teams.
“One of the first things coach Rigby told me was we never lose in The Cage, which is our home field. I’ve been here for years, and we still have never lost in The Cage,” Thompson said. “I’m a big guy for passion. If I’m in something, I’m all in, and UHV sounded like the perfect place I could come in and give it my all.”
Thompson started his first season with the Jaguars in the fall of 2021, all the while trying to adjust to his new home in America.
One of the first things he noticed, or rather, didn’t notice, was the lack of spur-heeled, lasso-slinging cowboys on every corner, a notion made popular by friends and family living in the UK, Thompson said.
A more pressing matter was the tumultuous climate and humidity that comes with South Texas, something he noticed right away as he stepped out of the airport in Austin before making his way to Victoria.
“During my first preseason, we were running, and I looked at Coach Rigby and said, ‘Is it really going to be hot like this every day?’” Thompson said. “I was struggling with the humidity when I got here.”
Despite the new climate, culture and trying to find his place at UHV, Thompson said he had to put it aside and do what he came to do in America.
It was time to get to work.
In 2021, Thompson appeared in 15 games, with seven starts to help the team advance to the Red River Athletic Conference, where they would be crowned champion after defeating LSU Alexandria 3-2.
Mateo Canales, who is Thompson’s roommate and a forward on the soccer team, said Thompson stood out to him immediately as a person who has passion for the game.
“When I first met Thommo, my first impression was one of strong determination and keen leadership, qualities that have defined him both as a friend and captain,” Canales said. “He always leads by example and through his passion for the game. On and off the field, he's the kind of teammate you can rely on to give his all and have your back."
The following year, Thompson participated in 17 matches and secured nine starts. He recorded two goals throughout the season, with the inaugural goal in a 2-2 draw against Louisiana Christian on Sept. 24, and the second in a 2-0 victory over Huston-Tillotson the following month. He also achieved a season-high of three shots during a 2-1 win against Oklahoma City. Thompson also serves as the captain of the UHV men’s soccer team, a position he has held since his sophomore year.
"His first semester, as with a lot of international students, was a bit of a roller coaster at times. There were several times throughout the year where we had meetings in my office about him being homesick, but I am glad he stuck to the decision to join us here at UHV,” Rigby said. “Throughout these conversations, I kept believing in his ability to become the leader of others that he was destined to be. As a result, Thommo helped us win conference in 2021 as a freshman and was given the distinction of being named captain here at UHV. Adam made the claim that he would one day be a captain for us here at UHV. His vision came to fruition when he earned the right to be captain his sophomore year.”
As a junior, Thompson is going into his final year and is looking for an internship in the meantime. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology with a concentration in sport management and has an anticipated graduation date of fall 2024. Since stepping off the plane, Thompson said he had not just grown as a person – being a part of UHV’s soccer program has molded him into a player he never thought was possible, he said.
“It was difficult at first adjusting,” Thompson said. “The coaches have helped me a lot. Being a product of Coach Rigby’s efforts – he has improved me as not just a person, but a player. I will always be thankful to him for that.”
Thompson has grown familiar with humidity and the dynamic climate of the region. He has made lifelong friends and teammates, and he is still deciding whether to come back to the U.K. or make America his new, long-term home. Despite what the next big step will be, Thomson said one thing is for sure.
“This year, we go again,” Thompson said. “This will be my final ride, and hopefully, we get ourselves another championship.”
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.