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Coppell Student Media

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October 26, 2023

Broyles kicks abroad after graduation

By Alex Nicoll

Sports Writer

Senior Austin Broyles dodges Plano defender in a non-district game
Senior Austin Broyles dodges Plano defender in a non-district game on February 1. The Cowboys won 4-0 against the Wildcats

An institution that brings the world’s brightest young soccer players in one place, an academy that has ties to professional teams like Bradford City, and an organization that promises a top-notch American education.

Add that all together and you get the Richmond International Academic and Soccer Academy.

FC RIASA has players from the four corners of the globe participating on its team, from Hong Kong to the United States, and Coppell senior Austin Broyles is soon to join them.

Few are chosen to be a part of this up-and-coming program (the team has only been formed since 2010) and out of around 80 kids Broyles said, he has the opportunity to be one of them.

He was not the first Broyles to get looked at by RIASA. His brother, Alex, 20, was actually what first peaked RIASA’s interests. Thanks to his dad, though, Austin got a shot to impress the same coaches that looked at his brother.

Ward Broyles, Austin and Alex’s father, first heard about the academy through one of Alex’s club teammates. He had another brother who came across the program by happen-stance and that’s how the Broyles family first came into contact with RIASA.

“In the Dallas Cup they were looking at [Alex] and he ended up not going to RIASA and going to Texas A&M,” Austin said. “My dad asked them if they wanted to look at me and so they evaluated me my whole junior year and then they gave me a trial out. I got a chance to practice with the first team and received a spot.”

The ‘they’ is Dallas scout for RIASA, Eddie Puskarich.

Soccer has always been a part of Austin. Well, ever since his brother started playing.

“Austin got into soccer because of his brother,” Mr. Broyles said. “We tried everything: baseball, basketball, and soccer.”

From youth soccer to playing on varsity, Austin has always made an impact on his team; something he hopes translates over in England.

“Austin is a dynamic portion of our team. He adds a great personality to the group,” head coach Chad Rakestraw said. “He is a guy that can always make his teammates comfortable and put them at ease, and obviously with his ability to play, to attack it creates some chances for our team.”

Coppell soccer, he attests, has prepared him “very well” for this opportunity. It has given him the chance to get repetitions in, get his touch down, and get some appreciated game experience. His club team has improved his physicality and speed of play.

Making the jump from high school American soccer to a chance to for a play semi or professional in another country, like England, is a huge leap for anyone.

“It is tough for Americans to break into the professional ranks especially in other countries like England,” Rakestraw said.

For Austin, besides the pressure to perform, one of the biggest differences for him is something that he can’t control, which is the beautiful weather that England is known for.

“It was really cold,” Broyles said. “It will be hard to adapt to the atmosphere over there because it is cold, wet, and windy. It’s really old-fashioned; they really aren’t that technologically savvy as we are over here.”

Broyles flew out over Thanksgiving break with his mother to face the coaches and conduct his try-out.

“They called me and then we sent emails back and forth,” Broyles said. “Then they told me the dates that I could come down to try-out. We emailed them and set the date.”

While there, he was able to see the facilities for himself. The campus had a couple of pitches, a turf-room and a state-of-the-art weight room. In other words, Austin was impressed.

So was his mother, Donna Broyles, who, along with his dad, have reservations about letting her son spend a whole year in another continent alone.

“We’re still a little bit reluctant. That’s a big step. We’ve told him Austin that he needs to make the right choices from now until September to prove to us that he is ready for this commitment,” Ward Broyles said.

Austin could not agree more with his parents’ feelings towards him leaving.

“I guess they’re a little scared, but they are supportive about it,” Broyles said. “They’re proud of me.”

His coaches were a little taken back from the sudden trip but were surprised with his chance.

“He told me that he would be traveling to England and that he would miss practices early on in the fall; and I asked him for what?” Rakestraw said. “He told me he had a try-out with RIASA and so when he came back I asked him more about. It is a pretty cool deal.”

The tryout was pretty intense. He had to play with the semi-professional team because the U-19 and U-21 teams were doing physical work-outs and the coaches wanted to see him play. Broyles said that he went in and played scrimmages, tight drills, and finishing drills.

“The coaches we’re raving about Austin to my wife,” Mr. Broyles said.

Soon Austin was entertaining the idea of signing with the academy after being asked to join.

“They sign you to a one-year contract and if you do well they invite you back,” Broyles said.

Without having the pressure on deciding to go to England for a year, Austin also had to deal with a scholarship from Ouachita Baptist for soccer. Throughout the year he did not bring much attention to his opportunities though.

“He’s not a ra-ra in your face kind of guy,” Ward Mr. Broyles said.

His dad asked him every couple of days where he stood but it was not until when the down payment was due when he told his parents that he would continue playing soccer at RIASA. You could say Austin is excited about playing in the great soccer or “football” capital of England.

“The football atmosphere. Soccer is like the number one thing there and it will be great to be around that,” Austin said. “They take trips to different academies where they can train with them for a year so I’m pretty interested in that.”

Before he sets off to go, there are a few things he himself has said he needs to work on. His speed and physicality will have to improve before he crosses the pond. Austin will play on the U-19 team to work on the aspects of his game.

RIASA has a tier system based on performance. The better a player does, the better the chance he gets moved up to the next tier. The basis for this program is to develop the players and allow them to get the minutes they need to perform and move up.

Rakestraw has confidence that Broyles will step up the plate and perform well even though it is a whole different experience; one that he has never encountered before.

Another speed bump that could throw players off is having to switch positions. Austin is currently a mid-fielder for the Coppell Cowboys but he will have to switch to defensive mid-field when he starts playing  for FC RIASA. The switch will not be too bad though because he played that position all his life leading up to the high school team.

“He’s agile on the ball. He loves to get forward on the ball and create opportunities for his teammates and himself. He can be an assist man or a finisher,” Rakestraw said.

He wants the chance to play professional ball somewhere and with the ties RIASA has, his dream could just turn up into reality.

“With that type of exposure to the number of teams that they have in England, he absolutely has a chance to make a professional team. I think it is easy access for him,” Rakestraw said.

Right now though, he and his parents just want him to get as much out of the program as possible.

“I think it will bring out a whole new level of play in him,” Mr. Broyles said.

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