This week’s Grand Circus Player Profile highlights Tyrone Mondi – a young winger from Bloemfontein, South Africa, playing in his first season with Detroit City FC. He moved to the United States last year to attend school and play soccer at the University of Northwestern Ohio.
Mondi was focused on moving to the United States not only to develop as a player, but also to continue his education, learn more about American culture and mature as an individual.
“I want to keep growing as a person, and as a footballer, or, soccer player as they call it in America,” Mondi said. “I need to keep working hard in the classroom so I can be eligible to play. I want to become a better person, learn new life skills and get to know a different culture – about new things I don’t have back home.”
Though Mondi arrived two weeks after the season began, he already has competed and made an impact in four matches for City. Since making his debut as a substitute against Glentoran FC, he has started in three league games against Grand Rapids FC, FC Indiana and Kalamazoo FC.
The rookie has three assists in National Premier Soccer League play, including the setup of the game-winner in City’s 3-1 victory over Grand Rapids FC on June 2. Mondi was also Man of the Match in the game for creating several chances offensively.
Mondi said he credits his work ethic to the team and is driven by the pressure, especially at home, to win every game.
“For the games I’ve played, I’m really happy, and it can just go up from here,” Mondi said. “The three weeks I’ve been here have been amazing. As a player, I want to help the team reach the goal. I’ll try to get on the scoresheet and keep assisting when I can, and just be a team player. I want to do anything possible to help the other guys and set them up.”
Mondi said he was able to fully transition with the team after about one week of training and observing the team’s style of play. He said having such welcoming teammates and playing with other college students made for an easy transition and contributes to an overall positive learning environment.
“A lot of players have different styles of play, but it wasn’t really difficult because when I came in a lot of players were welcoming and that helped me,” Mondi said. “In terms of training, it’s pretty similar because we’re all still college students, but I’ve learned a lot. We’re all from different universities and to click just instantly was really good. I think because we’re still college students, we complement each other really well.”
Due to a mixup in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics transfer laws at school, Mondi was ineligible to play during his freshman season in 2016. He said he looks forward to playing his four years of eligibility starting this fall on a team which finished 19-2-3 last season.
“It was really difficult when I heard the news, but I just had to keep working,” Mondi said.
Before coming to the United States last summer, Mondi was a member of the Free State International Football Program back home – which offers both training and education to players.
He also played on the University Sports South Africa Select Team at the South African Football Association’s U21 Championships last summer.
Coming to the United States took several contacts for Mondi, including DCFC Technical Advisor Klaas de Boer, who was was instrumental in reaching out to a coach at the University of the Free State in South Africa – Mondi’s former club. Mondi said he jumped at the opportunity.
“My coach recommended myself to him [de Boer] and from there on Klaas reached out to me, and I was keen on playing for DCFC,” Mondi said.
When coming to Detroit, Mondi emphasized how helpful the club was helping him move and settle in the area. Overall, he said the kindness and treatment he received has been conveyed not only by the coaches and staff, but by the players as well.
“The club helped me in terms of transportation, getting all the documentation done and with having to come in to training two weeks late,” Mondi said. “The guys were really welcoming, the coaches were welcoming. They just made it such a family environment, where everyone is looking out for each other.”
Following his first year of school and living in the United States, Mondi said he is thriving academically. He said the toughest part to life in a new country has been living .
“The standard of education is pretty similar to back home,” Mondi said. “It wasn’t really hard to settle in and get going. Having to meet new people and learn a new culture were great obstacles I had.”
To be successful as team and make the playoffs, Mondi said the strategy going forward is to take it one game at a time. He said he was happy to win twice on the road, especially under such harsh weather conditions in Kalamazoo.
“That was a really tough game in terms of the conditions we had,” Mondi said. “But we got the result and it was really pleasing to get the three points.”
The greatest difference for Mondi between playing soccer at school compared to in Detroit is the fan support. He was used to only having around 400 fans total at school, but now has 5,000 supporters at Keyworth Stadium to look forward to every game.
“I would say one thing that stands out tremendously is the fans for DCFC,” Mondi said. “It was amazing to play in front of a crowd with 5,000 people.”
