International athletes can contribute to college athletic teams in many ways–and not just through their athletic skills. Coming from another part of the world gives these athletes a dissimilar vision of the team culture and the sport they practice in general. Here are five things international athletes bring to the table.

A unique team culture 

Coming from another country also means coming from a different team culture. With this said, the way international students see a team can vary from the U.S. team culture so combining the best of both worlds would be very successful for a team.  Team culture in the U.S. is amazing. A lot of colleges have awesome teams full of spirit and athletes usually want to represent their school the best way possible. A lot of international athletes have represented their country in international competitions so they know that is an awesome feeling and doing it well makes a country proud so adding this spirit of pride to your college team will contribute a lot. 

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Different training methods 

Training is unique in all countries–each has particular methods and techniques that international students have tried and know what can work for all kinds of athletes. If you're an international athlete who knows a contrasting training method that could help your team in some aspect, a great way to contribute would be sharing this knowledge with your coach and teammates. For example, if an international swimmer used to train butterfly all Fridays to gain muscle strength she or he can talk with the coach and see a way to incorporate that in the practice program. 

Expressing their values and ways of seeing life 

Coming from another country means that you have different values and traditions. Also, you are capable of seeing life from a distinct point of view. By being yourself and sharing these values with your teammates and coach, you are showing your country and you should be very proud of it. 

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Showing their teammates another culture 

A great way to show you a little bit about the culture of your country with your teammates and coach is keeping alive the traditions you will celebrate at home. If there is a special day in your country, share with your team and try to adapt some things of that celebration to your day. 

Showing your capacity to adapt 

As international students you have to adjust a lot of things to adapt. Coming from a country that is not the U.S. can be hard because everything is different: the food, the culture, the training method, the language, etc. But adapting to a new place is a very valuable skill so remember  to always be proud of what you are doing.

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* Originally published on July 14, 2022, by Camila Cramer