Among the six new additions to the Concordia University Chicago men’s soccer team for 2017, perhaps the most intriguing is junior transfer Peter Munro. Munro comes to CUC from St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana after financial challenges forced the school to close indefinitely. Born just across the River Mersey about five minutes outside of the city center in Liverpool, England, Munro came to the United States for the first time in the fall of 2015. He attended St. Joe’s for two years while starting for the men’s soccer team which competed at the NCAA Division II level.
From a young age, Munro knew that soccer would be a part of his future. “I always did play competitively back home. Growing up, it’s kind of all that kids do in Liverpool. You go to school and as soon as the bell rings you’re out and playing football,” he says.
While soccer is certainly a significant part of culture in the UK, there is not much of a demand for collegiate athletics. “In the UK, it’s more to do with the professional level. There really is no interest in high school soccer or university soccer. It’s more of a hobby, more of an activity to do,” he explains.
In the United States, many universities make massive amounts of money from their athletic teams. With that said, many schools provide scholarships and tuition coverage for talented athletes looking to play in the United States. While this certainly influenced his decision, for Munro, this was not the driving factor for his desire to study abroad. “I think there were different reasons involved. It was never really about the competitive play, it was just more about the general life experience outside of soccer. Soccer was always a means to an end for me. I think I always wanted to live in the United States for a while and get the education and just try a different culture. Soccer was just an added bonus,” he says.
Munro, who is pursuing a degree in political science, values his education and the opportunity to learn from political culture in the United States. It’s safe to say his timing was spot on in terms of being able to observe a complex political scene.
“I came in freshman year in 2015 which was exactly when the primaries for the most recent general election came up, so I was completely thrust into this new culture, and this new way of life with this added intensity,” he says. He notes that, in addition to picking up general differences between the US and the UK, he picked up on the political extremes from the right and left and also feels that the United States carries a vibe that is rooted in tradition – especially religious tradition. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don’t. It’s all part of the experience,” he says.
Regarding things that he truly misses from the UK, he mentions mostly direct things like his family, his friends, and the local cities. “I don’t really miss the way of life too intensely. I think it’s just the missing of my close family and close relationships back home,” he explains.
As for his plans after graduation from Concordia, nothing is set in stone. While his attitude towards academics remains incredibly focused, his post-graduation approach is more relaxed. “I think my mindset freshman year was always ‘Ask me in four years. Ask me when it comes down to it’. But it’s kind of getting to that point now. I think I am still interested in the United States. I always say to my parents, ‘well I’m not really done in the United States. I don’t really feel like I’m finished yet’,” he explains. Munro is considering work in the field of international relations as he feels his natural tendencies would be practical in the field.
As for post-graduation soccer, Munro knows that the game will always be a part of his character. However, he looks to approach the game in a more casual fashion. “I think I’d just rather play for fun, for fitness, and I guess the game will never really leave me but, competitively, I don’t think I really aspire to go any further,” he says.
Like any student of the game, Munro has his share of players he looks up to on the pitch. An avid supporter of Liverpool FC of the English Premiere League, he most notably mentioned Steven Gerrard. “Steven Gerrard has to be a classic because he’s played for the club all his life. An England and Liverpool captain, he grew up in the city, so he’s a big local hero.” Aside from the English legend, he enjoys watching a lot of smaller, creative players with the likes of Lionel Messi and David Silva as he looks to incorporate their styles into his own game.
Embarking on his first season at CUC, Munro looks to make an instant impact. While his versatile playing style has the ability to adapt as he faces different opponents, he values creativity and thrives in the attack. “I like to take risks and take a bit of flare. I’ve been told that when people watch me in the crowd they like to watch me play because it’s interesting, it’s different,” he says. Coming from a St. Joe’s squad that played a 4-3-3 similar to the Cougars, Munro has valuable experience playing on a wing where he can utilize the space and his creative ability to go one on one with defenders in the wide channels.
Halfway through his collegiate career, Munro is thrilled at the chance to contribute to a Cougar team that has gone 9-24-1 over the past two seasons. Munro has faced similar rebuilding environments when he was introduced to a struggling St. Joe’s squad that began to turn things around during his time on the team by qualifying for the conference tournament and even earning a victory against Quincy University who was ranked top 5 in the nation at the time of competition. “It was kind of a fairytale story. You know, this absolute nothing of a team, St Joseph, we kind of built ourselves back up and beat a top 5 team in the country at home. That was definitely a career high for me,” he explains. With his unique style of play and passion for creativity, he aspires to be a part of more moments like this as he competes with a determined Cougar squad in 2017.
