New to Asheville City SC this season, Belgian midfielder Edouard Nys has brought an international perspective and professional experience to the heart of the Blues' lineup. After playing in Belgium’s fourth division and winning a national title in the NJCAA with Northeast Community College, Nys is preparing for his first NCAA Division I season with the University of Illinois-Chicago. In the meantime, he’s become an integral piece of Asheville’s USL2 campaign, thriving in a competitive, family-first environment. We sat down with Edouard to learn more about his journey, the cultural shifts in his career, and what drives him both on and off the field.

Q: Can you tell me about your journey to get to college soccer? What initially drew you to the programs you played for?

A: I played in a professional academy in Belgium. After that, I moved to the Belgian fourth division, having been given my chance with the first team at a young age. I frequently played with the first team, getting the chance to start a lot of games at a young age. But at a certain point, I felt that if I wanted to achieve my goals in soccer, I had to leave and change horizons. And that's what I did when the idea of going to the United States came up, it seemed like a second chance. I went to Northeast Community College in Nebraska, a junior college Division II school. And after playing for 5 months, I made it to the semi-finals of the national tournament. I talked to different coaches and colleges and received an offer from the University of Illinois-Chicago. And like the first college I signed with (Northeast), I had a feeling I had to sign there. But I needed to finish my degree and complete my associate degree before going to an NCAA institution since I wasn’t eligible. So, I came back for another season at Northeast and won the national championship in NJCAA Division II. I joined UIC during this last spring season.

Q: So what would you say was your biggest adjustment moving from professional Belgian soccer to American collegiate soccer?

A: I think the biggest adjustment I had to make was being away from my family. When I played in Belgium, I was very close to my family. Coming here means getting used to being away from your loved ones. As far as soccer is concerned, I'd say the way you play is very different. In Belgium, most of the players are Belgian and have more or less the same playing culture. But when you come here, all the players come from different countries and have their own particular style of play. The mentality is also different in America.

Q: In what ways would you say that mentality is different in America, and do you notice a different mentality between your NJCAA team and the current Asheville squad?

A: I think in America, the team is really focused on becoming a family. Here, I think we put a lot of emphasis on becoming a family and that's how we win. Whereas, I find in Belgium, it's really more individual and people focus more on themselves than on the team. It's a slightly more open mentality here. As for the difference in mentality between my junior college and Asheville, I find that the mentality is the same. We want to win at all costs, and I love that. We play as a team and that's how we win our games. But here in Asheville, we have players who come from several NCAA Division I universities, whereas in JUCO most of them are internationals who have just transferred. We're not really used to it because in junior college we stay for two years, so we have never played with each other before. But here everyone is on the same page, we are on the same page, and we know what we need to achieve.

Q: What made Asheville SC the right fit for you?

A: To be honest, I already knew I wanted to play in the Summer league last year. I'd heard about Asheville City SC in USL2 many times before. During the course of last year, Scott contacted me and introduced me to the team and how it worked. I didn't hesitate at all, playing for a team where the community is huge. And there's a winning culture which attracted me. Playing for Coach Scott also attracted me and I didn't hesitate for a second.

Q: How would you compare the environment, intensity, and professionalism between college soccer and USL L2?

A: I think the environment is different between college and the summer league. Because in college we all play for the same university. But here we play for different universities and we only get together for 2 months, whereas the college season is a little longer than the summer season. But I think the goals are the same: we want to win at all costs. The intensity at college is great, but here too in USL 2 and especially here in Asheville City. I think both are really professional. And that's what really impressed me in America, the professionalism is crazy to me. We play in a crazy environment and everything is made for the player. The infrastructure and the intensity is really important. And being European, people often say that the intensity isn't great and that it's easier to play, but a lot of European people who come here are shocked.

Q: What has your experience been like playing in Asheville, both on and off the field?

A: I have to say that before coming to Asheville, I had high expectations and I knew that things would go well on and off the pitch with all the players that were coming through. I was sure we'd have a good competitive team and that we'd get on well together. But the expectations were more than exceeded. It's even better than I thought! We play like a family and it shows on the pitch. Everyone gets on together off the pitch and we do a lot of things together off it and I think that's reflected on the pitch. So far, it's been a wonderful experience. Playing for a coach like Scott is a great experience, I'm learning a lot as a player but also as a human being. The fans and the community have been amazing. It’s a pleasure to play for such a club.

Q: What do you enjoy most about being part of this team and organization?

A: What I enjoy most is playing with players who have similar goals with a very high level of quality. We're all highly motivated, and you can feel that in training. Another common goal is to win the nationals. I love the atmosphere we have in the team, it felt like home straight away. Even though most of us didn't know each other beforehand, we adapted straight away. Then there's the community. The fans who come to every game with drums, and that helps us out on the pitch where we feel supported, which is truly amazing. Everything is really organized in such a way that you don't have to worry about anything. That's what I like about this organization, everything is really done in a professional and player-oriented way. For example, after every training session we go to HF Exercises and Science, where we stretch with Kim and Ronnie. It really helps us to have this kind of facility. This team and organization is unbelievable.

Q: Are there any standout matches or moments this season that have meant a lot to you personally?

A: Honestly, every time I play a game, whatever team we play, I enjoy it. And every game means a lot to me, no matter who we're playing. Every time my family watches the games, it's a way for me to give back everything they've given me. I don't just play for myself, I play for my family. That's why every game means so much to me personally. But one moment was the first time we played at our home field (Greenwood Field). Just seeing the fans supporting us and the atmosphere was nice to see for the first time.

Q: What’s something about this group that fans might not see from the outside?

A: I think one thing about this group that fans or people don’t see from the outside is the number of hours we spend training together. I find that as fans we often see our team's performances but not all the things that go on behind the scenes that we don't necessarily know about. It could be the hours we spend training together, everything the [owners do] for us, whether it's the pre-game food or whatever. But it also goes for the club volunteers who help us, the sponsors, and the media team, photographers and video crew who put a crazy amount of time into their work for the club. And it’s truly unbelievable.