By all accounts, Jeb Brovsky was not your typical college student.
As a junior at Notre Dame, he not only starred for the Fighting Irish’s soccer team while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management and Peace Studies, but he also launched a non-profit foundation, Peace Pandemic.
One of Peace Pandemic’s key missions, as stated on its website, is to "disband social stereotypes and connect children around the world through the commonality of playing soccer."
Brovsky has held camps for young children around the world through the foundation, using soccer as a tool to teach leadership skills, promote social justice and facilitate cross-cultural connections between kids. The camps emphasize the importance of nonviolence and the skills to promote peaceful conflict resolution.
Now 24 years old and a starting defender with the Montreal Impact, Brovsky is as committed as ever to effecting social change as he was while attending Notre Dame.
"Travelling to India and Guatemala for camps, putting on camps for orphans and slum children who have absolutely nothing, it was a real eye opener that I wish every athlete can see," Brovsky told sportsnet.ca.
Raised by parents who instilled a strong social awareness in him as a child, Brovsky explained launching Peace Pandemic was a "huge culmination" of events over his life: "I always wanted to do something with a social impact that also combined my passion of soccer,"
One of Peace Pandemic’s major aims is to end violence against women and empower boys and girls worldwide through soccer.
"What my wife and I want to focus on with soccer is violence against women. We believe soccer can be a tool worldwide that can help curb that," Brovsky said. "For me, it’s not enough for women to just talk amongst each other and stand up for what they believe in, because men ultimately need to take a role and (tell young boys) that it’s not okay."
A thoughtful and articulate speaker, Brovsky has an interesting take on how to combat violence against women, one that focuses on getting to the root of the problem.
Brovsky explained: "We’ve been looking at the overall problem the wrong way, where we’ve been helping women who have been beaten or raped, instead of preventative measures and teaching young boys what it really means to be a man. That just treats violence and rape as inevitable, and that’s something we’re trying to fix by using the sport of soccer to connect with kids."
Making an impact on the field
Brovsky is making a difference on the pitch, too. He has started and played in every minute of all four games for Montreal this season, helping the Impact to a perfect 4-0 start in which they have conceded just two goals.
The Colorado native has looked solid for the Impact, filling in at both fullback positions as coach Marco Schällibaum was forced to reshuffle his back line when Alessandro Nesta picked up an injury. Playing both left and right fullback was something he did when he entered the league with the Vancouver Whitecaps, so it’s no surprise he’s handled the assignment with aplomb in Montreal.
"I feel comfortable with both feet going forward but when I play left back I feel I can get up the field more and cut in more, which is what I tend to enjoy. From the right back position, early swung in balls are more comfortable for me on that side," Brovsky said.
A second-round pick (19th overall) of the Whitecaps in the 2011 MLS draft, Brovsky never really settled in Vancouver and was left unprotected by the club for the expansion draft that same year. The Impact scooped him up, and established himself as a regular starter in Montreal’s defence.
Although bearing no grudge against the Whitecaps, the move to Montreal has worked out for Brovsky.
"It was a blessing in disguise. I wasn’t happy leaving a good club and a good city with great fans. It was a great first year for me, and a good chance for me to jump right into MLS and see what I was made of. But when I got the call from Montreal, I was more than happy to start a new chapter and make the move," he offered.
He has made great strides since leaving the Whitecaps, becoming one of the Impact’s most reliable defenders, but admits he’s "nowhere close" to where he wants to be.
"I think I’ve come a long way from my rookie season. It’s good to hear that people are starting to notice but it’s always a journey for me — it’s a day-to-day struggle against myself to make myself better. … I don’t like to compare myself to other defenders or players in the league. I like to compare myself to how I was yesterday," Brovsky said.
His progression over a short period of time is even more impressive when you consider he’s played under four different coaches during his MLS career. That kind of instability hasn’t hindered his development. If anything, it’s helped.
"It’s a real battle within your own mind as a player to have to prove yourself over and over again within two years. It was quite frustrating when you prove yourself to one coach and then having to do it over and over again," Brovsky explained.
"But it was something that made me refocus and re-energize myself. It was another obstacle to get over. Now I’ve had the experience of coaching changes and it’s something I’m used to. I’m almost grateful that it’s happened at this age where I can say I’ve already dealt with and it’s nothing new."
Playing alongside veteran defenders such as Nesta and fellow Italian Matteo Ferrari has also been invaluable.
"I’m an avid learner of the game, so I’ll ask Nesta who the best outside back he’s played with? What did he did he do differently? What was he like? Just those little tidbits of info round out who I want to be as a defender," Brovsky said. "It’s not enough for me to have a coach who likes me. I want to be the best defender in the league. That’s my personal goal and I won’t stop until I get there."
Learn more about Peace Pandemic by visiting its official website
