by: Emma Fleming
Mo Belakhoua, who is both a United States citizen and a Tunisian citizen, is a student athlete here at Parkland College. Belakhoua is an electrical engineering major who plays center back for the Parkland men’s soccer team. He grew up in Bizerte, Tunisia which is the northernmost city in Africa. Belakhoua moved to the United States to play soccer and attend college. The center back is currently in his sophomore season and hopes to transfer to the University of Illinois. In the 2018 soccer season, the student athlete started 10 of 12 matches as a defensive back. He scored one goal against Illinois Central College in the Region 24 Semi-final and assisted on one goal against the University of Indianapolis.
Belakhoua, as a student athlete, said that time management is not always easy, especially as an electrical engineering major. When asked about how he manages both school and soccer, Belakhoua said, “I have a calendar that I write every due date for my homework, papers, and projects and that I also write my soccer games and practices in. I usually try to do my assignments as soon as they are given to me since we travel during the weekends; poor planning and waiting until the last minute to do assignments can cost me games or practices. If we are travelling, sometimes I will do my homework on the bus or in the hotel to stay on track.”
Not only has Belakhoua had to manage both school and soccer, but he also manages living on his own as an international student. “I came to the United States two years ago,” Belakhoua said. “These past couple of years have been challenging and fun at the same time. At first, it was pretty tough adjusting to the Champaign-Urbana community. It was also difficult getting to know people at first since English was not my first language. But, with the help of school and my teammates, things got easier for me.” For Belakhoua, school and soccer provided a place to make friends and begin learning about life in the United States.
Student athletes seem to have a rigid weekly schedule, and with Belakhoua it is no different. The 19-year-old’s days begin early in the morning and end late at night. He explained to the Prospectus what a typical weekday looks like for him. “Monday through Friday, I usually wake up around 7 a.m. to get ready and then I leave for school around 7:40 a.m. Each day of the week, I have three hours of classes and then I usually go to the Center for Academic Success, or D120, for about two hours a day,” he said. “I typically finish around 2:50 p.m. and I then I head back home and get ready for soccer practice. I have soccer practice every Monday through Friday from 3:15 to 5:30 pm. After I finish practice, I go back home and rest for a little bit before I leave for the library around 7:30 or 8 p.m. I usually don’t get back home until around midnight.” Belakhoua’s days are long and routine, but he explained that the long days are just a part of being a student athlete.
Another part of being a student athlete is the benefits that come with the commitment. For Belakhoua, the two biggest perks of being a student athlete are the scholarships and the opportunity to meet different people. “Of course, the first benefit with playing a college sport is the free tuition that comes with it. This makes my studies a lot easier,” Belakhoua said. “I also got to know more people through soccer.” The Parkland student acknowledges that there are other challenges of being a student athlete. “Sometimes, when we have to travel to games, we have to miss classes and that can be hard,” he said. “Also, some days we have really hard practices and I get so tired afterwards that I can’t study very well those days.” But the soccer player mentioned that all the challenges that he faces are balanced out with benefits.
The student athlete is excited for the 2019 season and is excited to continue his education at Parkland College. Belakhoua wanted to leave a piece of advice for new students and upcoming soccer players. “Always visit D120 because they will give you all the help that you will need to succeed school,” he said. “Always plan your week and don’t let your week plan you otherwise you will get behind in school and athletics.”
