Lifelong connections through beautiful game - Fronmueller, Mustangs strengthen team base

Family is a theme shared around Morningside University and its athletic program.

Strong connections between teammates are forged through countless practices, team activities, matches and social get-togethers. Developing those bonds is natural with time spent together especially for international student-athletes due to being long distances from home. The friendships developed can be so strong that a 10-hour trip across Germany this summer for Jakob Fronmueller wasn't even an afterthought.

"Friendships are the most important part of college athletics," he said. "Because of all of the guys who live in Germany who have played and are playing, a lot of us have had an opportunity to know a lot more of the culture across the country. A few of us made the long trek to the other side of Germany this summer to meet guys we knew from the team."

"It's been important to connect with previous years players," he added. "We had a large group meet up and spend the weekend together. It's such a big family to be a part of and that's why we want to keep in contact with each other."

That family and fellow countryman connection helped Fronmueller, a leader among a veteran defensive backfield this fall, make the decision to become a Mustang.

"I knew (fellow senior) Constantin (Tschernig) from working with the same recruiting agency," Fronmueller remembered. "(Former forward) Okan (Golge) also talked to me when I was deciding what to do."

Former assistant coach B.J. Wylie and head coach Tom Maxon knew they had a find when Fronmueller joined the program. The Gerstetten, Germany, native had been an athletics standout since a young age when he started in track and field. He took his speed into a sport with a ball which he admitted "was more fun than running" and began club league play at around age nine. Fronmueller rose to the ranks of a traveling county all-star when Wylie saw his recruiting tape.

"I hadn't really thought much about playing and studying overseas initially," he said. "However, I couldn't go much farther with my playing career so I visited with B.J. and some of the guys on the team. I could honestly feel the family atmosphere even though it was only a phone call and the smaller school size was a plus, too."

Now, on the cusp of his final collegiate season, Fronmueller and his fellow German teammates look to add some of the newer countrymen to their tight-knit group.

"I'm looking forward to the leadership we have on the defensive end," he noted. "We'll have to be able to do some creating near midfield to get a young offense moving forward. With guys like (senior goalkeeper) Bjarne (Huth), (sophomore defender) Marnix (Van Exel), (senior defender) Max (Hartmann) and (senior defender) Jonas (Markfoged) in the back, we have the experience needed to lead the team."

More international flavor and team unity to keep Morningside's men's soccer family connection strong into the future.