Tyrone Mears is right in the midst of a major transition in his life.
Not only is Mears getting to know a new group of teammates, but the first-year Sounders FC defender is also living in a foreign country. This past Sunday he did something for the very first time: watch an NFL game.
Although the Seahawks lost in Super Bowl XLIX, Mears says watching his first American football game with teammates turned out to be a fun experience.
“It was amazing. It was obviously not a good day for Seattle, but I really enjoyed it,” Mears said. “I didn’t have a clue how it worked, but I kind of got the hang of it eventually after the commercials were finished.”
Mears’ second sport while growing up in England was rugby. He even signed a professional rugby contract at age 12 before switching back to soccer a few years later. Sunday’s game, however, convinced the 31-year-old to become a fan of the Seahawks and this different brand of football.
“Definitely while I’m with Seattle, because I know how great the team is and how much support they have,” he said of supporting the Seahawks. “So for sure, when they start up again, I’ll be watching.”
Another aspect of living in the United States that Mears is getting used to is the weather. In England, his seasons would typically run from August to May, with the offseason coming during some of the warmest months of the year. The MLS offseason, by contrast, occurs during the time of year when the temperature is lowest.
So while the weather in Seattle is similar to what he’s accustomed to, the timing remains a factor in Mears’ adjustment to professional soccer in the USA.
“It’s going to be a little bit different for me,” he said. “But then I know that because we’re traveling to certain places in America, the weather is going to be different. So it’s going to be a really good experience for me.”
Mears has made it clear that of all the teams he could’ve signed with, Sounders FC was his first choice. In addition to the adventure of moving to a new country, Mears saw an opportunity to play his preferred style of soccer.
Predominantly a right back, Mears has a lot of similarities to Seattle’s most recent starting right back, DeAndre Yedlin. Both are speedy defenders that can push forward and pose a threat on the wing in the attacking third. Unlike Sounders FC Head Coach Sigi Schmid, Mears’ coach at his most recent club Bolton Wanderers preferred his outside backs to not get involved in the attack.
“He wanted you to sit, and because I had signed quite a long deal, I had to kind of try and change my game,” Mears said. “So coming here definitely helps me because I can get back to what I’m doing, which is getting forward.”
Wednesday night Mears will get his first chance to display his skills in a Sounders FC uniform. The Rave Green take on collegiate side UCLA in their opening friendly of the preseason.
