Centre's Tony Distler enjoying life and soccer while studying abroad

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Tony Distler (left) is representing the Centre men’s soccer team while studying abroad this term. One of the soccer stadiums they’ve visited is Camp Nou (above) in Barcelona, Spain.

DANVILLE, KY (04/21/2011)(readMedia)-- Tony Distler of Louisville, a junior at Centre College, is studying abroad this semester with the Centre-in-London program. And like many of his teammates on the College's men's soccer team, he's trying to make the most of his academic experience while still spending some time on the pitch.

Distler, a team captain and three-time SCAC All-Academic member, got to enjoy some professional English football, heading to the "The Valley" to see a League One match-up between the hosts, Charlton Athletic and Brentwood.

"Although I've yet to be able to attend a Premiership game as I had hoped, I was able to go to the Charlton Athletic versus Brentwood game of England's League One," he says. "I found it very entertaining being able to experience English football and its fans first-hand."

Distler was also able to add a little soccer into his Spring Break journey, heading to Barcelona, Spain, to meet up with a few of his Centre Soccer teammates.

"Barcelona was a great city, known most for its Catalan tradition," Distler says. "Of course, my most memorable experience was checking out Camp Nou, the home stadium of La Liga champions Barcelona FC. While we weren't able to see a game because the players were away on international duty, we were able to walk around and take a tour of the stadium. The stadium can host the largest number of spectators out of all stadiums in Europe, with 98,800 seats. It was an amazing experience to say the least."

In a long line of Centre Soccer players who have enjoyed time spent abroad, Distler was quick to praise his overseas experiences and the impact it's having on his pending senior season.

"My time abroad has been one of my best life experiences," he says. "I've been enjoying a completely different culture and taking classes in one of the world's greatest cities, and I look forward to enjoying my remaining time in London before heading back to Centre for my senior season."

The five Centre Soccer players currently studying abroad will return home in May after what will have been a 12-week terms in Europe. Less than three months after their return, they'll be back in a Centre soccer uniform, training hard in preseason for what will be each of their senior seasons. 

Distler is the son of Walt and Sheryl Distler of Louisville and is a graduate of St. Xavier High School.

Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine ranks Centre 24th among all the nation's colleges and universities and has named Centre No. 1 among all institutions of higher education in the South for two years in a row. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices.