TULSA – It was about an hour until kickoff of the 2021 preseason. FC Tulsa and Bradley Bourgeois were down in Houston, prepping for a showdown with MLS’ Houston Dynamo. Bradley was just 30 minutes from his hometown of Cypress, Texas, a northwest suburb of Houston. The pre-match routine was the same: Boots? Check. Headphones? Check. Computer logged into class?
Check.
“So, my teacher doesn't know this,” Bradley said, “but it was during preseason, when we made that week trip to Texas. We have a class every Wednesday, from like 2-4:45. We had game at 4. So, I turn my computer on right before we left for the field, and I left my computer on record so I could record the class. It had like an hour and a half left. and then came back and revisited it while we were on the bus, did the homework, all that.”
It’s been a balancing act for the FC Tulsa captain, who on Saturday graduated from the University of Tulsa with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance.
“Honestly, it was difficult because I’m not on the normal schedule that everyone else is on,” Bradley explained. “Normally, with classes, school, you hang out with friends at dorms and you kind of have a strict schedule. But here, I mean, we have life on the road, playing games. It's different. Big credit to my fiancé, who's dealt with me studying at all kinds of times. I’ve had to put a lot of focus on soccer and in school. It’s just it's just a lot of juggling. “
Bradley and Olivia were set to get married in 2020, but the wedding was pushed back to later in 2021 because of COVID-19. Liv has been by Bradley’s side since before his move to FC Tulsa, and she was there for him when he committed back to online classes during the season shutdown last year.
“Bradley is one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met,” Olivia said. “Watching him balance his soccer career while also taking 6 classes to finish his degree has been so inspiring. There were days that he’d have to rush home from practice to make it to class in time. There were weeks that he’d have to juggle two-a-days and midterms at the same time. I know it wasn’t easy for him, but he was so determined to get his degree that he never once complained about how challenging it really was.”
TULSA – It was about an hour until kickoff of the 2021 preseason. FC Tulsa and Bradley Bourgeois were down in Houston, prepping for a showdown with MLS’ Houston Dynamo. Bradley was just 30 minutes from his hometown of Cypress, Texas, a northwest suburb of Houston. The pre-match routine was the same: Boots? Check. Headphones? Check. Computer logged into class?
Check.
“So, my teacher doesn’t know this,” Bradley said, “but it was during preseason, when we made that week trip to Texas. We have a class every Wednesday, from like 2-4:45. We had game at 4. So, I turn my computer on right before we left for the field, and I left my computer on record so I could record the class. It had like an hour and a half left. and then came back and revisited it while we were on the bus, did the homework, all that.”
It’s been a balancing act for the FC Tulsa captain, who on Saturday graduated from the University of Tulsa with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance.
“Honestly, it was difficult because I’m not on the normal schedule that everyone else is on,” Bradley explained. “Normally, with classes, school, you hang out with friends at dorms and you kind of have a strict schedule. But here, I mean, we have life on the road, playing games. It’s different. Big credit to my fiancé, who’s dealt with me studying at all kinds of times. I’ve had to put a lot of focus on soccer and in school. It’s just it’s just a lot of juggling. “
Bradley and Olivia were set to get married in 2020, but the wedding was pushed back to later in 2021 because of COVID-19. Liv has been by Bradley’s side since before his move to FC Tulsa, and she was there for him when he committed back to online classes during the season shutdown last year.
“Bradley is one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met,” Olivia said. “Watching him balance his soccer career while also taking 6 classes to finish his degree has been so inspiring. There were days that he’d have to rush home from practice to make it to class in time. There were weeks that he’d have to juggle two-a-days and midterms at the same time. I know it wasn’t easy for him, but he was so determined to get his degree that he never once complained about how challenging it really was.”
"In January, he called me and his father to say that this was his last semester and he would be applying for graduation in May. I was so elated! God had answered my prayers to keep him steadfast on his path.
Bradley is an extraordinary young man who has the fortitude, courage, and perseverance to accomplish any of his goals. Today, he has achieved the goal of a college degree. Tomorrow, who knows? I could not be any prouder to celebrate him and his accomplishment. His promise to me—and more importantly to himself—has been fulfilled. This is a real GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!" – Penny Bourgeois
“In January, he called me and his father to say that this was his last semester and he would be applying for graduation in May. I was so elated! God had answered my prayers to keep him steadfast on his path.
Bradley is an extraordinary young man who has the fortitude, courage, and perseverance to accomplish any of his goals. Today, he has achieved the goal of a college degree. Tomorrow, who knows? I could not be any prouder to celebrate him and his accomplishment. His promise to me—and more importantly to himself—has been fulfilled. This is a real GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!” – Penny Bourgeois
Bradley first arrived at TU in the fall of 2012, a stud freshman soccer player and diligent finance student. He spent almost 3 and a half years with the Golden Hurricane, starting every one of the 81 matches that TU played over four seasons, earning two All-Conference First Team awards, two American Athletic Conference Championships, and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
As he finished his fourth season, Houston Dynamo came calling to sign Bradley as a homegrown player, and the dream to pursue professional soccer had become a reality. But it meant leaving college before getting his degree.
It was the first half of my senior year, so I had like a semester and a half left,” Bradley said. “So I left early in 2016, I believe. I left early and signed in Houston. But I made my mom a promise that if I left, I would come back graduate. So that's been my main goal. I didn't think it would happen this soon, but because of the pandemic, I was able to take classes online. So, shoutout to Mom on this one.”
Penny Bourgeois is always there for Bradley, and she was this time as well. She had Bradley’s back the whole way.
“From a very young age, to keep Bradley motivated in his studies, I posted a quote from the movie The Great Debaters in several places in his room,” Penny said. “’We do what we have to do, so we can do what we want to do.’ I wanted him to read it each time he entered his room and each time he left it.”
When Bradley returned to Tulsa before the 2020 season, he called his mom. He recited the quote that had hung in his room all his life, and he told his parents he was keeping his promise. When he walked across the stage on Saturday, there was never a doubt that Penny and his whole family would be there to cheer him on, just like they do on the field.
What’s next then for the FC Tulsa captain? After two consecutive team of the week honors and an assist on the winning goal against Indy Eleven last weekend, it’s safe to say his place is on the field for a while. But this achievement is a story of perseverance and dedication, qualities which translate directly to his success, both in the classroom and on the pitch.
“I think it's a big deal,” Bradley said. “There's not a lot of people who have the opportunity to graduate college, but to be able to do on playing and playing a sport that I love, in a city that I love, it means the world. I'm just happy that my parents instilled in me that education was so important. To be able to graduate, that’s huge. I just opened so many more doors for myself, because soccer doesn’t last forever.”
Bradley first arrived at TU in the fall of 2012, a stud freshman soccer player and diligent finance student. He spent almost 3 and a half years with the Golden Hurricane, starting every one of the 81 matches that TU played over four seasons, earning two All-Conference First Team awards, two American Athletic Conference Championships, and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
As he finished his fourth season, Houston Dynamo came calling to sign Bradley as a homegrown player, and the dream to pursue professional soccer had become a reality. But it meant leaving college before getting his degree.
It was the first half of my senior year, so I had like a semester and a half left,” Bradley said. “So I left early in 2016, I believe. I left early and signed in Houston. But I made my mom a promise that if I left, I would come back graduate. So that’s been my main goal. I didn’t think it would happen this soon, but because of the pandemic, I was able to take classes online. So, shoutout to Mom on this one.”
Penny Bourgeois is always there for Bradley, and she was this time as well. She had Bradley’s back the whole way.
“From a very young age, to keep Bradley motivated in his studies, I posted a quote from the movie The Great Debaters in several places in his room,” Penny said. “’We do what we have to do, so we can do what we want to do.’ I wanted him to read it each time he entered his room and each time he left it.”
When Bradley returned to Tulsa before the 2020 season, he called his mom. He recited the quote that had hung in his room all his life, and he told his parents he was keeping his promise. When he walked across the stage on Saturday, there was never a doubt that Penny and his whole family would be there to cheer him on, just like they do on the field.
What’s next then for the FC Tulsa captain? After two consecutive team of the week honors and an assist on the winning goal against Indy Eleven last weekend, it’s safe to say his place is on the field for a while. But this achievement is a story of perseverance and dedication, qualities which translate directly to his success, both in the classroom and on the pitch.
“I think it’s a big deal,” Bradley said. “There’s not a lot of people who have the opportunity to graduate college, but to be able to do on playing and playing a sport that I love, in a city that I love, it means the world. I’m just happy that my parents instilled in me that education was so important. To be able to graduate, that’s huge. I just opened so many more doors for myself, because soccer doesn’t last forever.”
