In this interview you can read more about the experiences of Slamstox athlete Amina Maatoug as a student-athlete in America! She left for Duke University last fall and is part of the track & field team there. Duke plays in Division I and is part of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Want to know more about Amina and her life in America? Then read on quickly!
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Amina Maatoug, I’m 20 years old, and I’m from Leiden. I am a middle distance runner. I am currently studying and running at Duke University.
You are now at Duke University, how did your first months here go and what is your best American experience so far?
I am really enjoying myself at Duke University. Duke is a good and fun university in a very nice environment, with great people and facilities. It’s a lot of fun to be part of the Duke running team. I also think it’s super cool to run competitions in the NCAA, where the level is super high.
My coolest experience to date was competing in the NCAA championships in cross country; I had never participated in a race with so many runners and at such a high level before.
Transfer student – the differences in studying in the Netherlands versus America
Why did you decide to go to America to study and do sports?
Quite a lot of people I know from the Dutch athletics world made the step to study in America. I heard many good stories and saw how high the standard was and how good the facilities were. Then I decided to start exploring my options, when I got the chance to go to Duke University it immediately seemed like a really cool opportunity.
How did you experience the transition from the Netherlands to America?
In the beginning it took some getting used to everything, because the way everything is done here is different from what I was used to in the Netherlands. But because you are immediately completely surrounded by this new environment, you get used to everything very quickly. It also helps a lot to be part of a team, in which there are always people who want to help you if you need help with something.
As a transfer student you have also studied in the Netherlands (at Leiden University) in combination with track and field. What is it like to combine this in America and is it easier, for example?
In the Netherlands it is up to you to combine your studies with your sport. Although that was easy to do, I notice the difference now that I study in America. Here it is made as easy as possible for student-athletes to combine your studies with your sport: you have access to all kinds of sports facilities; the teaching buildings, sports facilities and student rooms are close together; the training sessions are taken into account in your class schedule; and above all it is no problem to miss classes in case of competitions.
As a transfer student you have also studied in the Netherlands (at Leiden University) in combination with athletics. What is it like to combine this in America and is it easier, for example?
In the Netherlands it is up to you to combine your studies with your sport. Although that was easy to do, I notice the difference now that I study in America. Here it is made as easy as possible for student-athletes to combine your studies with your sport: you have access to all kinds of sports facilities; the teaching buildings, sports facilities and student rooms are close together; the training sessions are taken into account in your class schedule; and above all it is no problem to miss classes in case of competitions.
Where do you live on campus and how do you like it?
I live in a room on campus with a roommate. We share a kitchen and bathroom with the hallway. The location of my room is nice, because everything is within 5 to 10 minutes walking distance. I also don’t mind that we don’t have our own kitchen, because we have a very good dining hall, where you can get good food.
Differences in track & field – the differences between the Netherlands and America
Are American college athletics competitions very different from how you wanted competitions in the Netherlands? If so, what is different and what are the similarities (if any)?
At the end of the day, athletics is a simple sport, so the competitions are not super different. The biggest difference between the matches is the level; there are a lot of competitions here with a lot of athletes with a high level. And it is also different that we travel much further to competitions here. We often fly to a match and we
stay there in a hotel for a number of nights.
Do you now train much more and in a different way than in the Netherlands?
The way of training here is not very different from the training I was used to in Leiden. However, all sizes are somewhat larger. I make more kilometers per week and the pace and track training sessions are somewhat larger in size compared to the Netherlands.
What are the training facilities like at Duke? Are there many nice and beautiful places in the area for your running training?
The facilities at Duke are super good. We have a nice track, a large strength room and a training room with all kinds of recovery tools. There is also a physiotherapist, dietician and psychologist who you can always contact. There are also super nice trails to run on. For example, we have a forest next to the track where you can enjoy running on soft surfaces.
Can you tell us something about the combination of the American and Dutch competition seasons? For example, do you want to run track competitions in the Netherlands following the American outdoor season? And is this possible at all?
The athletics season in the United States ends quite early. The regular season is already finished in May. However, you can qualify for the NCAA championships in June. Since you can also run competitions throughout the summer in the Netherlands, this can certainly be combined with the American season. I myself have the ambition to
take part in the European Under-23 Championships.
Achievements Amina – ambitions for the future
What is your goal for the current indoor season and the upcoming outdoor season?
Both this indoor and outdoor season, my goal is to finish as high as possible at the NCAA Championships. I also hope to be able to break my personal records.
You recently ran your first indoor competitions for Duke where you already ran several school records. How did you experience this?
It’s super cool to go to games with my team and run for Duke. There is a very nice atmosphere and everyone encourages each other. It is also very nice how people are aware of my achievements, also outside the track and field team.
Sporting highlight of the XC season?
My highlight of this season was my fourth place at the European Under-23 Cross Country Championships. I was super happy how I was able to finish my cross season there. And the US cross season was the perfect preparation for that.
What was it like to compete in XC nationals as an individual? Did you find it exciting to go here on your own without your team?
It was a pity that I couldn’t go to the championships with my team. However, there was a boy from my team who had also placed individually, so we were not completely alone. Despite that, it was a very cool experience. It was nice to meet and get to know other individuals well and it was super cool to be able to run in such a good field.
As icing on the ‘XC cake’ you finished 4th at the European Cross Country Championships in Turin. Congratulations! How did you experience this and did you expect to finish so close to the podium?
Fourth at the European Cross Country Championships was really cool. I had not expected this at all. Of course I wanted to finish as high as possible, but I thought that getting into the top ten would be very difficult. The course was very tough, but I noticed that others around me had it harder. That way I could overtake a few people every time and eventually sprint to fourth place. A result that really surprised me.
Do you feel that the American XC season has helped you prepare for the European Cross Country Championships?
The American cross season was the perfect preparation for the European Cross Championships. I was able to gain experience with six kilometers of cross country and I learned a lot from the different cross races with different courses and different opponents. The EC cross also felt a bit less overwhelming, because in America I was used to starting in fields of more than 200 girls. Furthermore, I was already used to traveling to competitions and I knew how to deal with it. It also helped me that I often competed against opponents I do not know, which was also the case at the European Cross Country Championships.
What are your long-term sporting goals?
In the long term, I would like to get the best out of myself on the track. I hope to be able to develop as an athlete every year. It would be super cool if that could lead me to international tournaments. But the most important thing is that I can get the best out of myself.
Do you want to become a student-athlete in America just like Amina? Then fill in this form and we will be happy to help you!
