For Chad Fearon, football in the British Virgin Islands started with passion – but not always with the structure needed to develop truly.
He began playing at a local academy at around 12 before eventually joining the national training program. While football was growing in the islands, Chad quickly realized that the environment around him could only take him so far.
“The football environment there wasn’t very intense and often lacked structure,” he explains. “After a certain point, I felt like my skills started stagnating.”
Like many young players from smaller football nations, Chad dreamed about continuing his career at a higher level. College soccer in the United States was something he thought about, but at the time, it didn’t feel very realistic.
“I knew my skill level was nowhere near players coming from football countries like England or France.”
Still, he understood that staying comfortable would not help him improve.
Chad’s decision to join IDA came from a simple realization: if he truly wanted to test himself and chase football seriously, he needed a completely different environment.
“I knew I needed something more if I wanted to get anywhere near the professional level,” he says.
After conversations with his mother and a lot of reflection, he made the decision to leave home and move abroad.
Arriving in Spain immediately opened his eyes to a different level of football.
“The average level of players was way higher than the players in my home country,” Chad says. “And the speed of play here was way faster.”
The adjustment wasn’t easy.
One of the biggest challenges early on was tactical understanding – especially knowing what to do with and without the ball in different situations.
“In Spain, I realized how much game understanding matters.”
Over time, the consistency of the IDA environment became one of the biggest turning points in Chad’s development.
“The consistent training and competition helped me the most,” he explains.
Coming from an environment where regular high-level competition was difficult to find, the rhythm at IDA Valencia accelerated his learning process dramatically.
“Five days of training and a game every week helped me understand the game much quicker than if I had stayed home.”
The impact showed not only technically, but mentally as well.
“My game has seriously improved since joining IDA,” he says. “I have way more game IQ, technical ability on the ball, and a much tougher mindset because of all the setbacks I faced after coming here.”
Living abroad also forced him to mature outside football.
“Training and living abroad shaped me immensely as a person,” Chad says. “It helped me become more mature in almost every aspect of my life.”
The possibility of college soccer started feeling real once Chad began working with Brusa Sports, one of IDA’s partners supporting players through the U.S. college recruitment pathway.
“They set out a clear guideline for me,” Chad says.
Through IDA and its partnership with Brusa Sports, Chad was guided through the recruitment process, including the creation of his highlight video and conversations with college programs across the United States.
Eventually, an opportunity came from Tabor College.
“They said they were interested and offered me a scholarship to join.”
For Chad, the decision became about more than football alone.
“I chose Tabor because they align greatly with my values as a person,” he says. “I’m a man of faith, and Tabor is a strong Christian university.”
Now preparing for the next chapter, Chad sees this opportunity as another important step in both his football and personal growth.
“I’m excited to keep growing as both a player and a person. There are still so many things I can improve.”
Looking back, Chad sees IDA as a major turning point in his pathway.
“At first, I thought football was fairly simple,” he says. “Coming to IDA Valencia made me understand that the game has many different facets.”
For players coming from smaller countries or less developed football environments, his advice is direct:
“If you don’t feel like you’re improving where you are, take that chance.”
“If you truly want to go pro, you have to see how you stack up against players internationally who are your age and chasing the same goal.”
From the British Virgin Islands to college soccer in the United States, Chad Fearon’s story is a reminder that sometimes development begins the moment you decide to leave comfort behind.
Chad’s journey reflects what can happen when players are willing to challenge themselves in a completely new environment.
Through IDA, players from around the world train, compete, and develop inside professional football cultures while building pathways toward college soccer and future opportunities in the game.
Applications remain open for IDA Residency Programs for the 2026/27 season, as well as summer experiences across Spain, Italy, the UK, Brazil, and the United States. Register now!
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