SASKATOON — The husband-wife duo of Brett (BA’22) and Carmen Levis (BScNutr’17) are forever bonded by their time as Huskie student-athletes and their love of the beautiful game.
Brett and Carmen were accomplished soccer players in their time as Huskies. Brett played for the 2014-15 Canada West championship-winning team and Carmen was a U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian, as a student-athlete achieving higher than an 80 per cent average.
Now a published researcher, Carmen works as an international nutrition policy consultant with the World Health Organization. She also supports advocacy efforts related to reducing noncommunicable diseases.
Brett has continued his journey with soccer, playing professionally. He was the first Huskie to play in Major League Soccer, spending three seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He now plays for in the United Soccer League Championship. He has also started a company that helps other professional athletes with financial planning.
USask Alumni caught up with the Huskie soccer power couple.
Your time as Huskie student-athletes coincided, but you first met before coming to USask. How did soccer bring you together?
Brett: Carmen and I met in Grade 10 English class. We knew each other before that because of our involvement in the Saskatchewan provincial teams. What’s interesting about our paths crossing was that I grew up and lived on the west side of (Saskatoon), and I only attended Centennial Collegiate, which is on the east side of Saskatoon, because of its soccer academy.
Carmen: We had heard of each other while we were playing on the provincial soccer teams in elementary school, but we didn’t officially meet until high school. It didn’t take long for us to connect over soccer, become friends, and start dating.
How would you describe your experience as Huskie student-athletes? What memories stand out to you and what do you look back on fondly?
Carmen: It was a very positive experience overall. As a Huskie student-athlete, you have an instant community that supports you. You become a family with your team because you spend a lot of time with each other and experience so much over the five years. I felt like I always had someone to lean on, which was helpful, especially in my first few years when I wasn’t playing as much as I had hoped to. This was very challenging for me, but I think those tough times taught me a lot about overcoming adversity and enabled me to grow more as an athlete and individual. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Brett: Some of the best memories I carry today come from my time with the Huskies—not only winning the Canada West championship but the lifelong friendships I still have to this day. It’s uncommon to have a group of friends you grew up with since you were young all playing together at a high level, let alone win the first-ever Huskie men’s soccer Canada West championship. Without my time with the Huskies, I genuinely believe I wouldn’t be where I am today.
What is the bond like with your teammates and coaches from your time as a Huskie since you graduated? Have you stayed in touch? How have they supported your career and life after USask?
Carmen: The bond I have with my teammates is very strong; many of them are still my best friends to this day. We have been in each other’s weddings and are chosen aunties to each other’s kids. Therefore, it probably comes as no surprise that both my teammates and coaches have been very supportive of my career and life post-Huskies. They have been there to help me through career changes, moves to new cities, and everything in between. My coaches have also been references for me and have invited me to speak at different Huskie events, which has helped me stay connected to the team.
Brett: I still have a great bond with a lot of my teammates. Some I consider my best friends and chat almost daily with. I also have a good relationship with (Huskie men’s soccer head coach) Bryce Chapman, whom I’ve known for nearly 15 years. The support I’ve gotten throughout the years has been amazing. I can still recall some of my teammates instilling in me the belief that I had what it took to pursue a professional career. Obviously, I believed in myself and my ability as well. Still, you have to remember, that no one had ever grown up in Saskatchewan and made it to the professional level, so it was longshot. Fast-forward to my 10th-year pro, and I still have many teammates watching and reaching out to me after a game, which is incredible.
How would you both describe your respective professional journeys from your time as student-athletes to today?
Carmen: I didn’t know what I wanted to pursue in university besides soccer. I was always really interested in science and how nutrition affects our health, so I decided to obtain a degree in the science of nutrition during my time at USask. We moved to B.C. after we graduated, which was when I pursued a master’s degree in public health and social policy from the University of Victoria. After I completed my graduate degree, I began working at the World Health Organization in the Region of the Americas (aka the Pan American Health Organization) as an international nutrition policy consultant. In my position, I support the advancement of nutrition policies that help prevent and manage noncommunicable diseases in the 35 countries within this region.
Additionally, I work at an international noncommunicable disease prevention and advocacy organization known as NCD Alliance, where I support the implementation of trans fatty acid policies in Pakistan and Mexico. I’m also involved in advocacy efforts related to reducing noncommunicable diseases globally. Through this work, I have had the opportunity to contribute to papers on topics from , , and questioning approaches to . &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Brett: I am finishing up my master’s in finance and have been working with a fellow professional on creating a business around financial planning and literacy for professional athletes. One thing I’ve noticed throughout this career is that there is a good amount of money being made by relatively young people, and not much financial education. This is scary because professional soccer is a very short career and the importance of planning for the future is imperative.
What comes to mind when I think of my journey is all the people around me who helped me achieve something special. There have been so many highs and lows throughout this career that it would have been nearly impossible to get through without the support system that I had. Another aspect that comes to mind when reflecting on my journey thus far is the places I got to travel and all the friends I was able to make along the way. I understand that it’s a unique lifestyle and I am forever grateful that I was able to be a part of it.
— Submitted by USask Media Relations
