Turning Setbacks Into Strengths: The Resilient Journey of Amer Dedic

The journey of BGSU men's soccer redshirt sophomore defender Amer Dedic has been far from easy. But with every detour comes a new path with interesting stops along the way.

Battling through injuries, adjustments and new roles, Dedic has continued to have his path shine bright with unwavering commitment to both his team and the game he loves.

"It's one of the toughest things for people to go through. For us that are athletes, we dedicate and pour so much time and energy into our sport, to have it kind of taken away the way it is on occasion for injuries, especially this one, that's kind of a more extreme injury, it's brutal," head coach Eric Nichols said.

During his freshman season at BGSU in 2022, Dedic had played in 15 of the 16 matches, including 14 starts. He had been on the pitch for more than 80 percent of the minutes for those matches.

Dedic was then hit with back-to-back season-ending injuries in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons, sidelining him for his sophomore season along with redshirting the other.

This type of stretch is something that no athlete would wish for. Any injury makes it hard to find a positive, but Dedic managed to do so.

"I think at the beginning, I was really sad about it. But with the time, I think it changed me to a better person, because I realized that there's so much more than just the sport, and it helped me grow as a human being," Dedic said.

Dedic looked for the support of his teammates through the tough time, who comforted him with many checkups even with the season being in play.

"It was really nice because everybody, at least once or twice a week, would come up and be like, 'How are you doing? Is everything fine?'" Dedic said. "Obviously, it was not easy, because the team was traveling a lot. But they would reach out to me. They would call me whenever they could. So, it was really nice."

The team continued to help Dedic through the seasons, as the support quickly came full circle.

Though unable to help on the pitch, Dedic found a new purpose in helping his squad from the sidelines. He found his time more productive helping his teammates rather than looking into the negative of his injuries.

"He was quickly able to put that behind him and say, 'Okay, what am I going to do for my team now? I've taken on a new role, and I'm going to do everything I can.' His role was no longer to help us as a player, because he couldn't at the time, but he became another coach and another part of our leadership. He was basically a captain slash coach off the field," said Nichols.

Dedic put all of his focus into his ability to help the team with his ideas, leadership and coaching abilities, helping him find a love for the coaching aspect of the game.

"Obviously, it was hard for me to help the team on the field. But I looked more into the coaching aspect. I tried to coach the back line, where my position is, try to tell them my experience, how we could change things," Dedic said.

Nichols jumped right on the idea of Dedic helping through being a mentor and coach, knowing his knowledge of the game would help the team in more ways than one.

"He understands the way our expectations of the back line as well as anyone, including myself. I oftentimes will watch film, and I'll think it should be like this, and I'll turn to him and say, 'How do you feel about that?' He'll either disagree or agree, but I really trust the way he sees the game," said Nichols. "We all look at the game kind of differently, some just kind of let it rip and play. He's a really cerebral player. He sees it at a very high level, and he's got the ability to deliver that message appropriately to the team."

Part of that perspective comes from his background. Growing up in Germany, Dedic was shaped by a different soccer culture, one extremely different than the one played in the United States.

"I think the European style is a lot slower and more tactical, it's more about possession. Here you face a lot of players that are physical, strong. We're really athletic, and it's a fast-paced game," Dedic said.

Dedic grew up playing with a club in the Bundesliga League, the first tier of the German football league system, which showed him the way soccer grows in different ways.

"I grew up playing in the Academy of FC Augsburg," Dedic said. "I got promoted to the first team, and I trained with them for a while, and it was amazing, but it was a big challenge. When I stepped on the field with them the first time, I realized there's levels to the game."

Being from Germany, Dedic made his transition into college another detour in his journey. With it being his first time on his own, while also being in a new country, the team helped him find his peace.

"At the beginning, it was really nice, because the team was really welcoming. It was hard for me. Obviously, I came from far away, from Germany, but everybody welcomed me nice. People helped me out, from the coaches to the players," Dedic said.

The bright and caring personality of Dedic made him fit right in on the team, making his presence around the players and coaches a necessity even during his time being injured.

"He's an incredible young man, so much perspective and accountability, and he's smart and he's caring, very locked in and focused on what he wants to achieve personally. But also, he's just an incredible teammate. He gets the big picture," Nichols said. "He knows how to demand out of others really high levels, but he does it in the right way. He fits his message to the particular person. So, just an incredible asset as a human being to have on the team."

Dedic can influence the team not only through his words but also by his persistence. His presence has set a standard in the locker room, reminding others to keep perspective when facing tough times.

"It's impossible to feel sorry for yourself if you're another guy when you see him, who has been out for so long and still really trying to get back to where he can be. It's impossible for someone else to complain about playing time or minor injury or whatnot, when you see him dealing with that and go through with the spirit that he has," Nichols said. "Just his model alone has set a really high standard for us all."

On Sept. 20, Dedic made his return to the pitch for Bowling Green for the first time in 386 days. Coming on as a substitute and playing nine minutes against Bellarmine.

Dedic's detoured journey is a reminder that setbacks can be used as time to grow and shape leaders just as much as one's success on the field. Through resilience, perspective and an unwavering commitment to his team, he has turned hardship into opportunity. No matter where his path leads next, Dedic's influence on the BGSU men's soccer program will be felt way past his time on the team.

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