Written by Student Assistant Stephen Hobbs ‘11
Fifth-year senior Ricky Character (RC) knows exactly what it takes for men’s soccer team to get back to the NCAA Tournament. The native of Memphis, Tennessee, a midfielder, is spending the off-season recovering from shoulder surgery and preparing to become an integral leader for the Broncos this season. Santaclarabroncos.com sat down with the eldest of the Character brothers to learn more about his experiences at Santa Clara.
SCU: This is going to be your fifth year as a part of
the team, what has been the best part about playing soccer at Santa
Clara?
RC: My first
two years we went to the Elite Eight and the Sweet 16 so those have
been my best memories on the field. Off the field, it has
been great being a part of the team because it is like a big
family. We all get along great together and we can have a
good time wherever we go.
SCU: What was it like having your brother on team with
you last season? Is it something you are used to or was it a little
different for you?
RC: It was
really fun having Devin on the team. We get along pretty well
most of the time so him being on the team wasn’t a problem at
all. It was something I was kind of used to before because
when I was a senior on my high school soccer team, Devin was a
freshman on the team.
SCU: What aspect of your game do you feel is a strength
for you?
RC: Dribbling
and taking defenders on. I love getting the ball with time
and space and then attacking a defender and going to
goal
SCU: What would you like to focus on individually before
the season starts?
RC:
Leadership. Because it is my fifth year and I am one of the
oldest players on the team, it is up to me and the other seniors to
pave the way for the underclassmen, not only for this season, but
for the upcoming seasons as well. We are the only players on
the team who have been to the NCAA Tournament and we know what it
takes to get there again. We have to be able to show the
underclassmen the right way to do things just like the
upperclassmen showed us when we were freshmen and
sophomores.
SCU: What is a random fact about you that not many
people will know?
RC: Ricky
isn’t my real name, but that is all I’m going to say
about that. Haha
SCU: How did you get started playing soccer?
RC: When I was
three or four years old I was a little troublemaker. I was
always running around the house, climbing on furniture and breaking
things, so my parents thought that soccer would be the best way for
me to burn off all of my energy. They signed me up for a
youth team. I fell in love with the game and have been
playing ever since.
SCU: What is your favorite video game to play in your
free time?
RC: FIFA
2010
RC: Basketball. I played basketball and soccer back when I was younger but I stopped playing basketball so that I could concentrate more on soccer.
SCU: Any fun vacations or plans during the summer?
RC: Nope,
nothing exciting at all. I’m just staying out here in Santa
Clara working soccer camps and continuing my physical therapy for
my shoulder.