Senior Richard Ritter stands in the soccer field. Bright lights shine from all directions. He notices the opposing team on the other side of the field. Ritter’s heart beats fast and his mind races. The nerves of anticipation build stronger as he knows he must play his hardest to win the game.
“When the team wins, I feel excited, but most of all I feel a huge relief to know that we won and I can go home from a mission accomplished,” Ritter said.
Ritter’s love for soccer started when his cousins would visit from Mexico. They taught him how to play and Ritter grew up watching soccer games on television. His love for soccer expanded into a passion when he asked his mom if she could put him on a team.
“Knowing that I’m going to play a game that I enjoy keeps me motivated, especially [since] I’m representing the school,” Ritter said. “Also creating an opportunity to score goals for my teammates is exciting to me.”
Having played soccer for nine years, Ritter made the varsity soccer team during the second half of his junior year, taking on the position of left back defender.
“Being on varsity, I feel more respect from other people,” Ritter said, “I feel like I’m part of something big.”
For Ritter playing on varsity includes feeling more pressure because of the higher expectations to play well from both his coach and teammates.
“Even though varsity is hard, I like being on varsity. It’s supposed to be hard,” Ritter said, “I like my teammates very well. We have a strong bond. We work real hard and push each other to the max.”
