WALLINGFORD, Pa. — It’s difficult for any college student to take six classes in a semester.
Try doing it when you’re a Major League Soccer player.
For the past few months, Philadelphia Union rookie and La Salle University senior Ryan Richter managed to balance a full college course load with daily MLS training sessions.
It was a grueling schedule but certainly a rewarding one, too. On Sunday, Richter donned his cap and gown and graduated beside the rest of his classmates.
“It was a goal of mine and I was happy to do it,” Richter told MLSsoccer.com. “I had a lot of help from my teachers at La Salle. I probably couldn’t have done it if I’d been playing for any other team but I’m just happy it worked out.”
Richter didn’t need to move when he was drafted out of the Philadelphia university in the first round of the MLS Supplemental Draft in January, but he still needed some leniency from the La Salle community. Of the six classes he took, three were at night, two were online and one he said he just “pretty much met with my teacher every night after practice.”
One thing he never wanted, however, was any leniency from the Union coaches.
“I didn’t ask for any breaks,” he said. “Soccer came first. But at the same time, they knew what I was doing.”
Richter, an accounting major, did very well in school, and was named La Salle’s Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. And with a newly minted college degree, he’s obviously well-equipped for the future, even if it’s one that doesn't include soccer.
But that’s not what he’s thinking about now. With more time on his hands, Richter is only trying to improve his game and become a fixture on the Union for years to come.
The rookie was a dominating goal-scorer for La Salle but was converted to fullback to give Philly more defensive depth. He’s yet to debut, but looked strong in the back during both of the club’s Reserve League matches.
“Everything is soccer now — not that it ever wasn’t,” Richter said. “I’m happy to get that done with so now I can focus everything on this.”
Dave Zeitlin covers the Union for MLSsoccer.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DaveZeitlin.
