Reo Radford

Usually, when teenaged boys talk about the sports they play, they try to act all macho, but for Reo Radford, the best thing about playing soccer is having fun with his team and competing.

Reo, starting Junior Varsity defender, claims that his team “is honestly like family. They are just a bunch of guys that go out and have fun. Everybody knows everybody.”

Although Reo has personal goals like making the state team and lettering, he says, “I just want to do the best that I can to help the team forward.”

Reo started playing soccer when he was in first grade and played on the “Go Wyo” youth club team. He continued to play until fifth grade, but then he took a “four-year hiatus” because he didn’t have the time or motivation to play again.

Referring to middle school, Reo states, “I just had a lot more homework. I wasn’t used to it.”

After three years without soccer, during his freshman year in high school, Reo saw soccer listed on the school activities and decided to play to see how much he had retained throughout middle school. Also, Reo admits that a major factor in his choice to play again was that soccer was simply better than track.

This past spring, Reo was able to get some significant Varsity playing time and even started a varsity game against Newcastle.

“I was pretty pumped for that,” Reo recalled about his Varsity start.

Reo’s family doesn’t play soccer, but his parents and grandparents try to make it to as many games as possible.

Reo’s coach and teammates are also supportive.

During a game, Reo’s favorite advice from his Coach is “Kick the ball!”

Reo’s favorite teammate, Dustin, “knows a way to make everything fun.” Reo appreciates his team for being so encouraging.

Although Reo likes to have fun with his team, he says, “I go out there and try to make it as real as possible in pre-game warm-ups.”

Even with all of this preparation, it is understandable that Reo, as a sophomore, might get a little nervous before a big game.

He admitted that “if you’ve got a big senior running at you with a soccer ball, you’re first instinct is to curl up into a ball and let them hop over you,” but he believes that “if you just hold strong and don’t let them juke around you and make you look like an idiot out there on the field, then you can go and compete with anybody you want.”

Reo plans to continue playing soccer throughout high school, but then go to college “just to be a student, not an athlete.”

However, with his love for the sport, Reo plans to play intermural and club games.

To hear Reo’s story in his own words, click here.