I was fortunate that in the entirety of my soccer playing career, there were less than a handful of players that I didn't like having on my team. This guy was definitely not one of those handful. I'm happy to say that this edition was done by one of my friends who was a better person than he was a soccer play and he was a really good soccer player. His family treated me like I was part of their family and my family treated him like he was part of our family. He was my teammate, but he was my friend first and I'm glad that we've managed to stay in contact through the years, even if it isn't to the same level as when we were kids. So with that sappiness, I'll let him tell you about his Soccer Life.
1. Name:
Chris Rickelman
2. Role (Player, Parent, Coach, Referee, General Spectator, All of the Above, None of the Above, Other):
- All but Referee
(Editor's note: Chris indicates he refereed a little in HS later...Chris Estridge did the same thing of not including referee here, but said they did it later. I wonder if it's a Chris thing or a defender thing.)
3. Soccer-specific Nickname (and any story behind it):
- In High School the nickname was "Rickelchicken." Yes, I know, not exactly one that strikes fear in opponents; however, it was one that my teammates as well as myself embraced. So much so that it was actually embroidered on the front of my Ben Davis letter jacket, and engraved inside my class ring. As for where the nickname originated, that is still up for debate. There are a couple of stories/tales about where the name originated, but I imagine it is a combination of both. One of the stories was that I actually received the nickname while playing a pickup basketball game with some friends and their dads. I happened to be making several of my shots (not normal) when one of the Dad's yelled out, "Man, Rickelchicken is on fire!" It was heard by several of my friends, and then just seemed to stick and be carried along onto the soccer field as well. The other story is that while participating in one of coach Kevin Scanlon's two-a-day drills (probably the dreaded death drill...anyone remember that one?), I lost my dinner about half way through. I believe coach Scanlon or coach Tubbs asked me what I had eaten and I replied, “chicken.” I believe it was then and there that I was declared “Rickelchicken”.
(Editor's notes: I definitely remember the "death drill." Bad memories... Coach Scanlon was a fairly recent IUPUI grad when he coached us and now coaches for the Westfield Youth Soccer Association, as does Coach Tubbs, who was also an IUPUI grad and is in the top 5 in single-season assists for IUPUI.)
4. Age started playing:
- Exact age I am unsure of, but my guess would be around 6 or 7 is when I started.
5. First recollection of the game:
- One of my first recollections of the game was that I remember playing and loving defense. My signature defensive move was to simply kick the ball out of bounds. Ball would be coming down the sideline with no opponent even close, and I would kick it out of bounds...take that other team!
6. Highest level of play achieved:
- Played 4 years of college soccer at Olivet Nazarene University.
7. Last competitive match – Date (if known) & Level of Play:
- Last competitive match would have been October of 1997 against Greenville College in Illinois. I have played in a men’s over 30 league, but that was much more recreational than competitive.
8. Position:
- Sweeper
9. Jersey number:
- 10
10. Most memorable moment(s):
- Scored on a bicycle kick in an indoor game during high school. One of those moments where you weren’t thinking about it...it just happened.
- My first 2 games of my college career were played at the Cornerstone College Kickoff classic in Grand Rapids, MI. I had earned the spot of starting sweeper as a freshman, and was incredibly nervous. At the end of the tournament, there were awards given out for offensive player of the tournament as well as defensive player of the tournament. The offensive player of the tournament was awarded to Jeff Dresser from Cornerstone college who would go on to play soccer professionally (look him up :)), and I (who did not go on to play professionally) was awarded the top defensive player of the tournament. It was a pretty cool way to start my college career!
(Editor’s note: Jeff Dresser (played with the Indiana Blast through the 2003 season)
11. Least memorable moment(s):
- Getting a red card in my final high school game which was played under the lights at Heritage Christian. Tearing off my shirt as I left the field in tears knowing that my high school career was over and at the time was not sure I would be going on to play college soccer. It was not a great display of sportsmanship.
- Breaking and dislocating my ankle just before halftime in a match against Greenville College of Illinois. It was my sophomore year, we were 6 games into the season, we had started off the season great with shutouts against 4 of our first 5 opponents. I would require surgery and miss the rest of my sophomore season. (see articles for details).
12. Favorite team:
- Would simply have to say team USA
13. Favorite player:
- Historical: Marcelo Balboa of the USA. Defensive stud, had one of the greatest almost goals in World Cup History (youtube Marcelo Balboa bicycle kick against Columbia in ‘94 world cup), and who didn’t love that mullett?
(
Editor's note: around the 50 second mark is the bicycle. I love Meola's reaction after it):
- Current: Cory Miller of the Indy Eleven, and fellow Olivet Nazarene University Alumni!
14. Indoor vs Outdoor:
- Outdoor because of the different weather elements that could transform any game.
15. Grass vs Turf:
- Grass
16. Coaching experience:
- Assistant/head coach of North Manchester soccer club;
- Assistant coach at Manchester High School for a few years;
- Head coach for both my kids the last couple of years (ages 6 and 9).
17. Refereeing experience:
- Little bit in HS
18. Favorite World Cup moment(s):
- Cameroon stuns Argentina in the opening match of the 1990 World Cup.
- The aforementioned almost bicycle kick goal into the upper 90 by Marcelo Balboa in the ‘94 WC.
- Clint Dempsey scores in the opening 30 seconds of their first match against Ghana in this years 2014 WC.
19. Honors/Awards:
- Named to the 1992 IHSSSL All-League West All Star Team.
- Named to the 1993 ISCA (Indiana Soccer Coaches Association) Top Team
- Cornerstone College Kickoff Classic’s Top Defensive Player award
20. Other sports played (and to what level):
21. Other Comments:
- Thanks Drew for giving us the opportunity to reminisce a little about the “glory days”. I loved having you as a teammate and more importantly a friend!
1. Name:
Chris Rickelman
2. Role (Player, Parent, Coach, Referee, General Spectator, All of the Above, None of the Above, Other):
- All but Referee
(Editor's note: Chris indicates he refereed a little in HS later...Chris Estridge did the same thing of not including referee here, but said they did it later. I wonder if it's a Chris thing or a defender thing.)
3. Soccer-specific Nickname (and any story behind it):
- In High School the nickname was "Rickelchicken." Yes, I know, not exactly one that strikes fear in opponents; however, it was one that my teammates as well as myself embraced. So much so that it was actually embroidered on the front of my Ben Davis letter jacket, and engraved inside my class ring. As for where the nickname originated, that is still up for debate. There are a couple of stories/tales about where the name originated, but I imagine it is a combination of both. One of the stories was that I actually received the nickname while playing a pickup basketball game with some friends and their dads. I happened to be making several of my shots (not normal) when one of the Dad's yelled out, "Man, Rickelchicken is on fire!" It was heard by several of my friends, and then just seemed to stick and be carried along onto the soccer field as well. The other story is that while participating in one of coach Kevin Scanlon's two-a-day drills (probably the dreaded death drill...anyone remember that one?), I lost my dinner about half way through. I believe coach Scanlon or coach Tubbs asked me what I had eaten and I replied, “chicken.” I believe it was then and there that I was declared “Rickelchicken”.
(Editor's notes: I definitely remember the "death drill." Bad memories... Coach Scanlon was a fairly recent IUPUI grad when he coached us and now coaches for the Westfield Youth Soccer Association, as does Coach Tubbs, who was also an IUPUI grad and is in the top 5 in single-season assists for IUPUI.)
4. Age started playing:
- Exact age I am unsure of, but my guess would be around 6 or 7 is when I started.
5. First recollection of the game:
- One of my first recollections of the game was that I remember playing and loving defense. My signature defensive move was to simply kick the ball out of bounds. Ball would be coming down the sideline with no opponent even close, and I would kick it out of bounds...take that other team!
6. Highest level of play achieved:
- Played 4 years of college soccer at Olivet Nazarene University.
7. Last competitive match – Date (if known) & Level of Play:
- Last competitive match would have been October of 1997 against Greenville College in Illinois. I have played in a men’s over 30 league, but that was much more recreational than competitive.
8. Position:
- Sweeper
9. Jersey number:
- 10
10. Most memorable moment(s):
- Scored on a bicycle kick in an indoor game during high school. One of those moments where you weren’t thinking about it...it just happened.
- My first 2 games of my college career were played at the Cornerstone College Kickoff classic in Grand Rapids, MI. I had earned the spot of starting sweeper as a freshman, and was incredibly nervous. At the end of the tournament, there were awards given out for offensive player of the tournament as well as defensive player of the tournament. The offensive player of the tournament was awarded to Jeff Dresser from Cornerstone college who would go on to play soccer professionally (look him up :)), and I (who did not go on to play professionally) was awarded the top defensive player of the tournament. It was a pretty cool way to start my college career!
(Editor’s note: Jeff Dresser (played with the Indiana Blast through the 2003 season)
11. Least memorable moment(s):
- Getting a red card in my final high school game which was played under the lights at Heritage Christian. Tearing off my shirt as I left the field in tears knowing that my high school career was over and at the time was not sure I would be going on to play college soccer. It was not a great display of sportsmanship.
- Breaking and dislocating my ankle just before halftime in a match against Greenville College of Illinois. It was my sophomore year, we were 6 games into the season, we had started off the season great with shutouts against 4 of our first 5 opponents. I would require surgery and miss the rest of my sophomore season. (see articles for details).
12. Favorite team:
- Would simply have to say team USA
13. Favorite player:
- Historical: Marcelo Balboa of the USA. Defensive stud, had one of the greatest almost goals in World Cup History (youtube Marcelo Balboa bicycle kick against Columbia in ‘94 world cup), and who didn’t love that mullett?
(
Editor's note: around the 50 second mark is the bicycle. I love Meola's reaction after it):
- Current: Cory Miller of the Indy Eleven, and fellow Olivet Nazarene University Alumni!
14. Indoor vs Outdoor:
- Outdoor because of the different weather elements that could transform any game.
15. Grass vs Turf:
- Grass
16. Coaching experience:
- Assistant/head coach of North Manchester soccer club;
- Assistant coach at Manchester High School for a few years;
- Head coach for both my kids the last couple of years (ages 6 and 9).
17. Refereeing experience:
- Little bit in HS
18. Favorite World Cup moment(s):
- Cameroon stuns Argentina in the opening match of the 1990 World Cup.
- The aforementioned almost bicycle kick goal into the upper 90 by Marcelo Balboa in the ‘94 WC.
- Clint Dempsey scores in the opening 30 seconds of their first match against Ghana in this years 2014 WC.
19. Honors/Awards:
- Named to the 1992 IHSSSL All-League West All Star Team.
- Named to the 1993 ISCA (Indiana Soccer Coaches Association) Top Team
- Cornerstone College Kickoff Classic’s Top Defensive Player award
20. Other sports played (and to what level):
21. Other Comments:
- Thanks Drew for giving us the opportunity to reminisce a little about the “glory days”. I loved having you as a teammate and more importantly a friend!
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