By Louisa Sandorff, Staff Reporter
Senior Diego Ramirez is currently playing on the developing team for Philadelphia’s Union soccer team.
Ramirez started playing for the Union Development Squad (UDS) in mid-March last year and said has been enjoying his time on the team ever since. UDS plays in the United Premier Soccer League, the largest and most competitive pro-development league in North America.
This season, UDS has five wins, three losses and one tie. The team qualified for the MLS Next Cup playoffs and is hoping to play its best throughout the upcoming playoff games.
“We play at a semi-pro level against some really good teams, and I am really enjoying it,” Ramirez said. “We had a rough start to the season but have turned it around and qualified for playoffs.”
Ramirez has been playing soccer ever since he was 5 years old. He has gained experience from his time on multiple teams before. For UDS, he primarily plays as an attacking midfielder but can play multiple positions.
“I feel as if I’m a versatile player. I can play up top as a striker or drop into the midfield and play there. I’m anywhere my coach needs me to be and can adapt easily to any situation,” Ramirez said.
In the fall season, Ramirez and his UDS teammates practiced about four to five times a week and played games on the weekends. Along with long hours at practiced and the commute to and from Philadelphia, balancing both school and soccer has been a challenge for Ramirez.
“It’s definitely not easy: I get home around 12:45 am,” Ramirez said. “I make sure to get my work done before practice, and if I have anything else to do, I get it done after practice.”
After high school, Ramirez hopes to continue with soccer and take his personal goals further. Playing soccer in college is one of his main goals, as well as possibly playing professionally after college. He also aims to earn a degree in finance or economics and potentially a minor in marketing.
Ramirez said he gets a lot of his motivation for working hard from his family and childhood dreams.
“My family is a big reason. I want to make them proud because they have sacrificed so much for me,” Ramirez said. “Another reason is it’s been my dream since I was a little kid to play pro, and God is another reason I stay so motivated. He has helped me achieve so much.”
Louisa Sandorff can be reached at [email protected].
