Scoring big
Southampton native and New York Cosmos defender Ryan Richter discusses soccer, future ambitions and parenting
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
To be a successful musician, actor or athlete, you don’t need to have a big-city upbringing. More often than not, these famous individuals hail from smaller, residential towns. This is certainly the case with Southampton’s own Ryan Richter. As a defender for the New York Cosmos, a professional soccer club in the North American Soccer League, he brought his team to victory in last year’s NASL championship, taking home the coveted Soccer Bowl Trophy. As his team’s 2017 season quickly comes to an end, Ritcher reflected on the past year and what lies ahead for his career.
Now 28, Richter owes his success thus far to the experiences and memories made as a child in Southampton. Growing up near Street Road and Maple Avenue, a passion for soccer was instilled in him before he could even understand the game. His father, grandfather and uncles were all talented players, so it was only natural for him to follow in their footsteps.
“The first 10 years of my soccer life were played in Southampton,” he reflected. “It shaped the life I’m currently living.”
As he got older, Richter continued to hone his skills, playing not only soccer, but basketball and football during his years at William Tennent High School. With four years of experience already under his belt, he enhanced his talents even further while at La Salle University as part of the Ocean City Nor’easters.
In 2011, Richter was drafted by the Philadelphia Union, and he later made his professional debut in June of that year with Harrisburg City. In the years that followed, the young athlete played for the Charleston Battery and Toronto FC. By 2015, he was officially part of the NASL with the Ottawa Fury, where he started all 32 games of the season and, ironically enough, led the team to the championship against the New York Cosmos.
After a transfer later that year, Richter was signed to Bethlehem Steel FC. During the team’s inaugural game against FC Montreal, he played the entire 90-minute match, which ended in a 1–0 victory. In summer of 2016, he became a defender for the New York Cosmos, where he’s been at the top of his game ever since.
During last year’s NASL championship, Richter converted the final penalty, which helped his team bring home the Soccer Bowl Trophy. After that win, he and the rest of the Cosmos went into this year’s season still running on that victory high. In one particular winning match against Miami FC, he had a vital role in the first goal of the season with a well-placed cross to teammate Danny Szetela.
“Although I didn’t start, I wanted to come into the match and make an impact,” he said. “I’m just glad to be part of the goal and part of the win for the team.”
The New York Cosmos are wrapping up their season with only a handful of games left. Though it doesn’t look like they’ll be taking home the Soccer Bowl Trophy two years in a row, Richter is proud of his team’s accomplishments.
“We’ve had some tough opponents,” he said.
For him, it’s all about staying optimistic and working to enhance his game to come back even stronger next year. It’s this positivity and drive for constant improvement that already have Richter planning for a post-professional career as a coach. Though he hopes to play for at least another decade, he’s building up his resume to prepare for what’s next.
In his spare time, Richter coaches a juniors program through the Philadelphia Union Academy where he gets to work alongside some of the top coaches in the country. According to Richter, he’s honored to be among them and have the ability to learn from their experiences.
“It’s really important to develop,” he said.
Richter continues to stay true to his Bucks County roots by coaching a local team in Southampton. He’s also in the process of learning Spanish by taking a few courses and studying daily. Since many soccer players come from around the world, he understands being bilingual could come in handy.
Even if Richter finds himself on the sideline someday, strategizing rather than playing, a new generation may be able to carry on the family legacy. Richter’s son Theo is only 16 months old, so it will be some time before he can comprehend the intricacies of soccer. Though it would certainly be a “proud dad” moment to see his son follow in his footsteps, Richter explained that it’s all up to him.
“Whatever he wants to do,” he said. “I’ll throw a ball in front of him and see what he does with it.” ••
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
