USD Football 1996

A Player's Perspective

Page36

It was less than four years ago that I decided to travel over a thousand miles from home (Northglenn, Colorado) and begin my college career at the University of San Diego. It was the first time I had really been away from home and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I was very glad to make about one hundred new friends at football practice be- Although I was in a new environ- ment, the transition was facilitated by the schedule I kept between football and classes. I soon learned what it took for me to success- fore classes even started.

throughout the PFL cities, "I wouldn't have ever gotten to see these towns otherwise." Larson, as well as senior offensive lineman Todd Plutcbok, like the trips simply for all ofthe team camaraderie and, "All the funny stories that are shared while traveling." I like the trips for many different reasons, but one ofthem is meeting the five or ten people in various airports every trip that inquire about where we are from, who we are playing and Coach Kevin McGarry comments, "It's exciting to me to be able to offer our kids this how we are doing.

experience." Although he enjoys the trips, be fully complete college ,...............................................-::,;.;.;::.;,;.""""""""""""............... ~~~ recogniz.es that playing level class assign- and then also winning ments, as well as com- 2,000 miles from home pete as a Division I is a definite challenge. athlete. I had known . No matter how difficult about USD 's move to it may be, the road trips Division I-AA and the to the midwest don't Pioneer Football always go unrewarded. League the year I ar- McGarry ' s favorite rived, but I did not re- memory from all of the allythinkaboutwhatit trips thus far was the meant. I found out on team' s first conference my own! road win, a year ago, at When I began Valparaiso. practicing with my I would agree teammates and re- by saying that there is a viewing game film of tremendous sense of the ·opponents in our accomplishment after a league, I knew that it road victory, as well would be a challenge. there should be. It bas However, it was not made me a lot more long before I figured appreciative of "the out that through dedi- home field advantage" cation and commit- as well as our encour- ment, I could excel to aging fans that come to and even surpass all our games. It is espe- expectations that I had cially nice to be playing held of myself. That a game in Indiana or was exhilarating! Iowa and look up in the After having stands and see people experienced some of wearing your school the home games at colors and cheering for Torero Stadium, I began to set my next goal. you when you make a good play. I am also very I wanted to make the travel squad and make glad that we play games in the midwest because the away game trips, especially the confer- it has given members ofmy family a chance to see ence games. Every other member in our me play, when they might not have gotten to ; conference is located in the midwest, and the otherwise. ' idea oftraveling 2,000 miles to play a football Choosing to come to USD and play foot- game excited me. Finally, I earned a starting ball has brought so many new and exciting oppor- spot and traveled to my first away game to tunities to me. During the past three-plus years, I Dayton, Ohio in 1993 . Traveling with our have learned a great deal and have even seen a team was a wonderful experience, and I still goodportionofthecountry. Butmostimportantly, . look forward to our trips today. I have created some of the best friendships and · There are so many things that I enjoy some of the best memories that I could have ever about road trips it would probably be impos- hoped for in a college experience. If I had to do sible to think of all of them. States senior it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing! linebacker Ryan Larson, who enjoys traveling