On Feb. 4, 2010, Central Bucks East senior Ryan Apt signed a letter of intent to accept a soccer scholarship to the University of Rhode Island.
Ryan Apt – University of Rhode Island (Soccer)
Major: Biology (pre-med)
Final list of college: Rhode Island, Pitt, Cornell, New Hampshire
Reasons for choosing University of Rhode Island: “First off, I love the campus. I went on my official, and I stayed overnight with the team, and the team was real nice to me. I met with the coach, and he’s a really nice guy. He really likes the student-athlete, which I’m a fan of because academics are a big priority, so that’s also why I chose it. It just seemed like the perfect place for me.”
How important was the academic piece when it came time to make your final decision? “It was a big part. The coach said he has connections with medical school. He has players go there, so that was a big thing for me.
“They’re really strict on academics. They make you do a certain number of hours in the library just studying, so they’re all about the student-athlete, which is key.”
When did the idea of playing soccer in college become a reality? “Academics had to come first, but I always wanted to play soccer in college. Division One was my goal, and to put the soccer and academics together is a dream.
“I have been working with Mike Gorni, our coach, and he has been a great guy. I want to thank him for everything he’s done. He has pushed me to be the player I am today. I want to thank my parents (Theresa Apt and Bruce Apt) for putting up with me. They have been a really big help.
“This takes all the pressure off. I can relax. I’m just really excited to go to Rhode Island.”
Central Bucks East coach Mike Gorni says: “He was one of our unsung team leaders this year. He had just a fabulous all-around season but was dynamic in the playoffs, both in terms of scoring and being the catalyst in center midfield. He just had an absolutely great district and state playoffs and was our leading goal scorer through that. He along with our other senior captains were the major players in getting us into a situation where with a team that was nine players different in starting positions was able to get back to districts and states. All of those keys are there for him.
“He’s kind of a quiet player. He’s real subtle. You don’t know he has as many points as he does, and all of a sudden you look, and he’s got a goal or an assist in a game. He does a lot of the unsung things – a 6-5 kid wins all the balls in the midfield, so with his physical attributes – especially his size, you don’t usually see a central midfielder with that kind of physicality. He’s not just a big kid – he’s a big kid who’s a very technically sound and skilled player.
“He’s a great kid, a good student, and he’s going on a combination scholarship of academics and athletics, so you can tell what kind of kid he is.”
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