Ricardo Nava was a starting forward for the Elgin Community College’s Men’s soccer team, this past fall season. Alongside being on the team, Nava was also the lead scorer, scoring nine of the team’s fourteen total goals. He alone outscored last year’s team.

“I’m a really good player,” Nava states as he refers to more than his physical abilities.

“I say I’m a really good player because I know I could lead a team and be a really good effect on a team. Any team you put me in – I could do something for,” Nava said.

Nava’s freshman year at Larkin High School he tried out for the school’s soccer team and made it onto the junior varsity team. Halfway through his first season, Nava was promoted to the varsity team and continued on varsity for the rest of high school. Nava’s high school career was marked by his team’s and his own individual success. Nava’s freshman year, his team became Regional Champions. The following year, his team, which would be the most successful team he has been a part of, made it to Super Sectionals and became one of the Elite Eight. Nava’s junior and senior year, he scored eight and ten goals, respectively.

Before the fall season began, Nava’s personal goal was to, with his potential, perform at his best for his new team.

“That was my goal for the year, try to score as much as I can, and I worked towards it every game. I knew every game I had to play at a hundred percent, that’s all I had to give,” Nava said.

Head Coach Salvador Acevedo, had previously commented on Nava stating, “He’s a smart player, who can take players on, and knows how to take players on. He’s got that individual flair which is good.”

Opposing teams quickly took notice of Nava’s talent. This past September when the Spartans faced Triton College, Nava managed to score within the first ten minutes of the game. Triton College’s players then tagged him and kept him from scoring by double teaming him for the rest of the game.

The Spartans played against Triton College once again for playoffs on Oct. 16. Nava managed to work around Triton’s strategy against him and attempted several shots, but he and his team were unable to score.

“Every 5 minutes we got scored on and it was just terrible. We couldn’t keep our composure which led to the 12-0,” Nava said in regards to the playoff game.

This year’s experience was different and unexpected to Nava, “I didn’t expect the season to go like this, and not win a single game.”

Nava is already looking forward to next year’s season and plans to outscore himself next season.

“I know, now, going into next year I need to have a different mindset and try to keep the team together,” Nava said.