(Photo obtained from the Skidmore Athletics website)
Beginning soccer at the age of 10, Josh Ridenhour 21’ knew he wanted to play sports in college. After being put into almost every sport when he was younger to see what he was good at, Ridenhour finally landed on soccer. Now a senior on the Skidmore Men’s Soccer team, Ridenhour reflects on his time playing at Skidmore and what it was like to miss his senior season because of the pandemic.
During his first season (2017-18), Ridenhour played in 15 games, and started in nine. He continued into the 2018 season, starting 16 out of 18 games, and by his junior year, Ridenhour started and played in all 16 games, contributing two assists. In the 2019 season, the junior defender got his first All-Liberty Honorable Mention.
Just like many students this semester, Ridenhour decided not to return to campus this fall. His decision was more of a family decision, as he remarks, “ I did not make that decision. My mother did.”
This meant that he could not play nor complete his senior soccer season.
When asked what his reaction was to the cancellation of competitions this fall, Ridenhour expressed his disappointment yet was able to find a silver lining: “It was a bittersweet moment. It hurt knowing that I wouldn’t get to compete at the college level again, but I am also now free to eat as much bacon and Chinese food that I please.”
He continued, “It sucks. It seems like everybody always says that the year that didn’t happen would be the year that a championship would be won, but I truly feel like we would have won the Liberty League. I wholeheartedly believed in our senior class, my best friends, and knew we could do what we never did. Regardless, I’m still thankful I managed a few years of college soccer.”
As for his future plans, the English major hopes to find a graduate school that supports him in his broadcast entertainment journalist vocation. And when thinking about where soccer fits into his future, Ridenhour notes, “As for soccer, I imagine I'll continue to play pick up soccer with my friends, but competitively my knees have had enough.”