When Alvaro Hernandez Ramirez decided to commit to Shaw University and play soccer, the first person he told was his dad.
“I told him first just out of respect,” Hernandez Ramirez said. “He’s the one that always supported me when I started playing soccer at 9 years old. He has always been there to push and guide me, whether it’s soccer, school, or job.”
When he isn’t in class or on the soccer field, Hernandez-Ramirez spends his summers working for his dad’s landscaping entry service business, Hernandez Landscaping & Tree Service.
“Alvaro knows what hard work is like,” said assistant soccer coach Sarah Cade. “When you see a player who works hard in school and then works hard outside, then brings the effort and dedication to the soccer field, it says a whole lot about them as a person.”
Hernandez Ramirez knows he’ll need the same level of determination to succeed in college, but he’s excited for the challenge.
“I know that my family is proud of me, especially since I am the first person in my family to attend college,” Hernandez Ramirez said. “It’s a lot of weight on my shoulders but I feel like I am ready.” Ramirez said.
After speaking to his dad, he made a few more calls.
“Then I just told my friends out of joy!” he said.
Playing soccer, both for Riverside and with his club team, NCFC, has been the highlight of his high school career.
“My most memorable high school experiences were during my junior year,” Hernandez Ramirez said. “My [club] soccer team and I traveled to Texas for regionals.”
His teammates are excited to see him join fellow Riverside graduate Brandon Diaz Reyes on Shaw’s soccer team. /
“I feel proud that he got the scholarship and happy that he will also be able to play with our friend Brandon,” said senior Aaron Villanueva, Hernandez Ramirez’s friend and teammate. “Shaw is just a stepping stone for him! He’ll make it for sure if he keeps doing what he’s doing.”
