Rutgers-Newark Athletics

By Jim Hague

After a highly successful high school soccer career at Cliffside Park High School, Ronald Quiroz was all set to continue his soccer playing at Kean University.

But after just one semester at Kean, Quiroz walked away.

“I transferred to Bergen County Community College to save some money,” Quiroz said. “I didn’t think my soccer career was over, but I just wanted to concentrate on my school work and working.”

Quiroz played some intramural soccer at Bergen County Community and kept active playing in other organized leagues. But he was content with simply being a college student. Soccer was something that was placed on the back burner.

Throughout that time, Rutgers-Newark head men’s soccer coach Kevin East kept in contact with Quiroz. East had recruited Quiroz when East was the head coach at New Jersey City University, so he knew Quiroz was a solid player.

“He was very good coming out of high school,” East said of Quiroz, who earned All-Bergen County and All-Group II honors at Cliffside Park. “I tried to get him when I was at Jersey City, but he went to Kean and I knew he left. I would run into him at local games and always threw it up to him whether he wanted to come to us. I stayed in touch with him and told him when he was ready to get his degree, that he should give me a call.”

In 2009, Quiroz decided to enroll at R-N.

“I knew it was a good school and I had a friend at Rutgers-Newark,” Quiroz said. “But I was first coming to get an education. I wasn’t thinking about soccer. Coach East talked me into trying to play.”

It had been three years since Quiroz had truly played top-flight competitive soccer.

“It was tough to get used to the college level,” Quiroz said. “It took a while for me to get accustomed to the environment of college soccer.”

But East knew he was getting a player of impact.

“He added a lot to the team in terms of pace and energy as a center midfielder,” East said. “He changed our team so much. He does a lot to start our attack, but he then comes back and covers so much ground. He’s really lifted our team as a whole. He also does a lot of the dirty work.”

Quiroz is now comfortable with his surroundings and his teammates, so much so that he has developed into a leader. It helps that Quiroz, at age 22, is a little older than the rest of the team. 

“I guess they look up to me,” Quiroz said. “The coaching staff always tells me that the others look to me and watch what I do. They want them to do the same thing.”

East believes that Quiroz is an even better player now than what he was in high school.

“He’s much better than what he was when he first came to us,” East said. “He’s a little more mature and that helps. His game is more developed and polished. The only problem I have is that he sometimes tries to do a little too much. We’re trying to keep it simple, but he’s trying to do everything. Ronald has to worry about his part of the field. But all in all, he’s a big-time player.”

“I think I’m stronger and faster than I’ve ever been before,” Quiroz said. “I’ve had to make some smart decisions playing college soccer. It’s a lot different than high school. I like being all over the place and trying to do my best. I like doing everything on the field. I think I’ve also matured over time and become smarter as a player.”

Quiroz proved it last year by earning Honorable Mention All-New Jersey Athletic Conference and this year, he’s helped the Scarlet Raiders jump out to a 6-2 seasonal mark, scoring two goals and adding an assist.

“He has to work on finishing a little better,” East said. “But he’s excellent in closing up the other team’s attacks and that was really something we were lacking.”

Quiroz, a native of Ecuador, is on schedule to graduate in May with a degree in criminal justice. But he still has one more semester of eligibility remaining.

“I was trying to talk him into delaying graduation for one more semester,” East said.

“I haven’t spoken to Coach (East) about my plans, because I really don’t want think that far ahead already,” Quiroz said. “I just want to focus on the season.”

If and when he does graduate, Quiroz would like to pursue a profession in government.

All in all, it might have taken a few years for Quiroz to get on the right path, but it sure looks like things are just fine right now.

“It was a very good day for me when he decided to come and play,” East said. “We’ve done very well since he’s arrived.”

“It’s worked out well for me,” Quiroz said. “We have a great coaching staff here and great players. I really did come here first for academics, but it’s worked out very well.”