San Jose State men’s soccer forward and communication studies senior Rudi Castro made university history when he became the first Spartan to receive national recognition as the “United Soccer Coaches Player of the Week” from March 29 to April 4.
Assistant media relations and communications director Connor Pelton explained how the team nominates and submits a different player’s name every week, but Castro was the first in the program’s history to receive this national award.
Head coach Simon Tobin also applauded Castro’s accomplishments alongside his teammates this season.
“This is great recognition for these individuals despite the challenges of this somewhat truncated season,” Tobin said in an April 12 SJSU Athletics article. “We consider all of our individual accolades to be team awards as well and I thought every member of our team had a tremendous conference season.”
The team also just completed its best season in 21 years with a 5-1-3 record.
The Spartans other notable accomplishments include no losses away from home, a 7-game win streak and seven all-conference selections.
Castro has tremendously contributed to the team’s successful season as a senior player. He was ranked no. 2 in the country for
assists, proving just how talented and versatile he is.
Castro said his success was largely attributed to hard work and, “meeting the right people at the right time” referring to his teammates and friends.
Castro has played on the SJSU men’s soccer team for two years, but it wasn’t the start of his athletic career.
He played academy for the San Jose Earthquakes from 2015-16.
Castro was then presented another opportunity to extend his soccer career when he began attending West Valley College from 2016-18.
He finished his final season at the college and earned the “second team all conference” award.
However, Castro said he was not satisfied with this title because he wanted to strive for bigger accomplishments.
“I wanted to prove myself right, not just because of the award, but that I’m more than someone’s opinion, that I’m more than just the second player in my position for the conference,” Castro said.
During his time at West Valley College, Castro tore his meniscus in three different places, a muscle in the knee, which forced him to take a year-long break.
Castro said his injury was a massive roadblock in his growth as a player, but it pushed him to become more dedicated than ever.
“[The injury was] exactly what I needed in my life. It gave me the motivation to push forward and just get back on the field, whatever it takes,” Castro said.
Castro said he worked tirelessly to physically and mentally return to competition at a high level.
After transferring to SJSU and joining the men’s soccer team in 2019, Castro said coming in as a transfer student was initially very challenging.
However, he said his teammates always welcomed and supported him with open arms and made it clear everyone was “in it together.”
The men’s soccer season was postponed in Fall 2020 to Spring 2021 and delayed Castro’s second season with the program.
Castro said as a local resident, he utilized the streets of San Jose to further his progress.
“It’s all the work that I was putting in when COVID happened,” Castro said. “The first week or two everything shut down, I was able to do my workouts on the streets. I even jumped the fence at my local high school and did some stairs and fitness on the field. It just became so habitual.”
SJSU was the last team in the country to start its preseason training because of Santa Clara County’s coronavirus guidelines, according to SJSU Athletics.
The men’s soccer team had 12 seniors this season, but the NCAA won’t count this season toward players’ eligibility, so all players on the team can return next year. Castro is expected to graduate this semester and his goal is to keep pursuing his passion for soccer.
“My goal is to continue my professional career in soccer whether it’s here [in the U.S.], in Mexico or in Europe,” Castro said.
If playing soccer doesn’t become an option, he wants to return to school for sports psychology.
“If soccer doesn’t work out I may repay a visit to SJSU’s psychology department and give back to the community as much as possible, especially for young athletes that don’t have these resources,” Castro said.
He said regardless if he’s playing soccer or pursuing another goal, he’s going to keep his
high-reaching mentality.
“I’m pretty ambitious,” Castro said. “I don’t feel entitled to anything, but I feel anyone has the opportunity to be great if you work hard.”
