Student-athlete Antonio Rodriguez put school first on the way to success
Jackson College gave Antonio Rodriguez the opportunity to play collegiate soccer and he didn’t hesitate to seize it.
“When I came here and looked around at the campus, I really enjoyed it. It felt like home. That’s what I was looking for,” he said.
Joining the soccer team was not just about playing the sport he loves – it was about finding a sense of community too.
“I really like it because it kind of gives me a brotherhood here and I’ll have the boys that I can rely on the rest of my life, go back and share memories over the last two years that we had here,” he said.
The Kalamazoo, Michigan native has embraced the challenge of being a student-athlete. While it isn’t an easy feat, he’s made it work.
“Put your school first. That’s the main thing. You’re a student athlete. You got to make sure you are performing in the classroom before you can perform out on the field,” he said. “If you can get that down, then everything should be fine.”
Antonio’s passion for sports goes beyond the game. As a goalkeeper studying sports management, he sees his future deeply rooted in the game he loves.
“Anything to do with any ball, I just sign myself up for it. Hopefully in the future I want to have my own soccer club. Taking the sports management route would be the best option,” Rodriguez said.
Antonio has found mentors who have guided and supported him along the way including student success navigator Joseph Kroa and some members of the food service staff.
“From living on campus those are people I see every day. You get familiar with them and start talking with them. They start giving you advice and you kind of have someone to talk to,” he said.
He will be graduating with an associate in sports management and then transferring to a four-year university with the goal of continuing to his soccer career there and beyond.
“I want to play at the next level but if that’s not in my plans, then I want to either work at a stadium with my degree, work at a stadium or create my own soccer team,” he said. “I’ve been working with kids and it kind of hits at my heart trying to teach the future. Soccer costs a lot of money so I’m aiming to make a low-cost club.”
With his drive and determination, Antonio has paved the way for a bright future both on and off the field.