Catching Up With The #ProDawgs: Spencer Richey
March 24, 2017 | Men's Soccer
The University of Washington men's soccer program has produced over 60 professional soccer players in over six different leagues between the MLS, USL, NASL and more. 20 former Washington student-athletes are currently playing or involved on 17 different organizations. This spring we will catch up with each of our current #ProDawgs to see what they have been up to since their time at the University of Washington.
This week, we talked to Spencer Richey who was a member of the 2013 Pac-12 Championship team and named to the First-Team All-Pac-12 team.
Q: What team are you currently playing for, and how long have you been with them?
A: Currently playing for Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS. I signed with the MLS team this past off-season.
Q: What other teams/leagues have you playing for/in since your time at UW?
A: I was drafted by Vancouver out of UW, but played for the USL team, Whitecaps 2, for the past two seasons.
Q: Is being a professional athlete what you imagined it would be? Why or why not?
A: I would say that it is both more difficult and more rewarding than I thought it would be. The past two years have been a bit of a grind for me trying to earn an MLS contract from the USL team. Now that I have earned it the hard way, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
Q: What was it like playing in your MLS debut? What was going through your mind when you found out you were starting?
A: I was much more nervous leading up to the Manager's decision of who to play in place of our suspended #1 GK than I was for the actual game. Once I heard the good news, I was just trying to stay relaxed and not get too excited. Playing my debut was pretty surreal. It is something you work for your whole life. I felt like I belonged out there on that field and that was probably the most fulfilling part of the whole experience.
Q: Does it feel different playing in the MLS now compared to the USL?
A: In a funny way the USL is a more difficult league to play in I believe. There's lots of blue collar and reckless players in the USL trying to make the jump to MLS, so often times it is very difficult to slow the game down and play composed. In MLS, the quality is obviously much better, but you actually have more time with and on the ball as a GK.
Q: What years did you play at UW?
A: I enrolled in UW in January of 2010 and graduated June 2014, playing 4 seasons in 5 years thanks to a medical redshirt my senior year.
Q: What did you major in?
A: I majored in Communications and minored in Marketing
Q: What is something you miss most about UW?
A: I would say the lockerroom. I have a lot of good friends on my team now, but nothing compares to playing with 25 other guys who are going through the same experience that you are. Between school, social, soccer and so much more, you have endless things to relate to and connect with about.
Q: What is one of your favorite memories from playing at Washington?
A: I would probably say the first time we were nationally ranked #1 in the nation. It was pretty cool to be a part of a revamping of the program that struggled when I was a freshman. The #1 next to our name really felt like we had made it back to the national stage where the program belonged.
Q: Any advice for future Huskies that want to play professionally?
A: Embrace the grind whenever and whatever it may be. Whether it's in the gym, rehabbing an injury, winter quarter, redshirting, PDL or anything else. If you've always been the man and got lots of playing time, I hope that never changes, but if/when it does change and you're getting playing time, those are the moments that will determine whether you will last in this game. It is rarely the guy that is handed everything that will last, but instead the guy that has to earn his success that will have a long and successful career.
Q: Any advice for any current or future Huskies?
A: ENJOY IT. Sounds cliche I know, but eligibility isn't something you can resurrect and you can only wear purple for so long. I was at UW 5 years and it was the best 5 years of my life. I made some of my best friends while at UW both within the soccer team and outside of it as well. Friends I talk to every day. The longer you are there the more you will realize it is so much more than just a school, so squeeze out every experience you can from it. You will be proud to be a husky long after you graduate, and you will cheer on the program long after you are done playing there.
