Kelsey Ackerman | Sports Co-Editor
Gum Riak is a sophomore on the Buena Vista University (BVU) Men’s Soccer team. Riak comes to BVU from South Sudan, Africa. He was attracted not only to the soccer team, but also the school in general.
“The main reason I chose BVU was to study abroad opportunity, and it worked out that I got pulled in the direction of playing soccer,” Riak said.
Riak started playing the sport only four years ago. After growing up with brothers who were far better than him at basketball, he knew it was time to find something new he could excel at.
One would never guess this Riak has only been playing the sport for four short years. Riak led the team this season in goals, and was a fierce component of the Beaver offense. Not only does he bring his offensive talents to the team, but he pushes his teammates in other ways as well.
“His work ethic is extremely high. I think his ability to make friends with everyone and his high work rate have really helped our team become not only a closer team but also a hardworking team. We also like the goals he has scored for us and will continue to score in the future as well,” head coach Ben McArthur said.
One of Riak’s biggest challenges when coming to BVU, was the cultural differences he had to adjust to.
“I was most worried about the language barrier. Joining the soccer team and having them as a family made it easier for me,” Riak said.
With those challenges, McArthur is nothing but proud with how far Riak has come since first joining the program.
“To say he has overcome challenges would be an understatement. He really took his fitness to a new level going into this past season. He has learned the valuable lesson of time management. Everyone knows Gum and he has a lot of friends outside the BVU community, which shows how well he has adjusted to BVU,” McArthur said.
Riak fell in love with the game early in his time playing, but one thing sticks out to him as the component that keeps him coming back for more.
“The joy that comes with winning and the sorrow that comes with losing. Those are two things I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world and sharing those with my teammates is priceless,” Riak said.
With the 2016 season coming to a close, Riak must now look forward into the off-season in order to prepare for his remaining two years at BVU.
“There is no doubt Gum could be a First Team All-Conference player in the next couple years. The reality is that for him to continue to improve, he knows the work that must happen in the offseason. He knows that hard work will help him reach his potential,” McArthur said.
Photo by Emily Kenny
