{"id":330688,"date":"2020-09-30T06:06:41","date_gmt":"2020-09-29T20:06:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=330688"},"modified":"2020-09-30T06:06:41","modified_gmt":"2020-09-29T20:06:41","slug":"blue-ayuyus-relucio-gets-recognition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/blue-ayuyus-relucio-gets-recognition\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Ayuyus\u2019 Relucio gets recognition"},"content":{"rendered":"
In this 2018 file photo, Ryan Relucio, left, battles a Japanese player for the ball during a training match in Japan. (Contributed Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ryan Relucio made it to the Dean\u2019s List of Seton Hall University and acknowledged the skills and lessons he learned from the CNMI national team as a big help in gaining this latest achievement.<\/p>\n

Relucio, who played for both the Commonwealth\u2019s youth and men\u2019s national teams, qualified for the Spring 2020 Dean\u2019s List of the New Jersey-based university. Seton Hall recognizes undergraduate students completing all courses with a GPA of 3.4, with no grades lower than \u201cC\u201d, for the Dean\u2019s List at the close of every semester. The Marianas High School graduate is a junior at Seton Hall, pursuing a bachelor\u2019s degree in Physics with a major in Engineering Track. <\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a member of the national team has equipped me with many life and leadership skills that I am now able to implement as I pursue higher education. I have developed a sense of time management in college, which I initially struggled in. Coach Mita (Michiteru), Jersh (Angeles), and others before them, have instilled a sense of grit and hard work that has helped me during my times of struggle in school,\u201d the 21-year-old said.<\/p>\n

In this 2018 file photo, Ryan Relucio, left, battles a Japanese player for the ball during a training match in Japan. (Contributed Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cMy role in the national team required a combination of being a team player and a leader, sometimes simultaneously, and I\u2019ve been able to implement many of those experiences in my classes and groups; I\u2019ve learned to be more considerate yet committed and honest,\u201d Relucio added.<\/p>\n

The former captain of the CNMI Boys U18 National Team managed to juggle his time between his studies and soccer in his first year in college. He played recreational tournament in New Jersey and neighboring fields. Relucio wanted to try out for the school\u2019s club team in his freshman year, but was not able to do so, as he opted to attend the trials for the CNMI Men\u2019s National Team that played in Mongolia in the EAFF E-1 Football Championships 2019 Round 1. The Chalan Kanoa resident was a starter on the Blue Ayuyus\u2019 squad in the East Asian Football Federation-sanctioned event.<\/p>\n

Relucio would have continued playing soccer while studying in his sophomore year at Seton Hall if not for his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury. He\u2019s now recovering from injury and has rejoined the national team\u2019s training since he decided to stay on island and take online classes for the fall semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

In this 2018 file photo, the CNMI\u2019s Ryan Relucio, left, collides with a Mongolia player during their game in the EAFF E-1 Football Championships 2019 Round 1 at the Mongolian Football Federation Stadium in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. (Contributed Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI have the privilege to continue to train with the men\u2019s national team. Our trainings have been modified to follow health and safety protocols, but the team and I are grateful that the islands\u2019 response toward the pandemic has been great and that we are able to do more in training compared to other areas in the world. A handful of the other off-island players remained on island for the semester, so we have been jogging and training together during our off days as well,\u201d Relucio said.<\/p>\n

Thankful for the opportunities<\/strong>
\nRelucio would always take the offer to don the CNMI colors.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny chance to play for the national team is an opportunity to give back to the community. I have mentioned this so many times\u2014the community, most especially NMIFA, have supported and provided opportunities for me and others growing up. Reflecting, we were fortunate to experience high-level soccer, visit other countries, and be exposed to opportunities we would not have if not for the national team,\u201d Relucio said.<\/p>\n

Through the national squad and Northern Mariana Islands Football Association\u2019s program, Relucio\u2019s former teammates and other CNMI players managed to continue their studies after getting athletic scholarships.<\/p>\n

Ryan Relucio, seated right, joins his fellow CNMI players in taking a breather from a practice session at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville last July. (Contributed Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe would love to share our story and knowledge with the hopes of inspiring others,\u201d the former TanHoldings Football Club team captain.<\/p>\n

Relucio also thanked NMIFA and its coaches and officials for building an amazing program, especially for the youth, and expressed his commitment to be part of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is history to be made, and I most definitely want to be a part of that. I have only experienced a draw at the senior level (1-1 against Macau in Mongolia), so I will not stop until I have experienced a win and more.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ryan Relucio made it to the Dean\u2019s List of Seton Hall University and acknowledged the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":330695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-330688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=330688"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330688\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/330695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=330688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=330688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=330688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}