2021-11-23, 04:00 PM - Word count:
Mike Rup- Former football star looks to become football star
Born & raised in Brooklyn, Mike Rup as a kid never had many chances to watch his favorite football club Liverpool. It was always Giants, Knicks, or Nets on the television screen and radio when he hung out with his friends. Always one of if not the biggest kids in his grade, there was never any second thought that he’d have to play American football in the fall & basketball in the winter, using his huge size to his advantage. A star for varsity in both sports every since his sophomore year, he kicked a ball around once in a while but always got pushback from friends & family.
“You gotta focus on ball fam, one check in the league & you & all of us set for life” one friend piped up. However, once he reached college he realized he was too short for basketball & just a little too fragile for American football.
His last semester of freshman year of college he met up with some transfer students from England who would go down to the local pub for every Liverpool game. He was finally able to watch his favorite team every week, right as Virgil van Dijk took the premier league by storm. Inspired by the dominance of a defender in the top league in the world, Rup knew what he had to do.
Despite having barely any experience actually playing the sport, Rup tried out for the local community league and instantly dominated. He played with much more passion in practice than he ever did playing sports forced upon him by friends and family. After a couple of travel camps where he instantly stood out, ‘Hard not too given his imposing (203 cm 6’6 223 lbs) built stature’ he knew he had to go for his dream, to be a professional football player.
He heard about a new start up league called the SSL, all brand new teams and players! What better way to get your career started than with a fresh new team and build from the ground up. He filed his name in for the draft and anxiously waited to hear his name called…
