He stood on the sideline with a possible mild concussion. He was bleeding profusely. His head was numb. And five minutes later, he was back in the game.
Three months later, Darius Ravangard sits at the dining hall, enjoying a much deserved break from several hours of school work. With his responsibilities to the Binghamton University men’s soccer team finally fulfilled, Ravangard has started to prepare for the future, and hopes to attend law school next fall. His defining characteristic as a member of the Bearcats — the desire to always succeed — has clearly carried over to his endeavors off the field.
And it was that determination and ability to always give his all that separated Ravangard from the rest of his team.
“Everyone on the team brings something special,” he said. “Mine is the work ethic, being tenacious.”
That tenacious style of defending helped him hold down the starting right back spot during the last three seasons, and what he will be remembered for most by his teammates.
“He played every game like it was his last,” said sophomore back Adam Chavez. “It didn’t matter whether it was an exhibition game or the America East Championship.”
Ravangard certainly wasn’t the most technical player on the team, but he was able to compensate with hard work and perseverance.
“I liked to call him D-Rock or Destroyer,” said senior midfielder Danilo. “He’s not a dirty player, but he won’t back down. If he doesn’t get the ball, he’s going to get the guy.”
Assistant coach Matt Dunn felt the same way.
“If we have to pick who is going to war with us,” Dunn said, “he’s the first one picked.”
Ravangard earned that tough reputation after the spring of 2003, the end of his freshman year. In his first season on the team, the Bearcats struggled, winning just a third of their games. That offseason, new head coach Paul Marco held practices at 5:30 a.m., five days a week. He would sometimes make his players run for over two straight hours, and as a result, three of them quit the team.
“The coaches wanted to see how much we really wanted it,” Ravangard said. “It made the team a lot closer, like a family. Everyone suffered together.”
After the exhausting spring semester, the players participated in individual workouts over the summer. Next season, they won the conference championship.
“We weren’t always the best team out there,” Ravangard admitted, “but we all had such a strong desire to win, and we were willing to sacrifice everything we had for each other.”
The Bearcats won that championship on their home field in a penalty kick shootout. Ravangard’s fondest memory in his four years at BU was when the entire crowd rushed the field after the game to celebrate the victory.
The championship may have come sooner than expected, but it was a major reason Ravangard, who is from Utica, N.Y., chose to attend Binghamton. He knew the school was starting to put more money into building a stronger soccer program, and it was serious about reaching the NCAA Tournament.
Ravangard called that tournament experience surreal, but wouldn’t make a return trip to the College Cup in his final two seasons.
But another conference title wasn’t the only achievement missing from his profile.
With teammates Danilo and Graham Munro getting most of the recognition for the Bearcats’ recent success, Ravangard never filled his trophy case. Despite dominating his position the past three seasons, he was never named to an all-conference team.
But awards and acknowledgment were never that important to him.
“Recognition and everything is great,” Ravangard said, “but I know what I did.”
Ravangard was able to play like a star, while staying out of the spotlight, letting his teammates receive the honors. And that’s the way he liked it.
Ravangard was kicked in the head while he was in midair trying to intercept a pass. It happened in Hartwick at about 7:30 p.m. Five hours later, Ravangard was still bleeding, as he sat in the emergency room at Binghamton General Hospital. He had 10 staples put in his head and then returned to practice the following day. The next couple of games, he wore a protective head band that provided cushioning for the staples. If he wouldn’t stay out of the Hartwick game, he certainly wasn’t going to miss the next one. After all, Darius Ravangard is known on the field as a warrior.