Once a Falcon, Always a Falcon: Ryan James Returns to BGSU

BGSU men's soccer runs deep in the veins of former Falcon legend turned assistant coach Ryan James.

After following his dream to the professional level, James finds himself back in Bowling Green, this time not on the pitch, but shaping the future of the program.

"In the essence of it, it's changed a bit, but it really hasn't changed at all," James said.

During his time with the Falcons, James became one of the best players to ever put on an Orange and Brown jersey.

"In his four years, I would say three of those years, he was almost always the best player on the field," said head coach Eric Nichols. "Just a tremendous soccer player, tremendous athlete, really good worker, extremely coachable, almost too coachable at times. One of the best players we've ever had here."

James played in all 79 of his possible matches in his career, starting 69 times for Orange and Brown. During his time on the pitch, the Falcons made the MAC tournament twice, losing to Akron both times, including the 2014 championship match.

"I loved it back then, and I still love it to this day. The community is fantastic, the competitiveness with the guys that I played with was always there, and it made me better, and it made our team better. It was just a great experience for me," James said.

One of the most unforgettable days of James's life was spent on the Bowling Green campus, the day he was drafted to the MLS.

"It was amazing, I remember still to this day, I was walking to class, I got a text from someone while I was watching the video, and I said, I didn't see my name get called, I think I should go to class and get an education still then," James said, "I was about two steps away from the door and I said, I think I'm leaving, and I didn't go into class. It was just surreal; it was an amazing moment. And I had a lot of good people around me, celebrate that with me, and I wouldn't change that for the world."

James was drafted by Sporting Kansas City in the third round of the MLS SuperDraft. His career in professional soccer spanned eight years, seven of which were spent in the United Soccer League (USL).

Multiple stops were made during James's tenure in the USL, playing for the Rochester Rhinos, Nashville SC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Birmingham Legion. Each stop gave James different opportunities to learn and grow as both a player and a person.

"I loved all the different experiences. I was up and down the East Coast a lot," James said, "but each one gave me a different lesson, and it made me the player I was and I'm grateful for the opportunities I got."

Following his seven seasons in the USL, James, the Ontario, Canada native, had an opportunity to play in his home country for the Halifax Wanderers of the Canadian Premier League (CPL)—something he will treasure for the rest of his life.

"I think Halifax is, in the CPL, one of the best places to play soccer right now in Canada. They have a great fan base, great people, great community, and great coaching staff. There are good things going on there, and they are growing the game," James said.

The time in Halifax was cut short for James, as he sustained an injury that prevented him from being able to make a comeback onto the pitch. While the injury did stop him from being able to leave the sport he loved on his own terms, James tries to remember the good times in Halifax.

"It was a great choice, it's sad to see it end a little early for me with an injury, but I think it was the right choice, and that's a tough one to say cause it came with an injury, but it was a very good experience overall."

One of the things James prides himself on is his mental toughness, which helped him through this hard patch. His mental toughness not only helped him in his soccer journey but also in his life.

"Mental toughness is a big thing, you're going to have a lot of downs and you're going to have a lot of things not go your way," James said, "being resilient, not just in one game but in moments in life."

No longer being able to play the sport he loves, James pursued a different route to continue enjoying soccer by becoming a coach.

"He's always had a mind for the game. His dad is a coach, so he always saw the game a little bit differently. He's got a really good work ethic, super humble guy who works hard," Nichols said, "I rely on him quite a bit."

James reflected on the coaches he had, including Nichols, to help him realize how important they were in his journey, making him see the good he could do by coaching.

"You look back and you realize what you get from a coach. Some coaches they teach you competitiveness, some people they teach you how to be mentally tough, and I think I've learned from each off the coaches I've had," James said, "I think there is a lot for me to give and it might be a small piece, and it might be a different piece to each player that I talk to but I think there is something to give those players and hopefully they take it and move on and they become better players because of me. I think I do have something there to offer."

When the opportunity came for James to find himself coaching at his alma mater, he couldn't pass up the chance to do so, being able to help with something bigger than himself.

"It just felt right coming back to BG, I said I was going to give this a try, and Eric gave me an opportunity, and I couldn't hesitate," James said.

Being able to have someone who has played for him before, Nichols enjoys having James on the staff. He knew that making James an assistant coach would benefit both sides, making the program better as a whole.

"I always like to have guys that have played here, they've been there, they have a very unique relationship with our players and with the experience that our players are having going into some of these different games, he's been there and he's done it," Nichols said.

The relationship between James and the players has become a valuable part of the program as he can help in many ways.

"They have a ton of respect for him. He jumps into training on occasion, and he can still just flat out play, but they also appreciate his hard work, his humility, and he's just a good person all the way around," Nichols said. "A lot of our guys rely on him."

James brings pieces back with him, not only about his time professionally, but also from his time in an Orange and Brown jersey. Being able to help this generation of Falcons discover the culture and community that has lasted decades.

"I think a lot of the culture has stayed the same. It's a lot about team, brotherhood, and community. Also, acts of service in a sense, you're a leader and passing down to the younger guys and teaching them the ways that we want to go," James said, "I give a lot of credit to Eric because he's been here 17 years, and the culture is very similar to when I was here."

While he wanted to give credit to Nichols, James received similar praise back from his former coach, now turned boss.

"He emulates what our program is all about," Nichols said, "He's just fantastic, he really is. We're thrilled to have him; he makes our program better, he makes our coaches better, he makes our players better, he makes our community better, just a fantastic person."

When reflecting on the past 10 years of his life, James feels like no time has passed since his last time in Orange and Brown, making it that much sweeter to be back in the place where he calls home.

"When I came back, I was welcomed with open arms. I was gone for 10 years, and it felt like I was gone for a week," James said.

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Once a Falcon, Always a Falcon: Ryan James Returns to BGSU

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