Freshman Ruben Mesalles all geared up for a new yet tough challenge with the Duke Blue Devils
DURHAM, N.C. — On a night when the Blue Devils’ attack line was unrelenting in front of goal, freshman Ruben Mesalles picked up his first career point with a cheeky pass to Thomas, who lofted in a cross that found the head of Ramirez. In a prime position, Ramirez completed the move with a brilliant finish into the right-hand corner of the net to double the lead.
It was a night that saw Duke’s men ride a wave of offense to a sterling opening victory, in the process dimming the flames with a resounding 3-0 win. Koskinen Stadium had an electrifying atmosphere, and even freshman Ruben Mesalles might have gone unnoticed.
At Wisconsin, Ruben spent much of his formative years becoming a household name and making outstanding performances during the four years. Wisconsin is and will remain part of his more prominent family- mainly because of its massive role in his development stages.
“I spent four years at FC Wisconsin after joining them in 2011. At 15, I, unfortunately, had to leave because my dad got a job in Sarasota, Florida,” said Ruben, who was elated to make his first appearance for the Blue Devils.
Transitioning from a junior side to a top team like Duke’s can be pretty challenging. It’s even more difficult when the team is participating in a competitive league. Ruben, however, is grateful that his formative years at Wisconsin came in handy when he crossed over to the Blue Devils.
“My formative years at FC helped me in the long term. I would say Coach Ben Shepherd and Coach Billy Solberg helped me not only to develop but also get used to a real 11v11 game situation.”
“They challenged me to play up an age group. When I played with my own age group, they wanted me to focus on being a leader and having a good time. My teammates push me to reach a high level at a young age.”
The right-footed midfielder believes that any young player can reach whatever level they want as long as they are focused and committed. One of the best aspects that he thinks molded him into today’s person is the authentic family atmosphere at Wisconsin.
“It was a unique environment that helped me improve as a player. The true family atmosphere at FC Wisconsin is also something that has stayed with me and something that I have not seen replicated anywhere else.”
Ruben advises any kid who wants to play for any college to start early. He admits that while it was challenging to get into a top team, he went out of his way to showcase his skills.
“Don’t expect the colleges to come to you. The more interest you put in a program, the more interested they’ll be in you.”
As Ruben slowly settles in his new team and tries to find his scoring mojo, he knows pretty well that it will be quite a different ball game altogether. And as he says, you always have more in you as a player, and you have to constantly push yourself to improve even when it is hard.
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