Welcome to 11 Questions — a weekly questionnaire series designed for you to get to know the people that make up Greenville Triumph Soccer Club. Each week, our own Marion Cole will ask someone from the organization the same ten questions, but the eleventh question will be from the previous interviewee. With players, coaches, and front office staff involved, we hope to bring you a fun look inside our club!
This week, I’m joined by Triumph High Performance Coach Ryan McKie.
1. If you had a podcast, what would it be about?
I do have a podcast, actually. It’s called 201.6 KPFM. It’s a place for us here at Knight Performance Factory to make the members of our gym superstars and share their stories. I think maybe one of my favorites, big emphasis on “one,” was maybe three collegiate female golfers. Episode three. We had a lot of fun recording this one because they were our first athletes to start training with us in high school and then make the transition to collegiate athletics. So hearing how they have grown in their own words was really awesome.
2. How do you decompress after a long week of work or training?
If my Sundays are free. Big “IF.” But if I do have them free, I do everything in my power not to leave the house. It’s truly the one day of the week where I don’t set an alarm and try to do as much, honestly, mindless activity as possible. Binging on television. Sleeping. During the quarantine, I’ve been really into shows on EPIX that are related to CIA operations in Europe. Like Deep State.
3. What’s the most memorable meal you’ve ever had?
I don’t think I have one. But, I guess, the one that comes to mind is a time in Seattle as a little boy with my grandfather. We were eating pizza and he began to use his knife to eat the pizza. I mean, I was appalled. So I just remember teaching him to eat with his hands, something so habitual to most of us, and teaching him that. It got messy, let’s just say.
4. What was the most nervous you’ve ever been?
Growing up, I competed in the Junior Olympics from age nine to 18. I was a multi-event athlete. Decathalon. And I had a regional meet in Virginia at dusk, so the sun was still up but just beginning to set and the stadium lights were coming on. To mimic one of my favorite Olympians at the time, I decided to wear sunglasses during the race. My dad didn’t know and when he saw me walk out of the staging tent to the infield, he was furious. I mean furious. He didn’t like flashy. He said, “Leave the glasses, but you better win this race!” That was, no lie, the longest walk to the starting line ever. I ran that race so scared! Needless to say I won, but man.
5. If you’re up at 2AM on a Saturday night, what are you eating?
No hesitation, Waffle House. I’m getting the Pecan Waffle with hash browns, bacon and eggs.
6. What’s something you learned recently that blew your mind?
I don’t know how true this is since my source is The Tiger King on Netflix. But apparently there are more tigers as private pets in the U.S. than there are in the wild.
7. Triumph SC announces they’re bringing a celebrity to the next match and wondering if you have enough time to say, “Hello.” Who’s the celebrity you’re most excited to have at a match?
Probably Jamie Foxx. I think he is an incredible talent. Comedian, musician, actor. My favorite stand-up of his is probably “I Might Need Security.” He does comedy and then throws in some of his musical talent with it. So, if I only had time for one conversation, I’d chat with him about what it takes to be great at three practices versus being great at only one.
8. What’s the most memorable sports moment you’ve had as a fan?
My dad and I were in St. Louis for a track meet during the Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa era. After the meet, we had decided to go catch a Cardinals game. Afterwards, we got back to the hotel and were just too tired to go, so we just watched the start of the game on TV. Shortly after it started, Mark McGuire hits a homer, so we hop right up and drive down to the game. Man, we sat in the nose bleeds. We ate popcorn. We ate hot dogs. And before the game was over, “Big Mac” had hit another home run. That was the first MLB game for me and my dad.
9. What sporting event have you always wanted to go to and why?
This is probably no surprise based on my previous answers but a Track and Field event at the Olympics. Unlike other sports, Olympians aren’t getting paid. Well, aside from sponsorship money. So they train for so long and wait for that one opportunity every four years. There is just so much dedication that goes into a small window and it’s not for money. It’s just for passion and love of what the athlete is doing. I’d keep an eye out for Sandi Morris. She’s a pole vaulter from Greenville and won silver in the last Summer Olympics.
10. If you’re part of a PK lineup, what number are you taking your penalty kick?
Based on my soccer skills, I’d be asked to be in the lineup only after every other living soul in the stadium said “no.” I think, just for our pride, we might actually give up the loss if I had to take one.
11. Last week, your co-worker, Kaitlyn Unruh (Digital + Social Media Manager for GTSC), asked, “If you could go back in time and befriend any person in history, would would it be and why?”
Nelson Mandela. There’s something to be taken from his ability to stay disciplined to a cause for so long amidst such wrongdoing. I’d love to talk about that with him.
Next week, I’m speaking with Triumph attacker, Carlos Gomez. What would you like me to ask Carlos?
Last season, I used to jokingly start a debate between Carlos and some of our other Spanish speaking members of the team and staff to find out which Spanish is the “right” one. So, ask him, for me, which one is the “right” one? Is it from Spain, Venezuela, Mexico, or other?
