Since middle school, senior Cross Country and Track Star Ryan Ficarra has loved to run. Watching his father run four miles a day for as long as he could remember, Ryan learned to cherish the sport and the mindset that came with it.
Despite running cross country for the first time freshman year, Ryan’s running career quickly sprang into success. He has run for Ramapo’s Cross Country team for four years, receiving Honorable Mention during his junior year season, and served as captain both his junior and senior years. When asked what he loves most about running, he shared, “My favorite part of the sport is the competitive but friendly nature. You compete as a team, but every race is really one against your previous self, trying to improve meet to meet.” Coach Nangle, head coach of Cross Country, has coached Ryan for all four years of high school, both during the fall and spring track seasons. He shared, “He has been integral to creating an atmosphere of success with the boys’ team.” Ryan’s dedication and passion are not only seen on the track. Jackson Rijo, a current senior at Ramapo, shared his experience in the UP Engineering program with Ryan, knowing him both as a classmate and friend. He said, “Ryan is a very hard worker. He’s very engaged, always asking questions. He’s a very determined student. I know that he puts just as much effort into his sport as he does into school.”
Ryan also runs sprints for Ramapo’s Spring Track team. He will continue his track career at Stevens Institute of Technology in the fall, where he will run for their Division 3 team and major in Quantitative Finance. After college, he hopes to earn his Master’s degree and work as a Quantitative Analyst. Outside of the classroom and off the track, Ryan has a passion for automobiles, fitness, and nutrition.
Both on and off the track, Ryan’s talent and hard work perfectly embody what it means to be a student-athlete here at Ramapo.
