Living in Price helps keep Salcedo focused
As students are walking to class, they might notice a quiet guy walking around campus with his head phones in, looking quiet, seems friendly, but most of the time he might say things to encourage others or make their day better; this student is Ryan Salcedo, an athlete at USU Eastern.
One of the things that Salcedo likes most about USU Eastern is the people, “the fact that everyone goes out their way to help you.”
This archived article was written by: Valeria Moncada
As students are walking to class, they might notice a quiet guy walking around campus with his head phones in, looking quiet, seems friendly, but most of the time he might say things to encourage others or make their day better; this student is Ryan Salcedo, an athlete at USU Eastern.
One of the things that Salcedo likes most about USU Eastern is the people, “the fact that everyone goes out their way to help you.”
Also, he likes that it’s in the middle of nowhere, “I like Price in general. I don’t know why it’s called Price though, because really it’s priceless. The joy and the comfortability you get out of the people, they do it not expecting anything back from others.”
Salcedo also likes the fact that there’s nothing to do in Price, he thinks that helps a lot, especially as a student athlete, “When we are trying to get our stuff together and can’t have any distractions. I think that’s where we benefit, instead of a city where we could wander off and do other things, it helps keep us focused.”
Also the staff members, “I really learn from them, they break things down to the T. They are patient with me, especially when I ask the same questions, they take their time to break it down for me until I understand it.” Salcedo added.
He is from Manhattan, N.Y. He decided to attend USU Eastern because of Coach Brad Barton. “He had a gift of making people feel comfortable and he connected with me. He pushed the right buttons, was honest, straight up, hungry and he knew what he wanted. At the same time, I saw a father figure in him, like a leader. He could be the father of a group, like a mentor. There was nothing else you could ask for in a coach, everything was right about him.”
After taking psychology, Salcedo thinks he found his interest. “The reason I like it is because of the involvement of people. I’m a people’s person. So I’m starting to see my options.” If basketball doesn’t work out, some of Salcedo’s goals are to be involved with anything that has to do with helping people. “I even volunteered for the Boys and Girls Club just so I could get a feel of that, my goal is to be a teacher, coach, mentor, or a guidance counselor.”
In five years, Salcedo sees himself in a tropical state, trying to start a youth program. “The main thing I want, first though, is for my mom to retire early; like as soon as possible.”
Some of Salcedo’s favorite childhood memories were watching street ball, “it was the best feeling. Since I was young I always wanted to be a famous street-ball player in Rucker Park and Dyckman Park.” Another was when he took his baby chicks to school for show and tell. “I left them in the closet in a box in my backpack. As I was sitting in class, all of a sudden we started hearing them chirp, so I just sat at my desk looking around and the chicks were calling for me to come help them. It almost sounded like they were saying, “you forgot about us.”
One of his biggest self-doubt is that he worries about what others say. “Like I said, I’m a people’s person, I don’t like letting others down. Even though Brad always told me, “By your own soul, learn to live, if some men thwart you, pay no heed; if some men hate you, have no care, sing your song, dream your dreams and pray your prayers,” that quote carried me in a positive, confident way. But when I walk around, my main goal is to have an effect on whoever is around me. If I’m not making anyone happy or better, if I’m not helping others then I’m a nobody, like I’m absent in this world. So I try to comfort everybody.”
In Salcedo’s opinion, the most worthy cause on Earth are people and pursuing happiness, “I feel like we as the people have a responsibility to take action and make change. If you feel something is right and good and you’re making other people feel better, it means you’re doing something right.”
“Brad always told me, “Don’t be a robot; just go out there and play if you know a play is right, just do it. You’re a hell of a player when you’re confident.” I take that off the court, like if I feel something is right and know it’s right, it’s okay to do it. It’s okay to change, to be a leader. That’s what leaders do, like they’re not scared to fall.Everything that Brad told me, I took off the court, like manners, opening doors for others; calling ladies ma’am, that changes things. If you have a suggestion, take a chance, say it,” Salcedo added.
If he could change anything in his life, Salcedo would be playing for Coach Brad Barton right now.
Salcedo likes everyone on campus, but some of his favorite are “First off, Coach Brad, Brinli Buckalew, Jan Thornton, James Prettyman, Jan Young, Alex Herzog, Kim Booth and especially, the people in my circle.”
Moving out at 15 was Salcedo’s biggest risk. “I was a young, talented kid that wanted to explore the world. I was eager to know everything, but my mom wouldn’t allow me to do that. But me being stuborn I took that risk. I don’t regret it though.”
The thing that has the most meaning to Salcedo is doing what he says as far as goals and sticking with it. “I think the worst thing about this generation is that they’re lazy. It’s better well done, than well said.”
One good thing that most people say about him is that he is a cool person to be around; he helps put people at ease and feel like they can joke around or simply be themselves with him.
If money wasn’t an object, Salcedo would play basketball the rest of his life, also he would want to help others.
“I am the way I am because of N.Y., it’s very big, a lot of different people and I was able to learn a lot from them. You have to walk around with your guard up because you don’t know what’s coming to you.
You can’t go all about the word you have to learn on your own, have your own facts. You can’t let anyone tell you what to do or teach you. It’s hard to find people to trust,” Salcedo said.
He used the quote of “it’s a jungle” to describe New York, “In New York, we have a lot of homeless people, so it’s like every one is striving to survive. It’s busy and everything is fast paced, you have to get as much work done in the least amount of time. It’s the city that never sleeps.”
People should know that Salcedo loves music, he loves to learn new things and also he is very observant.
“My mind’s like a sponge, I try to take in what’s good. I try to analyze things and see good and bad in things, ” he said. Also, quotes are the most therapeutic things in Salcedo’s life, “they help people figure out what they truly feel.”
“I would honestly from the bottom of my heart like to apologize if I did anything wrong to anybody. Sometimes I do come out on my phases and others interpret it the wrong way, it’s nothing like that. I just try to make people comfortable. I’m very big on confrontations, if I have a problem I will confront someone and try to talk about it,” Salcedo added.
