North Carolina State University Athletics
Former Pack Star Tab Ramos' Latest Accomplishment
8/29/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 29, 2001
Raleigh, N.C. - Whenever you think of NC State men' soccer you almost have to think of Tab Ramos. Ramos is arguably the best player to don both a Wolfpack uniform and a U.S. National Team uniform, a feat he has done on many different occasions for his country.
At NC State, Ramos was a three-time All-American midfielder, who earned All-ACC accolades each year he played (1984-87). After leaving NC State, Ramos went on to international fame, taking part in the 1988 Olympics, three World Cups, and competed professionally in both Spain and Mexico.
Despite all the fame and success, Ramos knew he was missing one thing: his college degree. Ramos left NC State to compete in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, a mere 20 credits shy of earning his bachelor's degree. By traveling around the globe with the U.S. National Team and playing professionally in other countries, earning his college degree was getting harder and harder to do.
It wasn't until 1995 when the wheels started turning and Ramos started to get back on the educational track. Dr. Cathy Crossland, a professor of psychology and head of the curriculum and instruction department at NC State, contacted Ramos and told him how important it would be for both himself and the school to see him earn his degree.
Ramos got an exception to take his final hours abroad, and so he took courses while playing professionally in Mexico and when he was traveling on the road with the U.S. National Team. Long days of soccer were followed by hitting the books at night, but the final reward was a degree in foreign languages and literature in December of 2000 for Tabare Ramos.
"I really wanted to set an example for my two children," said Ramos. "I wanted to show them how important it was, even if I was already successful in my career, to complete your education. Over the years playing for the National Team and playing professionally, I kept taking courses. Dr. Crossland helped an awful bunch to get this done, and thankfully she was around and motivating me to get my degree."
There are many other people around who are also happy to see Ramos come back to school, but probably none more than current NC State men's soccer coach George Tarantini. You see, when Tarantini took over the men's program in 1986, Ramos was an All-American junior. Tarantini coached Ramos for two seasons and wanted nothing more than to see him earn his degree after he left NC State.
"The greatest accomplishment Tab had as far as I'm concerned was that he never lost track of his degree," said Tarantini. "In this country you need an education. He promised me a long time ago, `Coach don't worry. I'll graduate.' We want our players to represent what the true student-athlete is all about, and Tab has done exactly that."
Ramos is always quick to note his thanks and appreciation for his former head coach.
"Coming back to get my degree was not only important to me and my family, but also to Coach Tarantini," said Ramos. "I wanted to prove to him I could get it done, because when I came to NC State, he was the first guy that told me I was not only here to play soccer, but I was also here to get a college degree. He was the first one to say, `You are going to do this, you are going to graduate.' Just to finally do it was an incredible feeling for me."
One other major accomplishment that Ramos is happy to talk about is his involvement with Major League Soccer. When the U.S. was awarded the 1994 World Cup, part of the deal was that the U.S. would have to start a professional soccer league. This new league presented Ramos a chance come back home to the U.S., and so on January 3, 1995, Ramos was the first player to sign a MLS contract.
"There were a lot of factors in my decision to come back to the U.S. and play professional soccer," said Ramos. "The first was the chance to play close to home in the New York area, and to also be one of the pioneers of the league. And over time I knew that a lot of the other big-named players would be encouraged to come back home and start this league. My wife Amy and I had been overseas for six or seven years and we really wanted to come home and start our family.
I feel very fortunate that I have been involved with a group of American players that have turned out to be such good leaders and taken American soccer so far."
Ramos continues to play with the NY/NJ MetorStars of the MLS, and to this day he still keeps in contact with his former college coach. He always has a watchful eye on the program, which includes traveling down Raleigh to get a first-hand view.
"I have kept in touch with Coach Tarantini and the program over the years, and I know how important that it is to him," said Ramos. "It's unfortunate that they went through some rough times last season, but I know that they will turn it around. With the rich soccer tradition that NC State has, I know that NC State will continue to keep getting the type of players it needs to be successful both on and off the field."
Being successful is something that Ramos can definitely relate to himself. For all the numerous soccer accolades and honors he has won, Ramos' greatest feat was sticking with something he started way back in 1984: earning his college education.
