Four years ago, La Voz Latina introduced readers to a then 12-year-old athlete name Nico Rittmeyer whose skills with a soccer ball had won him a spot on the national U.S. Olympic's under-14 soccer team pool. At the time, Nico's league coach, Clark Brisson, remarked that “Nico’s soccer skills were judged against thousands of other young players to get to this national pool and it is a great honor. He is gifted with a tremendous skill level.”
Last month, the 16-year-old honor student again received national recognition when the attacking midfielder for the Savannah Country Day Hornets set a national high school scoring record with his 10th consecutive hat trick (scoring three goals in a single game) leading his team to a 10-0 victory over the Metter High School Tigers. According to the National Federation of State High School Association’s Record Book, Nico's performance broke the record of nine hat tricks set in 2008 by Jamison Imhoff of Lansing New Covenant Christian in Michigan.
Because of his talent and dedication, this will probably not be the last time you hear about Nico's athletic exploits. Thanks to the new NCAA rule that allows amateur athletes to compete alongside professionals without risking their college eligibility, Nico recently experienced the rare opportunity of playing for the USL PRO's Charleston Battery during the Carolina Challenge Cup, logging 35 minutes in the Battery's 2-1 victory against Toronto FC.
Ranked as one of the nation's top 100 soccer players for the class of 2012 by by TopDrawerSoccer.com, Nico Rittmeyer's goal is to play collegiate soccer for either Wake Forest or the University of North Carolina when he graduates from high school next year.
His parents, Savannah physicians, Dr. Chris Rittmeyer and Dr. Miriam Rittmeyer, are especially proud that Nico has dedicated his efforts to a sport that is so popular in her home country of Guatemala.