Ronnie Foster poses in his football jersey SXU Athletics
Senior Wide Receiver, Ronnie Foster is your definition of a true athlete. Foster’s work ethic has opened many doors for his athletic career. If it’s running, jumping, or catching passes, Foster can do it all.
Foster pass-catches as wide receiver throughout the fall. Come springtime, he participates in track and field, competing in long jump, triple jump, and the 4×400 relay. In track, Foster is a national qualifier for long jump; he qualified in the 2024 outdoor season.
Foster’s first sport he competed in was football. He started playing when he was eight years old and was always surrounded by the sport because of his father.
“My dad had me young and was a football player at Northwestern at the time, so I grew up around football and [loved it],”
Watching his father play football inspired Foster to keep playing the sport, even through high school where he attended Peoria Heights High School in Peoria Heights, Ill. He was a three sport athlete in football, basketball, and track and field.
Because of Foster’s success in all three of the sports, he received offers from many colleges. He would ultimately choose to play football at Saint Xavier University, and later joined Track and Field because of his continued enjoyment playing the sport.
“ My first choice [was] to play football when it got to that time, along with track which I was lucky enough to do as well,” Foster commented.
In the beginning of Foster’s football career at SXU, he hadn’t been given much opportunity to showcase his abilities. Once he was given that opportunity he took it and ran with it.
“I didn’t get too much field time in my freshman and sophomore year, but my junior year and so far this year I feel like I’ve been truly able to make an impact on the football team and help our team be the best it can be,” said Foster.
Foster has shown his impact on the field since being positioned as a starter for the past two years for Saint Xavier, which he refers to as a big accomplishment.
Last year Foster put up 20 receptions, 202 yards, and two touchdown catches in ten games played. This year with only five games played; Foster recorded 17 receptions, 212 yards, and a touchdown. Along with having a career long 66-yard touchdown this season.
In the span of five games played this season, Foster has produced more in the five games he’s participated in this season than he had in the ten games he played in last season. Proving his ability to be an asset to his team.
The sport of football is a commitment you have to invest a lot of time and effort to produce on the field. It’s a certain competitive trait that these football players have in common that makes the sport that much more of a commitment. The film study, weightlifting, practicing, and overall passion all play a role in football. The ones who master everything that goes into the sport are the ones who can make that commitment and play at a high level.
Adversity is one of the biggest takeaways from football. The fact that endless possibilities can occur in a game, can put you ahead or behind it. When being behind, you need to be able to be perseverant to respond to the adversity in the way.
“That persevering attitude is the most important quality in my eyes, this goes way past just being an athlete,” Foster added when asked about the most important quality of being a college athlete.
Foster plans to be active with football as long as he can, making sure that the sport will remain relevant in his life. Foster has had many experiences and admiration in sports , so his options are boundless.
Check out Foster in the upcoming Homecoming football game this Saturday against Saint Francis Oct. 19, at Deaton Field at 12:00 P.M. CDT.