Hanging Up The Cleats pt3 Rick Gross
By Jezalyn Hyzer
With the wrapping up of this past season, the AlleyCats wish a bittersweet goodbye to Rick Gross, who has chosen to join the retirees. Rick started his career with the AlleyCats in 2014 and played a full 10 seasons here in Indianapolis.
RICK GROSS CAREER STATS
121 Games Played (9th In UFA All Time)
2731 Points Played (5th In UFA All Time)
2797 Minutes Played (2nd In UFA All Time)
211 Assists
305 Goals (5th In UFA All Time)
Photo by Mike Gross
For many, he is known as RG 2 Feet. Rick explained that he got his nickname from an odd habit that he has where he jumps off of two feet instead of one foot. It is normal for an athlete to make the high jumps with one foot as they are usually running and the momentum for a jump only needs one foot to be used.
Photo by Josh Fairbanks
Rick’s favorite memory was facing off against the Madison Radicals in 2019 away from the AlleyCats’ home turf. He added, “That win was a game that I will never forget. The teams had played extremely well that game and were in sudden death. I had an amazing defensive play that the team used as momentum to keep the game going and secure the win.”
Besides the highlight reel worthy plays that Rick was able to be a part of, he will also fondly remember the friendships that bonded the team both on and off the field. Those friendships were an integral part of being able to be a successful team.
Looking into the future of the team, Rick stated that there are a few new players that fans should be on the lookout for. He named Joel Close with the potential to have a massive year and Cole Hyzer, stating that he has shown great promise in the practices that they have had together. Both of these players are on the up and up, but there is a club team that demonstrates plenty of talent and dedication, club team I-69. Rick explained that this club team has great players that continue to get better every time those players step onto the field.
Since entering into retirement, Rick now finds himself with free time. He is looking forward to spending time with his wife and daughter. They plan to spend as many free weekends as possible enjoying their time. However, Rick will still be supporting his former teammates and cheering them on from the sidelines.
Ultimate Frisbee has become a huge part of Rick’s life. It is not easy to leave something behind that he has enjoyed for so long. One thing that he is going to miss the most being a part of the AlleyCats is the camaraderie that flourished each season. Winning and progressing as a group is something that has made a lasting impact on his life. Ultimate also gave him a space to hone in on his competitive spirit and make sure that he could channel that energy.
One thing that he would have liked to tell himself towards the beginning of his career, is to focus on the basic throwing skills. These are the skills that you can build upon in your game and by mastering these throws, it will be easier to focus on other areas that need improvement in order to gain the edge on your opponent.
Rick would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who played a part in his journey through Ultimate Frisbee. Coaches, family, friends, my wife & parents: Thank you for putting in the work and for encouraging me to be the best that I can be.