Temple University Athletics
Photo by: Zamani Feelings
This Rock Has a Soft Spot, Ryquell Armstead on His Family and Football
9.19.18 | Football
PHILADELPHIA-Â Ryquell Armstead could walk around North Philadelphia with his eyes closed, he's been here awhile. The Temple running back and single digit wearer is playing out his senior year and last year of eligibility for the Temple football team. Ryquell has seen his four years come and go, with his football family changing along the way. Family and football mean everything to Ryquell. Whether it be back at home with his daughter in Millville, N.J., or at Temple University with his football team and his sister, Rachell, is going into her sophomore season on the track team. Ryquell is around a lot of familiar faces.
Growing up in Millville, Ryquell and his siblings, Rachell and Rynell, were hand fulls for their mother, Tara, but she made sure she kept them on the right path.
"I would say my mom influenced me the most growing up," Ryquell notes. "I wasn't always the best kid, I was a little hard-headed, but she kept me involved in sports and on the right track. I have to thank my mom for that."
"Rachell and I had a mutual thing against my mom growing up, she was a little hard-headed too," laughs Ryquell. "My mom did a great job though, like I said, keeping me, my younger brother and younger sister in sports."
It's family and football right now for Ryquell, but back then he bonded with his sister during those track meets and practices.
"Me and my sister bonded a lot during track season, just competing against each other, being happy for one another, and just being together doing sports was amazing."
Ryquell was a natural runner and excelled at the 100-meter. His track career was centered around improving his football skills, but his sister always kept her focus on track and outperformed Ryquell in the process.
"My sister had a great track team, I'll tell you that," Ryquell stated. "She did more 4 x 100 relays and things of that nature while her team was state champs the years she was there. I did more individual events, which was different than what she did."
Ryquell went from Millville to Center City Philadelphia, and he takes credit for getting his sister to Temple as well.
"I came here and then as my sister was picking colleges she saw how successful I was here and said 'why not follow the big brother'."
"Having my sister here is great, you know. I'm her mentor, I'm her shoulder to lean on, anytime she needs something she calls me here. Just having family here when times get rough so she can come and visit me, sit down, talk and relax is special to me."
Ryquell is based now at Temple for this football season, but a big part of his life lives back at home. His daughter, Ry-kail, has made him change the way he lives and views life.
"I would say I'm a lot more mature for my age, being a 21-year-old," Ryquell says. "I know I'm a father for my daughter and she needs me, so I try to be home as much as I can. Any break we get I drive home and see my daughter and spend time with her. I have so much support though from Lamera Rhett, my mother, my father, my aunts, you know they all pitch in. My siblings babysit my daughter when I'm not around, too."
"Without the support system I have I wouldn't be able to do anything I'm doing here. They're letting me live my dreams by providing for my daughter while I'm not there."
Now Ryquell is focused on football and family, but over his four years at Temple, he's started to view his football team as extended family with the support he gets from them.
"Family definitely applies to this football team, I would say they are my family. Temple gave me an opportunity when a lot of people wouldn't and they've made me who I am today. I'll be able to graduate with a degree and continue to have a great support system of coaches and players that love me. I love them too and I would do anything for them. For them to have my back and understand that I have a daughter and family makes everything easier."
Ryquell's sister, Rachell, and his football team are hoping for successful seasons this year. Family still means everything to Ryquell, and it's because he can't go far on campus without feeling the love, whether it be from his team, his family, or the university that has embraced and supported him from the beginning.
Growing up in Millville, Ryquell and his siblings, Rachell and Rynell, were hand fulls for their mother, Tara, but she made sure she kept them on the right path.
"I would say my mom influenced me the most growing up," Ryquell notes. "I wasn't always the best kid, I was a little hard-headed, but she kept me involved in sports and on the right track. I have to thank my mom for that."
"Rachell and I had a mutual thing against my mom growing up, she was a little hard-headed too," laughs Ryquell. "My mom did a great job though, like I said, keeping me, my younger brother and younger sister in sports."
It's family and football right now for Ryquell, but back then he bonded with his sister during those track meets and practices.
"Me and my sister bonded a lot during track season, just competing against each other, being happy for one another, and just being together doing sports was amazing."
Ryquell was a natural runner and excelled at the 100-meter. His track career was centered around improving his football skills, but his sister always kept her focus on track and outperformed Ryquell in the process.
"My sister had a great track team, I'll tell you that," Ryquell stated. "She did more 4 x 100 relays and things of that nature while her team was state champs the years she was there. I did more individual events, which was different than what she did."
Ryquell went from Millville to Center City Philadelphia, and he takes credit for getting his sister to Temple as well.
"I came here and then as my sister was picking colleges she saw how successful I was here and said 'why not follow the big brother'."
"Having my sister here is great, you know. I'm her mentor, I'm her shoulder to lean on, anytime she needs something she calls me here. Just having family here when times get rough so she can come and visit me, sit down, talk and relax is special to me."
Ryquell is based now at Temple for this football season, but a big part of his life lives back at home. His daughter, Ry-kail, has made him change the way he lives and views life.
"I would say I'm a lot more mature for my age, being a 21-year-old," Ryquell says. "I know I'm a father for my daughter and she needs me, so I try to be home as much as I can. Any break we get I drive home and see my daughter and spend time with her. I have so much support though from Lamera Rhett, my mother, my father, my aunts, you know they all pitch in. My siblings babysit my daughter when I'm not around, too."
"Without the support system I have I wouldn't be able to do anything I'm doing here. They're letting me live my dreams by providing for my daughter while I'm not there."
Now Ryquell is focused on football and family, but over his four years at Temple, he's started to view his football team as extended family with the support he gets from them.
"Family definitely applies to this football team, I would say they are my family. Temple gave me an opportunity when a lot of people wouldn't and they've made me who I am today. I'll be able to graduate with a degree and continue to have a great support system of coaches and players that love me. I love them too and I would do anything for them. For them to have my back and understand that I have a daughter and family makes everything easier."
Ryquell's sister, Rachell, and his football team are hoping for successful seasons this year. Family still means everything to Ryquell, and it's because he can't go far on campus without feeling the love, whether it be from his team, his family, or the university that has embraced and supported him from the beginning.
Players Mentioned
RB
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