“It was a bit of a disappointment,” he said. “It’s always hard to come back from a pretty big injury and then to not get a contract just added to it.”
There was some interest late last summer but the USL goalkeeper — who had suited up for three seasons for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds before joining the Rowdies— remained unsigned.
Fast forward several months and Hulings is in goal for the Dayton Dynamo. While the NPSL is not on the level of the USL, the Centerville High School graduate is not complaining.
“I was excited to come back to Dayton and play,” he said. “I wanted to come back to the area — my parents are still here — and getting the chance to be a starter is what every player wants.”
The Dynamo are 3-1-1 with Hulings in goal. He has played 450 minutes, recording 19 saves and two shutouts. But Hulings’ contributions are about more than saves or wins.
“Ryan is a born leader and his ability to read the game and help organize our shape across our back line has been instrumental in our success throughout the season,” Dynamo coach Dan Griest said. “He has truly taken the younger goalkeepers under his wing and has done all he can to pass on his knowledge and experience.”
Mentoring is part of the job description as Hulings does double duty as Dynamo goalkeeper and assistant coach for the Virginia Tech men’s soccer team.
“I’ve been fortunate to be able to maintain both careers,” he said. “And, at 25, I know I can still play at a high level.”
Griest agrees.
“His attention to detail, his concentration on his body shape and movement, his ability to command his area, and his previous USL experience makes him a tremendous asset for the club, particularly as we get deeper into the season and try to push into the playoffs and the weight of each game grows exponentially,” he said.
Next up, the Dynamo, 5-2-2, host FC Buffalo on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Roger Glass Stadium. For more information, visit www.daytondynamo.com/.
Dayton Dutch Lions: The 4-4 Dutch Lions, winners of two of their past three contests, host K-W United FC on Friday at 7 p.m. at DOC Stadium. The Dutch Lions then hit the road for their next two matches before returning home July 10.
The 2-3 Dayton Dutch Lady Lions travel to St. Louis to face Fire & Ice SC on Sunday. The women will play host to Fire & Ice in their next home match July 8 at 5 p.m. at DOC Stadium. For more information on the Dayton Dutch Lions, visit https://ddlfc.com/.
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