Time Out with Arik Housley -- 1992 Vintage High graduate

Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life?   Arik Housley: I was born into a competitive family. While my father was not an athlete, he was a competitive businessman. I also grew up the only caucasian boy in my class at Yountville Elementary, and found myself competing to fit in with my friends on the soccer field. I continued to play soccer and always loved it, as I was pretty fast, but we lacked much coaching. I still play today if I can do it without pulling something. D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?   Housley: I graduated from Pepperdine and had studied in Italy. While there I went to a Fiorentina soccer match and watched a man Gabriel Battistuta. The guy was unbelievable and the environment was awesome. I came home after graduation and began running Ranch Market Too in Yountville, where my wife and I are now the sole owners. About 12 years ago, I began running Ranch Market Napa as well. My family started a winery in the central valley, which I help when I can but primarily I do all the label design and marketing. I am very proud of Napa United as I am the Director of Coach and Player Development.   Basically, I run the club travel side. As I mentioned, I only had a couple good coaches growing up. I am a firm believer, if the talent in soccer in the Napa Valley can be given an environment to keep their grades up, and get good coaching to become even better on the field, the doors will open past high school for many of Napa’ players. Because of this, myself with a Josh Goss, we wanted to inspire local players to push for more, so we started the 1 year old Napa Valley 1839 FC. This team plays in the NPSL which is 4th division US. If we paid our players, it would be considered professional but to allow them opportunity to choose NCAA options, no one can get paid, so we remain Amateur (semi-professional) status. D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Vintage High?   Housley: Spanish, Mr. Nelson really made me love learning the language.   Since I was the only non-spanish speaking boy at Yountville I always wanted to learn. I didn’t understand why I didn’t have a Piñata and tacos for my 6th birthday and it wasn’t long after I was always wanting to learn the language.   Mr. Nelson made it fun. Of course, the first words I learned were probably not the most appropriate, but over time I became pretty proficient in the language. I use it daily with the families of Napa United and at my stores. D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Vintage High?   Housley: I would say two things, first, playing in the old stadium against Napa.   Some of our friends and teammates from Napa Valley Soccer Club (Now Napa United) like Eric Techel (Mayor Jill Techel’s son) it was fun to play against them at that venue. Second, was getting to section finals in tennis. The Vintage tennis team my junior year had over 50 players on it, so there was a lot of competition. A bunch of the soccer team decided to stay in 6th period PE so we took up tennis. We started out No. 13 doubles and worked our way up freshmen year. Every year we were challenging to get better. I played varsity my junior year and singles my senior year. We had a good competition and great group of players. I believe competition is healthy to make us all get stronger, in athletics and in business. D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?   Housley: Studying abroad was probably my biggest maturing experience. I love my country, and I learned how to love it while respecting other cultures at the same time. It is funny when I watch the game of soccer of how similar that is. Players from all different backgrounds, be it ethnic, race, financial, etc can come together to play the beautiful game. They have to learn to communicate on the fly. We don’t come in and think of a play and go back out, it is constant communication. This is the way I believe the business environment works in many ways as well. You must be fluid and flexible, yet stick to the plan.   Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you always can walk away with your head held high when you gave it everything you have got. D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?   Housley: My wife, Hannah calms me, she is my best friend. What makes her influential, is her sincerity. She cannot lie, and growing up in a small business I struggle with people that lie as well. Hannah has taught me so many things, but she always does what is right, even when it is harder and she knows someone will get upset. As the Leadership teacher and activities director at VHS, she works her tail off, going in early and leaving late. It isn’t a full-time position, but she always gives more than full-time. She does it because she loves it and she loves working with the kids and watching them grow. She inspires me to always be better. D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet.   Housley: It takes a real leader to be a catalyst for change. Someone that might appear crazy in their actions, but they make a statement that changes society.  Think if Lincoln wouldn’t have fought to end slavery. If I could meet a leader, it would be Cesar Chavez. I would love to just have a conversation with him. Some might see controversy, others might see him a hero. I love that he would make a statement of starvation or doing something that would get attention to start to change the way field workers were being treated. I believe the Hispanic youth should understand and respect what their parents and grandparents sacrificed for their families. I also want to help build a program that truly is helping inspire and guide the youth of the Napa Valley to use soccer as a path for their future.