Ricardo always made me smile. I will always remember him and cherish our time we had together.

I have so many great memories that i am blessed to have shared with such a great person as Ricardo.  In college, we shared many games won, games lost, championships, road trips with the team, 2 mile tests, school events, parties, hours on hours of fifa manager mode, trips to vegas, santa Barbara, utah and more.  After college soccer ended and we graduated, we continued our friendship as roommates and enjoyed many backpacking trips, late night bike rides, Lafc games and nights out on the town.  My favorite memory with ricardo portrays his personality perfectly, he was the hardest working person that i ever knew and he truly loved soccer. Ricardo never had actual backpacking gear which made hiking much harder but this didn't stop him from coming on an 11 mile trip with the guys to havasupai falls.  Ric complained less than anyone on the trail despite his less than ideal gear setup.  When we got to camp, we explored havasupai falls together.  We took a soccer ball with us and went 4 miles, barefoot, dribbling and juggling that ball.  Ricardo truly loved soccer and took that love with him everywhere that he went.  Ricardo lived life to the fullest and always had a contagious smile on his face.  He was a special person and will be missed everyday.  My love and condolences go out to his family and friends. 

Ricardo was always full of energy and was extremely enthusiastic. You could always find him with a huge smile on his face, making people laugh. Ricardo was impactful to many people especially to those he coached and played soccer with. He was highly motivated to achieve the best he could. He was a friend that always had your back and pushed you to be better. He was his own competition. If there was anything to know about him was that he always needed to win, both on and off the field. 

He always spoke about his high school/college days and how happy he was to have shared so many great memories with great friends. However, he was even happier to start a new chapter in his life; being a father. He wanted to be the best coach, father and role model for our daughter and was going to make sure she had the same passion for soccer that he did. 

As his girlfriend, I will always miss him. Ricardo wasn’t just a chapter in my life, full of pictures and memories. He was everything to me. He was the sweetest, most caring and loving boyfriend. I am so thankful he allowed me to be part of his life and his legacy. From the moment he came into my life, we became literally inseparable. It is one of the main reasons why his sudden passing is so hard for me. I know our daughter will one day know how much he loved her and fought to be here with her.  

He always admired the great father his dad was and aspired to be like him. He truly adored his parents for the loving people they are. He also always valued getting advise from his older brother and sister who meant the world to him. He cherished his siblings very much and always looked up to them. 

He will always be loved and remembered and his life will always be celebrated. 

Rich,

Until we meet again, I love you. 

Always,
Aurea 

Ricardo was an individual that people gravitated towards.  I had the great pleasure of working and mentoring Ricardo. He was very kind and compassionate with the clients and a beloved co-worker and colleague to those he interacted with.  Ricardo was constantly striving for self improvement and  I really appreciated how sincerely he took some of my advice to heart. He truly loved his family and was so proud of his older siblings whom he gushed over proudly. He loved his mother’s cooking and would share a bite or two of her home cooked meal with me. The day his grandfather died he openly sobbed in my arms and his true love for his family was never more apparent than that moment. I will fondly remember all of our conversations about love life and work in general but the ones I will cherish the most is how determined  he was in being the best dad in the whole world  and how he would share that with the love of his life, Aurea. Their love resulted in the most precious gift of all. Her name is Hope and that is exactly what she gives to anyone who has been blessed enough to know Ricardo Sandoval. 

Slick Rick The Ruler. I’ve had a special connection with Rick since our first day of captains practice at Cal State LA once we met each other and realized that we are both from the Central Valley. Growing up in Fresno is not much different from growing up in Bakersfield, so we could easily relate to each other. He went on to explain that his brother was one of our coaches and he has been living with him in is South Pasadena. With no hesitation, he invited me over to their apartment and saved me from the dorm life which I greatly appreciated. 
It didn’t take much time to learn about what type of person Rick was. Either he was on your side, or he wasn’t. There was no in between with Rick. He always made it clear that if he rides with you, he will ride with you until the end. And if he ever sensed that you were the type of person that he couldn’t trust, there was no chance of him opening up to you. That is what I have always appreciated about Rick since day one.   
	 Another thing that I always appreciated about Rick is he always had a plan or an idea of where he saw himself in the future. He helped me stay determined and motivated to do the same. We would frequently have discussions about where we see ourselves working, living, or traveling together in the future. When I graduated from CSULA I moved to the Bay Area for a bit. But after 2 years away I decided that it would be best for me to return to LA to pursue a career working in Soccer.  Guess who was there when I needed a place to live until I found something permanent, it was Rick. 
 I could go on for hours about different memories that I have with Rick at sporting events, concerts, parties, bars, playing video games and other extracurricular activates. Rick had so much Pride. Rick was more like a brother than a friend to me. Even though he may no longer be here physically, I know that his spirt is with me forever and he will always be one of my guardian angels.

Rick, 
I don’t even know where to begin. You were such a big part of my life for so long. There are so many good memories I’ve had with you, but mostly I’ll never forget how you always shined on the field. Soccer. That was your biggest love. To this day I have never met someone with more love and passion for the sport than you. You thrived on that field and you were an incredible coach. I was always very proud of you for that.  Those are memories I will never forget. Rest In Peace old friend. I know you’re playing the beautiful game in God’s backyard now. 
  
Always,
Nadine 

Ricardo was a kind, respectful, talented soccer player and beautiful human being that came into my life in college. We talked about sports and how much soccer means to us. We united a friendship over the love of soccer. He always encouraged me to keep going and work hard. He believed in me. Ricardo, thank you for being there for me at that moment of my life and for giving me confidence in the work I was doing. May God give your family strength and cover them with love. I will forever miss you and I will continue to inspire others through my love for sports just like you.  Rest In Peace ❤️ 

Forever your friend, 
Liz 

You were an amazing coach to everyone. When our team didn’t have a coach you stepped up and took over and changed everything for us. You taught us how to become a better athlete whether we were in or  outside the field. You also taught us how we had to be disciplined if we wanted to play at the next level. Thank you for everything you taught me Coach Ricardo. Thank you for making me the kind of player I am today. I owe it all to you. May you Rest Easy🕊🙏🏼.

On Behalf of Premier Soccer, our sincere condolences goes out to the Sandoval family.  We knew Ricardo for only a short time, but was very impressed with his love for teaching kids soccer and how well he connected with kids.  The boys on his team loved having him as a coach.   He will forever be remembered as an inspiration for all of us here at Premier Soccer.  

Tony Hoang 
Premier Soccer 

Ricardo, 

Running with you and competing for the corporate cup was always amazing. This year was the year that we were to take down JW Marriott. Heheh. Be sure to give us a boost from heaven and keep an eye on us, for we will run.  Gone too soon buddy. May you continue to Rest In Peace. Much love from your LAIA family. 

Rick,

You were a teammate, friend, and a great person. One of the few that understood how hard it was to be an Arsenal fan and stay positive. I loved how your enthusiasm, passion and positivity was always on display while playing together at CSULA. These same characteristics were also present every day off the field. 

We will forever be grateful for the moments we shared together. We will miss you dearly and our hearts go out to the entire Sandoval family.

Saez family

Ricardo, you have been such an inspiration to your family, all your wonderful friends and our program at Cal State LA. The moment you arrived on your recruiting visit we knew you were special. Your persona that you gave our group was undeniable. Your smile and your enthusiastic attitude was contagious and I am so grateful and privileged to have coached and known you these years. You will be missed but your spirit and energy will now be the angel 😇 that overlooks your family. Ricardo, I will miss you. 
Love you,
The Jacobsons

Tengo muchas memorias y en todas siempre había risas y sonrisas. La que nunca se me olvidará es cuando teníamos entre 8 o 9 años, Ricardo fue  a visitar Jiquilpan en el verano, me acuerdo durante las fiestas de san Cayetano lo llevé a jugar dardos en los globos. Después de intentar varias veces al final logró tronar los tres globos para ganar un premio, salió corriendo eufóricamente como si estuviera celebrando un gol...después de esa vez me preguntaba todos los días que cuando íbamos ir a tronar globos y ganar premios. Siempre con una sonrisa. 

Ricardo,

I’ll never forget the first day you and I met at a CSULA recruiting camp. We were put on the same team for a scrimmage towards the end of our session. We tore it up together. There have been few people in my life that I have experienced immediate chemistry like this with. It was weird, but I knew that you and I were destined to be homies that day. 
Things worked out - you came to Cal State LA and we became very close. Although you weren’t “officially” a roommate at Balzac, you were without question our favorite guest. Although our life paths have taken us in different directions over the past few years I am truly saddened that you are no longer with us. You have a zest for life that rubs off on people. You’re happy, genuine and optimistic. Always. I loved that about you dude. You always had a story to tell or a witty joke to crack. I love you Ric, hoping that we can hit the back packing trails together again one day.

Too many great memories to share but the funniest was sometimes coming to work and unknowingly matching clothes with you. You were always willing to help everyone and respected everyone’s point of view! You were really young and somehow miles ahead of the rest of us in maturity. Thank you for always encouraging me to be the best version of myself I could possibly be. You will truly be missed and work will never be the same without you! Hope you’re either resting in peace or having a blast up in there in Heaven! Miss you man! 

Thanks, Ricardo.  Thanks for being you.  Thanks for representing Cal State LA.  Thanks for playing for me.  Thanks for being a great teammate.  Thanks for the smile you brought to me, and our program, every day.  Thanks for graduating and making your family proud.  Thanks for being a fan of our team and program after you graduated.  Thanks for being you.  Thanks, Ricardo.

Ricardo, it will never get easier saying goodbye. It was just 2 weeks ago, I saw you at the soccer park coaching with your new team. When you told me what you were doing out there, I wasn’t surprised. Nothing could keep you away from the game you loved. You are the reason I love the game that brought us so close together. From playing on the Gunners to watching CSUB, Brigade, USA, and Arsenal games. Growing up with you shaped who I am today. I will forever remember our stories together and share them with my kids as if you are still here. Not a day has gone by that I don’t think about your family and your little girl. The world lost a great father, brother, partner, son, nephew, uncle, and friend. Rest easy brother, until we meet again, love you bud. 

Ricardo and I played together on the good ol’ Gunners for 8 years. From being 10 years old playing in whatever games we could get, to traveling to England, to beating huge teams in national and league cups. Battling with Ricardo for starting spots and playing time made me a better player and person. He was just always a positive presence on and off the field and a young man that just loved the game.  His soccer talents and love of life are missed and the soccer world is at a loss by not being able to enjoy Ricardo sharing his passion for the game. 

Nobody probably knows this, but Ricardo played FIFA with me and my buddies for a period of time a few years ago. We might have been cousins, but had a significant difference in age and weren't very close, so it was nice having something in common that brought us closer together, even if it was brief. "IckyCardo" pretty cool gamertag man.  It was fun Richard. I remember when he was just a kid and we had a family pick-up soccer game in Bakersfield, but only the grown-ups were playing. He was so mad that he couldn't play. He was like "Why did I come then!" He was little, but he had a big heart! 

Our hearts go out to Ricardo’s family, friends, and, most importantly, his daughter, Hope. From the moment we met Ricardo, he was so full of life and excited about everything. He had a great personality and always made you feel welcomed. It was always great to see him interacting with his brother Fabian. You could see the bond they held and how they thought the world of each other. It was endearing. It makes this devastating event that much sadder. It’s with a heavy heart that we give our condolences. It’s with great pride to know that his impact on this world will never be forgotten. 

Rick,
I’ll never forget how you and I walked to the rose bowl wearing our USA jersey after tailgating. And yelling at the Mexico fans dos a zero. No matter who we came across we let them know we were USA fans.  I can’t count how many fight we were about to get in but we had each others backs. You were also the first assistant coach I have had that almost got me thrown out of a championship game because you let the ref really know how awful he was. You always had a strong opinion and that’s what made you who you are. I appreciate you pushing me when we were younger playing against each other in high school and in club. I can’t wait to talk soccer with you again! 

OBITUARY

Ricardo Sandoval

June 25, 1991 – January 19, 2020

Funeraria Del Angel Hillcrest

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