When older drinkers encounter younger, overly intoxicated individuals, the saying “I remember my first beer,” springs quickly to mind.
Because it stood out from the crowd, much like inebriated college students, the new hip saying at Marquette will soon be “I remember James “C” Nortey’s first collegiate goal.”
The infamous goal was earned Sept. 2, during a tense, double-overtime game against Western Michigan, which Marquette ultimately won. After drilling the ball past the Western Michigan keeper and into the back left corner of the net, the freshman midfielder proceeded to roll off five consecutive backflips.
Coach Louis Bennett had some advice for Nortey after the goal.
“The first thing he said was, ‘C, you need to spend more energy playing the game than doing backflips,’” Nortey said. “(Bennett) said, ‘Next time, if you score, just do two of those rather than 10 of those.”’
Nortey, currently tied for the team lead in goals (two) with junior forward Andy Huftlain, learned how to do backflips as a child growing up in Ghana.
“The backflip has been my (goal) celebration since high school,” Nortey said. “I learned it when I was five because it’s part of culture in Ghana. All of your friends are doing it when you’re very little. You’re the odd one if you’re not doing it, so I learned it when I was very little, and it’s been part of me for a while now.”
In addition to backflips and soccer, Nortey showcases his athleticism as a dancer. Nortey participated in a modern dance class — which requires participants to learn ballet techniques — all four years at the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut.
He initially did it to improve his flexibility for soccer, but eventually, it became a passion.
“Some people make fun of me for it, but I want to learn it,” Nortey said. “I don’t care if people laugh about it. I’m from a different culture and I’m used to just doing stuff and not caring what others think. I just said, ‘Why not?’”
Nortey has yet to show off the moves in front of his teammates, but that hasn’t stopped them from asking for a show.
“In the locker room they’ll play music that sounds like hip-hop music, and I tell them that I cannot (dance to) that,” Nortey said. “Every time a song is on they ask, ‘Where’s C? Let’s see him dance.’ But I’ve never done it.”
That doesn’t mean Nortey doesn’t bust a move in front of close friends.
“I’m sure he’ll open up to the team,” said DJ Schillinger, a freshman midfielder and one of Nortey’s two roommates. “There are individuals he’ll do it in front of. In the room, he’s a handful once he starts dancing.”
Also participating in the dance class at Hotchkiss was freshman guard Derrick Wilson of the men’s basketball team. The two spent four years together at Hotchkiss where they were track and field teammates all four years and members of the same dormitory floor for two years.
Wilson said Nortey is “definitely” the better dancer of the two. He added that Nortey “took it to the next level” in a classroom filled with fellow Hotchkiss athletes.
“At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it, but I decided I wanted to figure out what it is about dance that everybody liked. When I did that I found out I really liked it,” Nortey said.
