Staff Spotlight: César Rioja Álvarez

I played at Estudiantes Madrid since I was 14 in the youth system all the way up to the first team, which competes in the ACB (The Spanish First Division of basketball, like the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the U.S.) as well as the Euroleague, Europe’s highest club competition.

I played there until I was 23, when I switched teams to Fuenlabrada and later Granada for my last year.

I was also fortunate enough to play for the Spanish National Team between the ages of 14 to 19.

The number one piece of advice that I give to our students is that they work hard in pursuit of their dreams.

In addition, having to balance competitive athletics with studying at university teaches you to be extremely disciplined and organized, so I emphasize that to our students as well as a great benefit of sports for their everyday lives.

I would say that seeing our students reach their potential and become professionals in their sports has been the biggest highlights for me over the years. 

Organizing events that combine sports and service, like our 5K runs and paddle tennis tournaments here at SLU-Madrid, mean a great deal to me.

I consider myself very lucky to have kept sport in many aspects of my life, whether it be working as the sports director here at SLU-Madrid and getting to know all our young athletes, or in my every day life through playing paddle tennis for example, or keeping in touch with old teammates from my playing days and organizing charity events and games through NGOs with them as often as possible.

I consider it a great privilege to be able to play basketball with many of my friends while also helping and doing our part to contribute to great causes through the NGOs that we support.

The NGOs will usually get in touch with our former players’ associations through Estudiantes and/or Real Madrid, the two most important basketball teams in Madrid, and ask us to organize a charity match that people can buy tickets for, with the proceeds going to the NGO.

I think that we try to emulate the Jesuit mission of being “men and women for others” as best as we can through helping each other become better athletes and also through events such as a recent bake sale, in which SLU-Madrid athletes volunteered to help out.

Our athletes also help through volunteering in various NGOs that SLU Madrid works with, and it is very rewarding to help them see the Jesuit values shine through in them.

I love working at a Jesuit university in Spain because of the wonderful values that we transmit to all our students, be they from Spain or anywhere else in the world, as they will be equally important to all of their future lives.

The thing that brings me the most joy is spending time with my wife and my two children, getting to experience how they grow up physically and mentally. It is also very joyous for me to see the rest of my family, parents, nephews, brothers, all of them, be in good health.

My SLU family is something I also love very much, and coming to work every day and experiencing this wonderful community is something I cherish a lot.

I also very much enjoy taking on volunteering opportunities with NGOs, and being able to help other people and try to make their lives a little bit better.

Well, in my free time I really enjoy playing all types of sports and reading a good book.

Another passion of mine is coaching our students on the basketball court, as well as spending time with them and getting to know them, as I believe that we can all learn a great deal from each other. I would also like everyone in the SLU community to know that I love my job very much because I get the opportunity to help students, faculty and staff to enjoy physical activity and hopefully make their lives a little better through sports.