Sports editor Pat Dailey engaged in a Q’s A’s session with Nixa basketball player Colin Ruffin:
Q: What's your birth date and where were you born?
Ruffin: April 14, 2004 in Dallas, Texas. My first grade year, we came up here to live with our grandma and have stayed here ever since. We lived in Collinsville, Texas. I have an older brother and sisters and my granddad still live there. I'm a Cowboys fan. But I like the Rams now because I'm a big Odell (Beckham) fan.
Q: Do you have a major and/or a career in mind?
Ruffin: I haven't really thought about that. I've got to start thinking about that soon.
Q: What colleges are on your recruiting radar?
Ruffin: I've visited Missouri State and Kansas State. I don't know where I'm going to go, yet. Stay tuned.
Q: What are some sports besides basketball you enjoy?
Ruffin: I golf sometimes and I like it. My friends are good, but I'm not. Austin Villarreal is on the golf team and he’s good. It's super peaceful on a golf course. But I'm awful. I always hit my tee shot out of bounds, so I play off their ball most of the time.
Q: We saw you on crutches this spring and summer. What was your injury and how did you handle your down time?
Ruffin: I tore my PCL (posterior cruciate ligament). That's something that is super rare. It's right next to your ACL. I didn't tear it all the way, so I didn't have to get surgery. But I was out all summer. I was going to play football before I got hurt. I was rehabbing 3-4 times a week and lifting every day, even on Saturdays and Sundays. I really like lifting now. I gained 16 pounds over the summer.
Q: Do you have a dream car and what kind of car do you drive now?
Ruffin: Maybe a Lamborghini. I drive a 2016 Infinite 260. All my friends are car guys, I kind of am, I just like to keep my car clean. I've picked up a lot from them. I know what I'm talking about now. At first, I didn't know anything. I knew what rims, tint and a spoiler wre. Now I know some things about engines.
Q: Are you a gambler?
Ruffin: We play poker. It's fun. I've won twice, but I've lost a lot of money, too. We play with kids from Parkview, Glendale, Ozark and all over. I try to keep my poker face and be serious all the time. Sometimes, my friends make me laugh and I lose.
Q: What is your social media go-to?
Ruffin: I'm on Instagram and Twitter. I share a lot on Twitter so colleges see it and a lot of the Nixa parents are on Twitter. Luckily, a lot of people like Nixa basketball. I have 300 followers on Twitter. On Instagram, I have 2,100.
