Prowling a football sideline has always been a given for Pat Ryan. Starting this fall, more eyes than ever will be on him in his new role as Kaneland’s coach.
Ryan, an assistant the last nine years for the Knights and their defensive coordinator in 2016, was chosen from a field of more than 50 applicants to head the program after Tom Fedderly announced his retirement following last season.
“Through the whole process, I said it in jest, but it’s true,” Ryan said. “Most kids who play sports grow up thinking they want to be a pro some day. I did, too, but I remember since about sixth grade, I always wanted to be a coach.
“I was thinking Chicago Bears, but even Kaneland, this is like a dream come true. It’s a great program with a long tradition of winning.”
He’s also flattered by another fact.
“In the past 35 years, this program has had just two head coaches, first with Joe Thorgesen (26 years) and then Tom Fedderly (10 years),” Ryan said. “It’s impressive to be only the third coach in that span, it shows there’s a lot of tradition.”
Thorgesen and Fedderly were a combined 223-143 for a .609 winning percentage. Kaneland’s first coach, Val McPeak, went 8-28 from 1975-80.
Ryan knew something about winning when he arrived at Kaneland. He is a graduate of Driscoll, a Catholic school in Addison that has since closed. Ryan, who played on both sides of the line in high school, went on to play linebacker at Carthage.
He graduated in 2002 before returning to his alma mater, where he was an assistant for six seasons from 2003 to 2008 before the school closed following the school year due to low enrollment and lack of funds.
In those six seasons, Driscoll won five state titles while playing in the powerhouse Suburban Catholic Conference.
The applicants were pared to eight, who met with a committee made up of what athletic director Peter Goff called “all stakeholders that included coaches, teachers, parents and administrators.”
Those eight were narrowed to three finalists who came in for second interviews with Goff and principal Jill Maras, who together made the final decision.
“His vision and his excitement stood out,” said Goff, who introduced Ryan to the program’s players Tuesday morning before school.
Ryan will add one more staff member, but plans to keep Ryan Gierke at offensive coordinator and move an assistant from last season, Mike Thorgesen, to defensive coordinator.
“I see myself fitting in where the need is,” Ryan said. “I’ll probably be working some with the offensive line and linebackers and helping Mike and Ryan (Gierke), and I’ll probably oversee special teams.”
But it’s also first things first for Ryan.
“We missed the playoffs last year and two of the last three years, so we want to restore that winning tradition,” he said. “I think we need to be more competitive, and we may make some changes in things we do in practice and in the weight room.
“It’s not that we’re doing anything wrong. We just might try something different. And we want to have fun.”
He said Kaneland’s Northern Illinois Big 12 East Conference reminds him of the old SCC, especially after Morris, Sycamore and DeKalb all made the semifinals of last year’s playoffs.
“To me, it’s an elite conference,” he said. “Every week is a challenge for us.”
A former social studies teacher, Ryan became a response to intervention facilitator this year. In that role, he works with students who are struggling academically after being referred by one of their teachers.
“We find some supports to help them and give that student a boost academically,” he said. “I’m new to it this year but I’ve really liked it. It’s definitely different than being in the classroom.”
Ryan and his wife Kelly have three girls, Kaitlyn, 10, Kelsey, 7, and Mackenzie 3.
Twitter @RickArmstrong28