Goddards’s Ryan Rooney

Ryan Rooney of Goddard was chosen for the Via Christi Behind the Scenes profile for September. Rooney was has been a teacher eight years and a coach for six years at Goddard. Being a stable presence in his student’s lives is something Rooney takes pride in.

“It means everything to play any significant, positive role in a student athlete’s life,” Rooney said. “The feeling when you see a student athlete ‘get it’, be that academically or athletically or emotionally, is second to none.”

In Rooney’s opinion, being a coach is more than just X’s and O’s or practices plans.

“We don’t pick the kids that come to us, so whether it’s a lesson plan or a formation, we must be flexible and realize what the student or team needs,” Rooney said. “I’ll spend two to three hours with a team at practice then come in and tutor them in math if that’s what is needed. Coaches have to be teachers, counselors and coaches simultaneously and if you’re not doing that, you’re failing your players.”

Rooney went to school in the Goddard district in 1985, so he has so many memories. But there is one particular one that stands out. “The boys winning a regional title after a long drought in 2014 was special,” Rooney said. “Seeing the incredible talent levels on both our men’s and women’s team currently makes me as excited as ever to come to practice though.”

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