CHENEY – New Cheney High School Athletics Director Ken Ryan has only been officially on the job for a short time but has a good idea how he will proceed in his new office.
Ryan will call a great deal on his decades of experience as a basketball coach for the basic game plan.
Ryan, who follows Tim Kennedy who moved into an assistant principal job at Cheney, was called to the AD's job because of the opportunity and reach it presented.
Ryan moved from Deer Park where he coached both boys' and girls' programs for 11 seasons to take over the Cheney girls hoops job in the 2021-22 season.
He exits the coaching job with a two-year record of 13-29 but the AD opening presented the right move. The head coaching job was handed over to Ryan's assistant, Meredith Richards.
"It was one of the hardest decisions of my professional career," Ryan said. "But I thought about it and I can make a bigger impact on all sports (as athletics director)."
While just a short time in the community, Ryan loves the place. "I truly believe that Cheney is a great place," he said.
As with basketball, Ryan plans to get the entire community to buy in so as to have the success he envisions for both athletics and activities. Ryan not only oversees athletics but other extra curricular's such as clubs.
"We've got to think outside the box," Ryan said.
Cheney can be a very special place where people want to come and bring their kids for great educational extracurricular experience. "To keep improving, not to settle," Ryan added.
Using girls hoops as an example, Ryan cited his final weeks in the old job.
"I had a five-year plan and the community just jumped in, ready to help," Ryan said.
He took 19 girls to the Oregon State team camp, calling it "My last hurrah (as a coach)," Ryan said. The program finished 16-0 in the week-long event.
"The community really jumped in and got us to be farther than where we are now," Ryan said. "We're not there yet," he cautioned. Cheney now features 10 AAU teams that will serve in the future to reload teams.
He cited Cheney's baseball team as an example where the Blackhawks' recent trip to the state playoffs began way back in Little League days.
"You build a program the bottom up," Ryan said. "Those kids have been playing baseball for a while. Now they're competing in the 3A and doing a great job."
For CHS, success also includes engaging the district's middle schools and having everyone working together.
Another one of the building blocks for athletics success is the weight room. "If you're an athlete at Cheney High School you need to be in weights," Ryan insisted.
"I told the people what I was gonna' do with girls' basketball and I told them action speaks louder than words and I did it," Ryan said. "And I'm going to do the same here."
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