“Once you think you have things figured out, you don’t.”
Ryan Baker, the head coach of women’s volleyball at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, is the subject of the 15th episode of the 35,000 Feet podcast. Ryan gives us insight into the highs and lows of the Colgate 2019 season, the role that travel plays in his and the team members lives, and even gives us a peak into a hidden talent that he has! Make sure to listen in order to learn something about this head coach that not many people know.
In this episode, we discuss:
The highs and lows of Ryan’s 14th season coaching volleyball (0:30)
How Ryan got to Colgate as the youngest head coach in the country (3:48)
Ryan’s most memorable travel experiences (5:55)
What Ryan is most excited about in the upcoming season (7:53)
One thing that no one knows about Ryan (9:01)
Ryan’s advice to athletes wanting to play at university (10:35)
The Highs and Lows of the 2019 Colgate Volleyball Season
Ryan: I think this was a season for me that we had more highs and lows in a good way. As you know, coaching, there are a lot of highs and lows always involved, a lot of them controllable and a lot of them uncontrollables. The highs this year was we went 15 in 1 and we're a co-champions of the Patriot League. I think looking back now that the season's over and I've had time to really think about it, it was going 15 and only losing one match in a league with a lot of parity was unbelievable and a huge high.
Shianne: That's incredible.
Ryan: Yeah. Just to show up like the players did every day at home and on the road and to compete like they did and to do that was awesome. I think we were very fortunate, for the most part, to stay healthy. In sports, it's so fragile. Sickness and health and academics can change a really good season quickly. So, we had a lot of the things that you need to have go right, go right.
Lows for me, and I think the team would say, unfortunately in the Patriot League, we have to play in a conference tournament. And so in the semifinals, we lost a tough one in four sets. Every set was two points almost.
Shianne: Those are tough.
Ryan: Yeah, when you go 15 in 1 and everything's riding high, and to go out like that I think was unfortunate. But you know, hats off to your opponent. At this point it was Army and they played really well and they beat us. So, that’s sports, right? Sometimes you're going to win, sometimes you're going to lose.
Shianne: For sure.
Ryan: Yeah. So, I would say those were the highs and the lows. I just think that the journey was a high. Being around such a great group of positive, confident, fun young women. Watching them make the journey and do so well was awesome.
Shianne: You guys had an incredible season and you guys, 15 and 1, that's awesome. Especially to be in your league. Congrats, loved watching it and does that just fuel you guys for the next season, have something on your back you're ready to go after it?
Ryan: Yeah. We just started a spring practice and you could feel a shift in the energy in a really good way. I think culturally we're in a really good spot right now. We have some great leadership and I think we return 80% of our lineup. And so I think building off what we did last year, we went to the NIVC, which is the triple crown sports had started for women's volleyball three years ago, and we went up and won the first two rounds, they were down to the elite eight. And so that was a last high of we got to host that and we beat Boston College. And so taking that momentum has been huge. So, I think the team feels like they figured some things out as far as how to compete in the postseason and there's just a really great energy right now.
Shianne: That's so exciting. Wow. I love hearing that. Your team's just like, "No, we want to go back the next season and become stronger." And they're already working hard at that in the spring, I think that's awesome.
Ryan: Yeah, that's the big difference, in the offseason and the regular seasons.
How Ryan Became the Volleyball Coach at Colgate University
Shianne: How did you get to Colgate University coaching volleyball?
Ryan: Sometimes I ask myself that. I was very, very, very fortunate. I was a broadcast journalism major. I was actually offered a job to be in TV right out of college. So, that was my path. And then Ithaca College, my Alma Mater called and said, "Hey, we're doing graduate assistants in sports psychology. You'd work with our women's team as a student assistant. Is this something that interests you?"
So, my mother was the one that was like, "What are you doing?" I was like, "What do you mean?" "You love sports. Why aren't you pursuing this?" And so when you get out of college, you're at such a pivotal but uncertain point of your life. And so I decided, I was like, "She's right. I do love sports." So, I went back, got my masters, and then I had a grad assistant, then I was a head division three coach for a season. And then I actually grew up in upstate New York, 45 minutes from Colgate, and they had an opening as an assistant and I got it. And then, unfortunately, the head coach got fired and so ... And then actually I interviewed and I think they were desperate or they just couldn't find anyone at the time. I don't know. And then they hired me. I was the youngest division one head coach in the country.
How Travel Plays a Role in Ryan’s Life
Shianne: What are some of your most memorable travel experiences and does your team travel? Do you guys go on any trips? I know volleyball, you're always traveling to your opponents and things like that. So how does that play a part in your life and your season?
Ryan: I do. I love traveling myself. I do spend a lot of time traveling for work as far as with the team and recruiting. I get to go to a lot of big cities often for work. So, I'm in the recruiting season starting in a couple of weeks. So, I will be in the air flying a lot.
Yeah. And then my wife and I like to go somewhere warm. You know we're in snow world. I think favorite travel, Maui, we went on our honeymoon. That was a such a surreal experience for me. Sadly I've never been to Europe.
Shianne: You should go.
Ryan: It's on my list. That was big time on our list until we had three children and everything has been slowed down in that aspect.
Shianne: Yeah. Well, especially because your wife coaches at a different college. So, you guys are super busy.
Ryan: Yes. Wicked busy. The three kids ... that is life-changing. They're all January babies and so they all just had their birthdays in the last couple of weeks. So we've got five and a three and a one-year-old.
What’s Next for Colgate’s Volleyball Team
Shianne: What are you most excited about for this upcoming season? I know we already talked about this a little bit.
Ryan: Yeah. For me, I look at every season as a new year. I've done this long enough where once you think you have things figured out, you don't. And so, I'm just looking forward to seeing what the year does bring, right? I let the journey happen as it is and stick to the process because no matter what, you really don't have that much control.
We have a lot of great pieces coming back and I think we should be, in theory, very competitive, but it's eight months away and I'll honestly tell you, I never know. So, when your culture is right and you have good leadership within the group, which we do, I think it'll be a fun year again.
Shianne: I think you're right. You never know. Everything can change. Injuries come up or players decide to change what they want to do. You never know. But the best you can do is just do what you're doing, just keep preparing your girls on the court.
Ryan: Exactly. Exactly.
Ryan’s Hidden Talent
Shianne: What is one thing that no one knows about you that you can share with us?
Ryan: Oh, no one knows.
Shianne: Yeah, I know. It's kind of on the spot question. Sorry about that.
Ryan: No, I like it. I think a lot of people don't know, I don't know if no one knows, but a lot of people in the world didn't know that I've done musical theater a majority of my life.
Shianne: Oh, really?
Ryan: Yes. But the thing is that I haven't done it in five years and so I always do it in the summer when none of the players are around. So, they don't really know that I had spent the majority of my life since I was 11 doing musical theater. That's as close as I think I can get there, what no one knows.
Shianne: No, that's awesome. You're into sports and you're into the theater side. It's awesome. I like that.
Ryan: Yeah. To me, it still gives me the high of competing that I sort of miss. Fortunately, we live close to Broadway. Four hours is close. So we can get in our car and get to New York City in four hours, which is the Mecca, right?
Coach Ryan’s Advice to Athletic Recruits
Ryan: I think a couple of things. I would say number one, take care of your academics. I think people under appreciate that you do well in school and put the work in, you open up a lot of avenues. And I would say that the biggest advice I have now is start the communication as early as you can. The whole university system in general, it's crazy how young people are playing sports and there's a lot of choices for colleges to make in who they want on their team.
So, take care of all the little things, be a good person, work really hard, and start communication as early as you can because I always say to our players, there's only 1% of the student body that's playing division one volleyball, all the kids that are actually on a team. And so it's a pretty unique and special thing. So, take care of all the little things.
Shianne: Yeah. That's really good advice because those are the things that athletes can control. There's not a lot of stuff you can control when you're getting recruited or whatnot, but that part you could have your hands in it for sure.
Ryan: Exactly. Exactly. Take care of what you can actually control.
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Podcast made in partnership with Acanela Expeditions
Theme Song - I’ll Just Be Me by Gravity Castle