Coach Ryan Wolfgang was recently named the Head Girls Basketball Coach at Nordonia High School. The Nordonia Basketball Association announced it on their social media. Excited about his new role, Wolfgang talked to our correspondent, Joshua Okeke, about his plans for the youth program and the girls’ basketball team.
How does your past coaching experience prepare you to lead the Nordonia High School girls basketball team?
I have been fortunate enough, through my experiences, to learn from great coaches throughout my life. Being a part of the men’s basketball program at Ohio University for 4 years was an incredible experience. I was able to learn from two different coaching staffs that brought unique philosophies to the game in terms of x’s and o’s and also how a successful collegiate program is run. I have also been lucky to coach with some good people in good programs at the high school level, most recently at Strongsville over the past two years.
What are your immediate goals for the team in your first season?
My goal for this first offseason is to establish our identity as a team while building relationships with the girls from the varsity level all the way down through middle school and our youth programs. We are going to lay the foundations for one big program that follows our core values. As for our on-court goals, we are going to put a team on the court that is going to compete. We will have healthy respect for all of our opponents, but we will not back down from anyone, and we will be going all out for 32 minutes every night.
How do you plan to develop and grow the youth basketball program at Nordonia?
The connection between the youth program and the high school is imperative in order to have consistent success and a healthy program each year. We have already partnered with the Nordonia Basketball Association and are laying the groundwork for our plans during the summer and throughout the year to build the bridge from youth to middle school to high school.
What will be your main focus during the Nordonia Basketball Summer Camp?
We have had a great turnout for the girls youth camp this week, and our high school girls have gone above and beyond to make it a fun learning environment for the campers. We want to build as many positive relationships as we can so families and the community know that the Nordonia Girls Basketball program includes everyone.
“Support from families and students was outstanding” – Coach Ryan opens up on Nordonia Tradition
How do you plan to build on the great tradition of the Nordonia community that you mentioned in your tweet?
Everyone I have met so far at Nordonia has been great and told me how supportive the community is and can be and I have yet to find anyone that says otherwise. I attended a softball and a baseball game and the support from families and students was outstanding. Nordonia is not far removed from recent successes at the varsity level in both conference play and post season play. We are going to work everyday to get back to competing at the highest level in the Suburban League and the state tournament.
What are some key values and principles you want to instill in your players?
We have three core values that our program is built on: we are relentless, we are selfless, and we are fearless. We will not back down from challenges, and we will not give up when things get difficult. It is going to be difficult at times in practice, in games, at school, etc., but we will rally together to persevere. We may not always get the outcome we want, but there will be no doubt that we did everything in our power to get there.
We will value the team and the program above everything else. Everything we do, we do for the Nordonia community and to improve Nordonia girls basketball. We support our teammates and our program at all times and give our personal time and energy for the betterment of the program. Each class that comes through will have the goal of leaving the program in a better place than when they walked in as freshman.
We will be fearless. We will not be intimidated or scared by any opponent or obstacle put in front of us at practice or in school. We will not be afraid to make mistakes, either. This team and this program will be built because the girls will be empowered to be themselves and to step out of their comfort zone to try new things.
Besides being a fan of the Cleveland Guardians, what other sports do you enjoy and follow?
I am an all-Cleveland sports fan. I love the Guardians, Browns, and Cavs. Collegiately, I am always following my Ohio Bobcats, and I was a born and raised Notre Dame football fan.
What message would you like to share with the Nordonia community as you take on this new role?
I am ecstatic to be the varsity girls basketball coach for the Lady Knights, and I cannot wait to continue to become a part of this community and share the Lady Knights basketball program with everyone!
