Ron Ryan graduated from Waverly High School in Waverly, Illinois in 1963, which at that time had no wrestling program. He began his wrestling career in a P.E. class in 1963-64 at Western Illinois University, soon transitioning to the varsity wrestling team. He lettered in wrestling at Western Illinois University (1964-196 7) and earned a Bachelor's degree in Biology and General Sciences (minoring in Mathematics) in 1967. Ron started his teaching career in 1967 in Mt. Olive, IL, where he taught Mathematics and Science for the next 34 years. Ron started the high school wrestling program in Mt. Olive in 1969-70 and has served as head coach since, a total of 50 years. During his tenure as a teacher in Mt. Olive, Ron continued his education, earning a Master degree in Mathematics and an Administrative certificate. During that time, he also served as High School Athletic Director for 25 years. He then became the Mt. Olive High School principal from 2001-08. In 2008, Ron retired from teaching but continued to coach the wrestling team until 2019 when he officially retired from coaching. Mt. Olive's Class A high school enrollment was under 200 students for many years, usually 150 - 170. Since 2007, Gillespie High School, another nearby small school, has engaged in a cooperative agreement with Mt. Olive in wrestling; Staunton and Bunker Hill, were added to the co-op in 2017. The coop's dual meet record through February of 2019 is 463 wins, 481 losses, and 5 ties. Against other class A schools, their record is 342 wins, 244 losses, and 3 ties. Mt. Olive wrestling was the IHSA District Champion in 1975; Regional champion in 1979, 1980, and 1985; and advanced to the Elite 8 in 1985. Ron was nominated as Coach of the Year in 1988 by the IWCOA, the same year two of his athletes won state championships while another was fourth in state. That year, Mt. Olive would have scored enough points to finish third in Class A State overall under the system that had only recently changed - a change that Ron helped bring about as he served on the IHSA Wrestling Advisory Committee In 1982-85 as a coach during the formation of the present Dual Meet State Tournament concept, Ron also served with the IHSA Wrestling Advisory Committee again later as a principal, when the present third class was added to the state tournament Ron was inducted into the IWCOA Hall of Fame in 1994, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the IWCOA in 2017. He was chosen by the IHSA and IWCOA as one of four Grand Marshalls for the 2019 IHSA Grand March of Champions. Ron also received the Gold Award by the IWCOA in 2019 for coaching 50 years, all at the same high school in Mt. Olive Illinois, where he had begun the program in 1969. In June of 2019 Ron received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Springfield State Journal best of preps for the capitol regions preps teams. Since the institution of the class system in 1974-75, Ron's teams have had 54 state qualifiers (through February of 2019). This includes his son, Eric Ryan; a Sectional Champ in 1992 and a two-time state qualifier. Eric was also a walk-on wrestler at the University of Illinois and a 4 year letterman under Coach Mark Johnson. Overall, Mt. Olive has produced 4 state champions, 1 second, 3 thirds, 4 fourths and 1 sixth in the Class A individual state tournament. In 2019, Mt Olive High School's Head Coach, Ron Ryan has been named National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) High School Boys Coach of the Year for the state of Illinois. In winning the State Coach of the Year honor, Coach Ron Ryan became a finalist for the NWCA Section 4 Boys Coach of the Year Award. Ron is now working with his third generation of Mt. Olive wrestlers. He and his wife Paula are parents of a daughter, Kristin and son, Eric, and grandparents of eight.