Thankful Thursday: Ryan Sullivan

Coach Ryan Sullivan has been a part of Bay to Bay for over four years, but he has been a major contributor to Northern California volleyball for well over a decade.

All About the Athletes

It is easy to see what motivates Coach Ryan when he walks in the door of the practice gym. He arrives early and moves from court to court saying hey to all of the coaches and players and then makes his way to his whiteboard to get his teams practice plan up.

As his players start to trickle in he strikes up a conversation with them individually, maybe even getting in a quick pepper session. Coach Ryan is all about his athletes. He has a tremendous passion for the game of volleyball, something I have seen in him ever since he was in high school at Branham, but his true passion lies in helping the young men in his care.

Comfortable in the Uncomfortable

Like all of our coaches, Coach Ryan knows the struggles of being a young athlete having gone through them himself. What makes Coach Ryan different is that he embraces and talks directly to those challenges.

Difficult issues like mental health are not something to be avoided with Coach Ryan, he speaks about them and gives a voice to something many athletes may be feeling on their own. Ryan brings a vulnerability that many can relate to and see a piece of themselves in. In a world where young men are taught to suppress their thoughts and insecurities I have seen coach Ryan tackle them head on.

Growth

I have had the distinct pleasure of watching Ryan grow as a coach over the past 7 years. He continues to bring the same infectious energy that he had as a coach straight out of college, but he now pairs that with tremendous maturity, thoughtfulness, and genuine interest in the individuals he gets to work with.

Over the course of the past seven years, coach Ryan has head coached multiple club teams, led the program at Los Gatos High School, and most importantly married his wonderful wife, coach Allison Walewski.

Thank you for all that you do coach Ryan! We are so grateful to have you as a coach at Bay to Bay.