training and competition,” Allen said. “We also wanted to see where he stacked up against his peers nationally. We knew Ryan was a strong player, but as parents, it’s hard to be objective.”
The High Performance pipeline facilitated
Ryan’s immediate development – he advanced from being a top-72 player to a top-12 player in one year – and also established relationships that would prove life-changing.
While at the camp, he met several players
from Pacifi c Rim Volleyball Club based in Northern California. Their team needed an outside hitter, and it was suggested that Ryan move to Clovis, Calif., to live with a host fam- ily and join the team.
After thoroughly researching the com- munity and the school and seeking the advice of friends, the Smiths ultimately let their faith guide them. “We had already been praying about it,” Allen said. “It really felt like God had pro- vided this opportunity.” Less than a month later, in August of 2013,
Allen and Whitney put their 16-year-old son on a plane bound for Oakland, Calif. “We’ll never forget the look of terror in his
eyes,” Allen said. “It was heartbreaking. Look- ing back, we must have been crazy. However, we had tremendous peace about the decision.” Ryan rode an emotional roller coaster as he underwent this dramatic life change, and
he cites faith as the force that grounded him. “I try to apply this Bible verse to what I have done and will do with my life: ‘Consider it all joy when you face trials, knowing that the testing of your faith develops perseverance, and perseverance must fi nish its work so that you may be mature and complete in all that you do.’”
The journey hasn’t been easy. Ryan spends six hours on a train each weekend traveling to and from club practices. He lives with one family on the weekend and another family during the week, and he sees his parents once a month.
But he’s getting a return on his investment. He earned all-tournament honors after leading Pacifi c Rim to a fi rst-place fi nish in the 17 Open Division at the 2014 USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships. “I never dreamed of winning a national
title,” Ryan said. “It made me feel like the move was worth it. I knew that I had worked for and accomplished something that few could say that they had accomplished.”
yan’s breakout season got the attention of top-ranking collegiate programs. Among them was Stanford, where he will play for Head Coach John Kosty. “Ryan does something that many young athletes don’t,” Kosty said. “He takes advan- tage of opportunities. He takes risks. He puts
R
himself into uncomfortable situations. And he thrives.”
Kosty fi rst became aware of Ryan at
USAV’s High Performance camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “He’s been on our radar a long time and slowly moved up our list,” Kosty said. “When his team won nationals, we saw he was no longer a role player. That’s indicative of just how hard he works.” Kosty feels that Ryan’s unusual path has equipped him with the tools he’ll need to thrive at the collegiate level. “He’s already proven he can maintain strong academics while living away from his support system,” Kosty said. “He’s a self- starter. He’s self-confi dent. He’s had to learn how to live, problem solve and function on his own. He’s going to come in with mental maturity that most freshman won’t have.” First things fi rst, though. Before Ryan gets to Stanford, he has a national title to defend. As he maximizes the fi nal moments of his prep career and prepares to tackle the next challenge, he refl ects on the importance of grasping opportunity. “I didn’t know where it would take me, but ultimately it has landed me on one of the best teams in the nation and an opportunity to play at one of the nation’s top colleges,” he said. “You can never predict where open doors will take you.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78