By JACK CLARK

jackclark@mvn.net



MT. VERNON — For Mt. Vernon Rams assistant football coach Ryan Goodisky, life has always been all about sports.

“I was a three-sport athlete in high school. I played four years of football, basketball and baseball, said Goodisky. “Sports has just been a part of my life since I was four or five. I really don’t know anything else.”

Goodisky was born in Du Quoin, before the family moved to Zeigler. He attended Zeigler-Royalton High School, where he graduated in 2000.

After two years at John A. Logan College, Goodisky attended Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Social Science Education in 2006.

Goodisky student-taught at Mt. Vernon Township High School before getting hired for a full-time teaching position. Among other duties, he currently teaches geography.

He has also spent the last three years on the Rams football coaching staff, handling the varsity defensive secondary.

This season he has added some extra chores.

“I’ve added junior-varsity duties,” Goodisky said. “Calling plays (as) the offensive co-ordinator. But I still coach defensive backs for the varsity. Pretty much whatever the rest of the coaching staff needs.”

Goodisky said that his desire to coach stems from his sports background. So much so, that by the time that he got to SIUC, Goodisky was already experiencing the pull toward the coaching ranks.

“When I got into college and into the education program, I just knew then that I wanted to do some coaching,” Goodisky said. “I wasn’t sure what sport would become available, but I knew that I wanted to coach.”

Goodisky got some hands-on summer coaching experience by coaching the American Legion baseball team in Zeigler while he was in college.

“That gave me some experience,” said Goodisky. “Especially working with kids, that can be challenging at times.”

Goodisky related the story of how he came to become a Rams coach three years ago.

“When I was student teaching (2007), coach (Connie) Harre-Blair (cross-country, track) — I didn’t know her, she didn’t know me — came up to me and asked if I would help the track program,” Goodisky said.

As mentioned previously, track and field events were not part of Goodisky’s field of expertise.

“I told her that I didn’t do track; I was a baseball player in the spring,” he said. “But I told her that I had coaching experience. I hadn’t coached girls, so that could be an experience in itself. This spring will now be my fourth year coaching track.”

During the summer of 2006, Goodisky was approached by Rams head coach Dan Mings about helping with the football team.

“I couldn’t pass up a chance to work with him,” said Goodisky. “First of all, I’m a fan of football and I already knew Dan’s resume. I knew just from meeting these guys that I could learn something from this staff every day. I’ve been around a lot of coaches and I believe that this is the best staff in Southern Illinois.”

Being a native of Zeigler, Goodisky said that he fields lots of questions about the unique “co-op” agreement between Zeigler-Royalton and Christopher.

“It was really strange. I know that a lot of people who aren’t familiar with the Black Diamond Conference get confused,” he explained. “In football, when you attend Zeigler-Royalton High School, you go to Christopher and it’s Christopher-Zeigler-Royalton (CZR),” said Goodisky. “In baseball season, the Christopher kids come to Zeigler-Royalton. The baseball team is Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher (ZRC). In basketball, they are separate. The rivalry in basketball is like no other. That’s why it can be confusing. I’m constantly explaining it.”

Goodisky wants to remain in coaching. For now, He is settling for soaking up as much knowledge as possible from coaches who have, for the most part, all been around during the Ram’s seven playoff visits in the last eight years.

“This is something that I have talked with the other coaches about, especially Dan,” Goodisky said. “Dan knows my goals in life. I’m in it for the long run. Five or 10 years from now, I would love to be in Dan’s shoes. Have my own program, be successful ... then, the ultimate goal will be to reach the carpet up in Champaign.”