Carmel's Ryan resigns, saying he was exhausted

A visitor to the gym at least five days a week, John Ryan works out like a 30-year-old. Better than some 30-year-olds.

But Ryan knows that he's not 30 anymore, and that's why he felt like he needed to make a tough decision last week.

Ryan, who has been coaching basketball at various levels for more than 30 years and most recently was on the sidelines as the head boys coach at Carmel, is leaving the game. He informed officials at Carmel last week that he'll re-up his contract to continue serving as a counselor at the school but that he is turning down their offer to coach the team for another season.

Carmel will now be looking for a new head coach for its boys basketball team for the fourth time in the last 10 years.

"I'm 62 years old. I've had enough fun," Ryan said on Friday with a slight laugh. "I've been doing this for more than 30 years and it's time to do other things now. Coaching is a huge commitment in terms of time and energy.

"I just don't know if I'm motivated to spend all that energy anymore."

Ryan, who had coached the girls at Carmel for nine years before sliding over to the boys in 2008, said that he carefully made his decision after the season ended earlier this month.

"There's no doubt in my mind this is the right thing for me. I was just exhausted after the season, mentally, physically, emotionally," said Ryan, who met with his players Wednesday to personally deliver the news to them. "This season really took a lot out of me, more than a season ever has before.

"I'm moving into my senior years and that's hard on you."

What will also be hard on Ryan is leaving his players, leaving his program. In just two years, he felt he had done a lot to get the Corsairs moving in the right direction.

Carmel has not had a winning season in 19 years.

Before Ryan took over, it had been seven years since the Corsairs had even managed double-digit wins for a season.

In Ryan's first year, Carmel won six games. This year, that mark jumped to 10 wins, which means that the Corsairs (10-17) achieved their top goal of the season: a double-digit victory total.

"When you're trying to turn around a program that has been struggling for a long time, you've got to take baby steps," Ryan said. "When I took over, we were just trying to get things moving in the right direction and I think we've done that."

Ryan, who has also coached high school boys at St. Joseph and Immaculate Conception, high school girls at IHM and college women as an assistant at DePaul, says that the competitor in him would have loved to finish the job and guide Carmel to the next level. But he realized that he wasn't he right fit to do so.

"My common sense took over," Ryan said. "I made a contribution here. I'm satisfied that I moved the program forward a bit. I don't have to be the one to take them over the hump.

"What Carmel needs is someone who can stay for a long period of time, to give that energy and to bring some continuity. They need a younger coach who can really invest into the program. That's how you're going to really turn the program around."

Carmel athletic director Andy Bitto is happy to have had Ryan to get the ball moving.

"It's never fun to look for a new coach and John did a lot of good things. He had the guys playing hard, he stopped the bleeding, the mentality that we were losers," Bitto said. "Now, I'd really like to find some longevity for the program, someone who is really looking to make a long-term commitment."

Bitto's hoops search will be two-fold. He is also in need of a head coach for the varsity girls team.

Ben Berg is stepping down after two years to spend more time with his young children. His wife died in the fall of cancer.

"It's sad because we're losing two great guys," Bitto said. "They're both honorable, good guys who were good coaches and got their programs going in the right direction."

Bitto says that both new coaches will need to be top-notch basketball minds, but also ideally, they would teach in the building and be familiar with Carmel's institutional ideals.

Interviewing will take place after Carmel's weeklong Spring Break, which begins on Monday.

Bitto is looking to have new coaches in place well before the end of the current school year.

In the meantime, Ryan says that he'll enjoy his free time, volunteer more and become an even more invested fan in all of Carmel's athletic teams.

"I also might not be totally done with coaching," Ryan said measuredly. "I'm not saying I have to be a head coach or even an assistant coach. Having been a head coach, I know there's all kinds of other help a head coach could use. I might want to get involved again in another way, like that.

"I love the game and I love being around kids. I just need to take some time to see where I'm at in my station in life. I just need to rejuvenate a bit and then see if I still have something to offer."