Fourth quarter. Fifteen yards to the endzone. 

Ryan Barth (12) lines himself up in the perfect position to kick. He calms himself down and prepares to bring his team to victory. The deep breath, the run up, the kick: he has done it so many times before that it’s all muscle memory. 

Immediately after the ball leaves the ground, it flies astray, directly at the defenders. For a second, Ryan feels defeated, but when the ball ultimately bounces back into his unsuspecting arms, Ryan’s disappointment turns into hope. Seizing the chance to redeem himself, Ryan sprints for the endzone, his heart pounding as the world slows down around him. Leaping into the endzone amidst the cheering, confusion, and chaos, Ryan scores. With this unlikely touchdown, Ryan cherishes the triumph he had previously only observed in professional players.

“I’m a kicker and punter, so I’m not training the same as the rest of the team.” Ryan said. “I am on the side and separate from them, but still on the same team. Also, being able to work on my own skills and seeing that progress was the real attraction to football.”

After years of only enjoying football through television, Ryan decided to play the sport on his middle school flag football team, hoping to also participate in the incredible plays. With football no longer just being a vicarious activity, Ryan gained a greater appreciation for the sport, particularly because of his teammates. 

During his earlier games, Ryan recalled exciting team moments where his contributions directly resulted in a touchdown or a win. In the presence of his team, Ryan, a kicker, voices his admiration for and his dependence on his teammates for properly performing their respective responsibilities on the field and caring for each other in the physical nature of the football field.

“There is a strong team mentality in the locker room for football, especially when we all come together right before we run out, just getting everyone hyped.” Ryan said. “I’m making sure that my teammates are all ready. Once we’re finally up to the field, I have to let all that go and calm down and focus on myself.” 

Ryan uses upbeat banter and impromptu locker room team-building exercises to promote both a competitive spirit and an overall positive mindset, alleviating angst and fostering friendships. Holding the crucial role of kicker, Ryan dedicates time to not only teamwork but also to improving his ability and perfecting his own actions.

“It’s just me versus the ball; I focus on myself and make sure that everything that I do is perfect.” Ryan said. “Everything that I do is controlled by my own skills. I know that I must keep myself disciplined in my training and keep myself calm in the moment.”

Playing this uniquely introspective position on the field, Ryan avoids direct physical contact with opponents but still fights a formidable mental battle to overcome nervousness and deliver his best performance. To perfect his footwork, Ryan laboriously trains through methods such as reviewing video replays of his previous kicks. Such dedication toward personal growth easily translates to academic success, evident in his love for studying chemistry, which was sparked through handling rare chemical reactions in sophomore Honors Chemistry.

“In chemistry, I have this thing; it’s concrete; I can see it; and then I’m changing all the things about it.” said Ryan, “And then I get it back to the end. That’s what was really cool.”

The physical aspect of reactions fascinated Ryan, and he sought more material to study. Hoping to expand his field of knowledge, Ryan dedicated himself to studying the subject through chemistry videos with a passion similar to that in his relentless football practices and drills. With his own desire to learn, Ryan enrolled in more chemistry-related courses at school, such as Organic Chemistry and Nanoscience, and credits his scientific growth to his exploration and enthusiasm for chemistry. 

“In organic chemistry, some of the concepts are hard so it’s helpful to have someone to sit next to and experience with each other.” Adam Sayed (12), Ryan’s long-time friend and Organic Chemistry classmate said. “So it’s easier to process material when we’re talking about it; and if I miss something or if I didn’t get something in my notes, I can ask him and to help me go over it.” 

Staying true to his role as a team player, Ryan helps others understand complicated organic chemistry problems. A cornerstone in every classroom, Ryan offers important contributions and discussion points to progress the lesson and also assists his classmates in developing a deeper comprehension of difficult concepts.

“He was comfortable working with anybody in the room, he didn’t have to be just next to somebody; he was just comfortable learning from other people,” said Ms. King, Ryan’s Advanced Programming and AP Computer Science teacher. “He was comfortable teaching other people ideas. He was very fluid with his ability to relate to different people.”

Outside of social circles with friends, Ryan continues to act with positivity and consideration toward all. In his willingness to collaborate with a large variety of classmates, Ryan demonstrates his commitment to everyone’s success.  Through all he does, whether it be leading friends through workouts or directing video game calls, Ryan earnestly provides clear, concise directions. 

“When he is in such a leadership position, he deals with it and shows confidence in his own abilities because he knows what he’s doing.” close friend Matthew Goetting (12) said. “He knows he is one of the best players, so he gets confident; but also, he’s a very humble person and very approachable.” 

Serving such a central position in the team’s social circle, Ryan brings his outgoing personality to uplift others and maintain a constant calm. He relies on his own skill and camaraderie with the team to feel confident that he can effectively play his role and ensure the team’s victory. Through personal devotion and natural leadership skills, Ryan has developed a methodology for facilitating success.

“I found the way that works best for me, and I’m going to be doing that and I want to do it my way the best I can,” Ryan said. “So I’m trying to always think about how I can improve and not worry about what others are doing, or what they’re thinking.”