Title
To Honor and Recognize The Ohio State University Wrestling Team, OSU Wrestling Head Coach Tom Ryan and the OSU Wrestling Coaching Staff.
Body
WHEREAS, since his appointment to head coach of The Ohio State University wrestling program in April 2006, Mr. Tom Ryan has led the OSU wrestling team to win three straight top-ten rankings at the NCAA Tournament and back-to-back runner up finishes; and
WHEREAS, Tom Ryan has assembled one of the top coaching staffs in the country by retaining Tommy Rowlands and hiring Lou Rosselli and Joe Heskett. As a team, they have revitalized the program and taken it to unprecedented heights, winning three straight top-ten spots at the NCAA Tournament, and back-to-back runner-up finishes; and
WHEREAS, the coaching staff has guided their team to twenty-two national qualifiers, twelve All-Americans, six national finalists, and three NCAA champions; and
WHEREAS, under Tom's leadership, the wrestling program has also excelled in the classroom with eight National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA) Academic All-Americans, twenty-one academic All Big Ten honorees, and thirty-two scholar athletes at OSU; and
WHEREAS, The Buckeye Wrestling team has been active and visible in the community by volunteering at Children's Hospital, taking part in the Second & Seven Foundation's Tack Illiteracy program, partnering with the Mad River Wrestling Officials Association to start their own youth wrestling tournament raising funds and awareness for autism research, and participating in a variety of community and faith based initiatives; and
WHEREAS, the wrestling program has also established themselves as a long term supporter of the Olympic movement with their partnership with USA Wrestling. Sharing their facilities with the Ohio Regional Training Center; post graduate wrestlers are able to live, train, and attend school in Columbus while pursuing their Olympic dreams; and
WHEREAS, together the coaching staff has created a wrestling program which has never been healthier, more successful, or more connected to the community; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That we do hereby recognize and congratulate The Ohio State University Head Wrestling Coach Tom Ryan for being named "2009 National Coach of the Year" and do commend the coaching staff and team for their numerous accomplishments and victories.