Shane Ryan Is Aiming For Another State Title

They all want him. football coach Joe Gallagher thinks he can be a Division I punter. Fords’ hoops coach Terry McNichol would love to see him in the middle of his frontcourt. The volleyball coach wouldn’t mind seeing him again, either.

But none of that looks like it will ever happen. No, Haverford's best athlete has a larger, longer vision in another direction. At 6-foot-7, 185 pounds, junior Shane Ryan can pretty much letter in almost any varsity sport he wants to—but his sport of choice, where maybe one day he could be performing on a world stage, is swimming.

Ryan will be defending his 100-yard PIAA Class AAA backstroke state championship again this spring, trying to break the same state record he snapped last year, when he blazed through the water at a 48.67-second clip in 2010. Last August, Ryan finished fourth at the summer long-course junior nationals in Irvine, California in 56.65, qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Trials.

Ryan is not only Haverford’s most special swimmer, but also the area’s most prominent swimmer since four-time Olympic medalist Brendan Hansen (also a Haverford High graduate).

This season marks the first time Ryan has ever made a complete 12-month commitment to the sport. It’s understandable then why major schools like Texas, Arizona and Virginia are after him.

“Shane has committed to the sport, which is a step in the right direction,” Haverford swim coach Matt Stewart said. “In that summer meet, Shane wanted to be top three and when he finished fourth, that really lit a fire under him. He wants to get to that national level. Shane is one of those kids that once he makes a decision—he gets better. He has no problems dealing with the pressure of swimming fast and being the best. I never have to worry about Shane getting up for a race. He just has that snarl to do his best every time."

Shane’s not only going to be competing this March against the best swimmers across the state, which includes Hershey High School’s David Nolan, considered the best high school swimmer in the country, he’s also in a sense going up against himself and the state record he established last year.

Ryan set the record without actually being 100 percent. He suffered from a bout of mononucleosis this time last year that took away valuable training time.

“I missed out on a lot of things last year,” said Ryan, who split his time in the past playing football and volleyball. “Last year when I had mono before states, I had a week to train for districts and two weeks to train for states. But it was kind of weird. I posted a great time. Everyone is different. Right now, though, I feel healthy and ready. I kept telling myself I had to commit more to swimming. I’m happy I have.”

As for being a target of every swimmer he’ll compete against from now until March … “I love it,” Ryan said. “You don’t know what other people will do, but all it makes me do is work harder. I love the adrenaline that comes up with a big race. I like to set high standards. I’m going to shoot for the national backstroke stroke record (currently at 46.75, held by University of Texas swimmer Cole Cragin).

“If I stay healthy, I think I have a shot. You never know. Last year I was around a 52(-second 100 backstroke) and shaved four seconds off that by states. Now I’m down to around a 49. The pace I’m going at is going well. Everything is adding up.”

And everyone wants him. From various sports coaches at Haverford, to swimming coaches from Texas, Virginia and Arizona, to every high school backstroker in the state. They all want Shane Ryan.

Whether or not they can catch him is a different matter altogether.