Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life?
Ryan Brown: I enjoyed multiple things. I loved the camaraderie at an early age and the friendships and relationships that have been fortunate to form throughout. I am still such good friends with many of the people that I have been able to play sports with through the years. Ryan Kostecka, Daniel Stewart, Josh Ohlandt, and Jason Westerberg are just a few of the many friends I have been able to make due to athletics. I also love the skill-set that I was able to develop due to athletics such as leadership, a positive work ethic, perseverance through adversity, and it really shaped me for who am I today.
D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?
Brown: I finished at Napa in ’07 and went to California Lutheran in Thousand Oaks, CA for the next three and a half years graduating in December of ’11 with my BA in history. I thought it was best for me to get hands-on experience with the content that I would be teaching and left in February of 2012 to teach abroad for a year in Taiwan, and it never really stopped from there. Since then I have taught in Korea, Spain and, now I am finally back stateside this year working as a 6th grade teacher. Next year, I plan to return abroad and finish my Masters.
D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Napa High?
Brown: There were two classes that stood-out. Ms. Griffin's Spanish class was always a treat. She would just be so energetic and enthusiastic about class each and everyday. I remember saying that I would never even use my Spanish and of course now that has come back to bite me. I returned to NHS last year for a day to say hello and I remember her being quite happy that I had been able to put it to good use. Mr. King’s 10th grade world history class and the awesome lessons that he would put together. He was just the perfect role model and he influenced me quite heavily throughout school and I probably have him to thank for my current career track.
D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Napa High?
Brown: Wow, a few come to mind. I remember as a freshman being pulled up for varsity baseball with Jason Westerberg for a tournament. I was still pretty terrified of Coach Pridy at that point and he started me the second game. I remember the first inning like it was yesterday; I gave up a lead-off triple and walked the next two guys. Then I struck out the side to get out of the jam. I will always remember Coach saying that I “befuddled” them and having to go home and look up that word the next day.
Basketball practices in general stand out. The games blend all together, but the camaraderie I talked about before was built during those practices. The blood, sweat, and tears that went into the hard work - 1 on 1 rebounding drills in particular.
D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?
Brown: Infinitely. I am certainly the same personality wise. Very laid-back, happy, and humorous. However, college really helped me grow intellectually and my travels helped me grow and be more outgoing and independent. I don’t trace much of it to athletics, but really to lack of them as I continued to grow-up. I found a new role for myself in sports on the sidelines working with the kids and students rather than on the court itself.
D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?
Brown: My entire family has influenced me in so many different ways. My grandfathers have been really important figures for me throughout my high school and college years. One was an avid outdoorsmen and he also helped encourage my adventurous side which led to my travels later on. The other was stoic man that was extremely caring who I always tried to make laugh. My mom and her ability to be incredibly sweet and so genuine has been a goal that I will forever try and reach and achieve.
D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet.
Brown: J.P. Morgan has always intrigued me with his background. The Progressive Era is one of my favorite time periods in American history and he played an incredibly important role. I remember visiting his “study” in New York and I was just incredibly blown away with the amount of history that he had collected personally and his contributions to many of the museums around NYC. I feel like it would be interesting to just talk to him about how he helped transform America.
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