Latest / 307 Faithful / Is Your Identity in Your Wins? | Ryan Harrison on Faith and Football

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Is Your Identity in Your Wins? | Ryan Harrison on Faith and Football · 307 Faithful

• Devin Davis: All right, welcome to the 307 Faithful Podcast. I'm your host, Devin Davis. I'm the area representative for West Central Wyoming. And the mission of FCA is to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and his church. And I've chosen to do that through a podcast. And it's been an awesome one. Every single week it seems like our our guests have just brought a great testimony and encouragement. to those athletes and coaches around the state who just want to know how to do sports god's way and and to honor him and glorify him through what we do. So today's guest is I you know every every week is a first I say this is the first because I actually had one of our listeners reach out and left a message and said hey you might want to interview this guy our school is having a really good year the best that we've had at this school and so I I reached out to him and set up this interview kind of last minute. but I'd like to introduce our guest today from Casper Christian. we have the the football coach and I think he has several other roles too. We'll talk about that as well. So Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: welcome to our podcast today, Ryan Harrison. Thanks for joining us this morning. Ryan Harrison: Yeah, thanks Devin. Appreciate you having me on. Devin Davis: Yeah. I'm I'm excited because the first thing that I want to ask is because I think around the state, people are are now becoming aware of Casper Christian. but I want you to tell everybody a little bit about your school because I think a lot of people don't know about the school other than Casper Christian. and it seems like your athletic programs continue to get better year after year after year. But tell us about Cat Casper Christian. Ryan Harrison: Yeah, yeah. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to talk about the school. it's exciting. I I've been here since since the very first year since the doors open. We we opened our doors in twenty twenty one. the initial plan was to have our first year be twenty twenty, but obviously we had some pretty crazy world events going on in twenty twenty, so the you know, the opening of the school was pushed back to twenty twenty one. But we've been open since twenty twenty one. We're a sixth through twelfth grade school, so middle and high school. yeah, we we knew right from the beginning. our our first head of school knew that hey to to kind of get our name out there to you know to get people talking about Casper Christian school to get our enrollment up the first thing we're gonna have to do is start athletics programs so very first year we had 25 students sixth through twelfth and and we didn't have anything and and by that second year our our first program that we started was our football program that was the very very first thing we did was high school football and and you know I I've been blessed To be our athletic director since the beginning and and I was our first head football coach. And the Lord has has truly bro blessed us these past five years. every single Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: year we're adding more sports sports programs. And and and really part of the idea is that as you know, as we add more programs, not only do more students have interest in coming to Casper Christian School, as opposed to one of the middle schools here in Casper or one of the high schools here in Casper, but but also we get our name out to the entire state of Wyoming, exactly like you just said, as we as we start. to see success. The Lord blesses us with success. That gives us more of an opportunity to to glorify God and to you know display him to all of the the different opponents that we play around the state. So so it's been awesome that the Lord has blessed us with this growth and we're continuing to grow every year our enrollment has gone up and so we're we're excited where the Lord is is continuing to lead us. Devin Davis: Awesome. That's that's cool. You know, I I mean, of course, me being a sports guy, I go, that's that just makes sense, right? If you want to to attract kids to your school and even just see the name Casper Christian, what better way to do that than to do athletics and and compete so other other schools can see, hey, I I wonder about Casper Christian, right? As a as an option. So I mean that that's really neat. I mean I I think In my mind it popped into my mind. I mean, that's why a lot of colleges have football teams, right? Is because it attracts students to their to their universities. Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Okay. Devin Davis: So what is your enrollment right now approximately? Ryan Harrison: this year I think we're we're into the one twenties now. If you count some of our part-time Devin Davis: Wow. Ryan Harrison: students, we're in the one twenties. So it went first year we started with twenty-five. Second year we bumped up to to about fifty. Third year we jumped into the seventies. Last year we were in the hundreds, like low hundreds, and this year we're up into the one twenty. So every year we're seeing that steady increase. praise God for that. Devin Davis: Yeah, amen. That's that's awesome. People are seeing the value of Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: Casper Christian and that's that's so cool to think about that. So what other sports other than football, what are you involved in right now at Casper Christian? Ryan Harrison: Yeah, so like I said, first very first thing we ever did was high school football. That was our first program. after that we added middle school girls basketball. then we added both of our high school basketball programs. So we have both boys and girls high school basketball that compete at the one A level. then we added boys middle school basketball last year, and then this year we added middle school and high school cross country that's competing in their first season right now. So Devin Davis: Great. And and as you said, that's I think people that don't know you know, if they're looking at scores, they're gonna find your scores in in the one A classification across the state. And so, and you are the head coach, like you said, you've been from the very beginning. How many kids do you have out for football this season? Ryan Harrison: this year it's fluctuated. We had a couple of kids who joined late and then a a kid who left, but right now I think we're at sixteen or seventeen, right around that number, which for six man football, which I'm sure we'll get into, is is a really good number. I'm I'm happy whenever I can I can have that many kids come out. Devin Davis: Yeah, that's a blessing for sure. And s you know, six man, if if people are the listening have never seen a six man game, you guys gotta go. 'Cause there's no I love six man football. Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: I for a for a while lived in Pan the Panhandle of Nebraska and actually officiated six man football, a lot of six man teams in that area and and so it's it's a lot of fun just because there there's no slow time. For for six man football Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: is there. Ryan Harrison: No, no, it you know, me coming from an eleven man background, it when I first started coaching six man, it it was definitely a little bit of a an adjustment, a change. I had to change some mindsets a little bit a little bit about, you know, the scheme of the game, but but you're absolutely right. if you've never seen a six-man football game, but you're a football fan, you need to go watch one because it's it's fun, it's exciting. A lot of times the scores are way higher than what you'll see in an eleven man game and it's just an exciting game. I mean your your center can be your leading receiver. I mean, crazy stuff. Can happen in six man games. It it really you know, there there is you know, scheme and there is in intentionality with offenses and defenses. It's not just backyard football, but oftentimes it can kind of turn into backyard football and it's just fun to watch. so yeah, I exactly what you said. I would recommend anybody to go watch a six man football game. Devin Davis: Yeah, it it it just you know, and it's and it's like you said, it's perfect for the smaller enrollment schools. because you don't have to be, you know, six two and weigh two hundred and fifty pounds to play the line. as you said, and I have to laugh because it's true, right? The center is not the guy that can't move or the strongest, I mean, beefcake on on the l in the school, sometimes it may be the best athlete, right? Depending Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Yeah. Devin Davis: on what the play is. So Ryan Harrison: Yeah, it's funny you say that, 'cause last year actually my my senior who graduated, who had been with me since the start of our program, was about six four, two sixty. I mean, he was a big boy. but you're absolutely right. I mean, he ended up having the second or third most receiving yards on our team last year, just because I mean you can block for a second and then release off and and get dump off passes to you. yeah, there's no no ineligible receiver in six man. So, that's an adjustment to kind of scheme that up and to to teach your players who are coming from an eleven man background. Again, in Casper, I've got a lot of kids who, you know, in middle school or in elementary school, they played the eleven man game, and so now trying to get them to think in a six man mindset sometimes takes a season or two when I first get guys. but yeah, it's it's a fun game. It's a really fun game. Devin Davis: So thinking about that and you coming from eleven man and and so as a as a coach, was that your first experience with six man is when you said, Hey, I'll be our first head football coach? Ryan Harrison: Yeah, yeah, I I had I had coached a year at at Kelly Walsh and so I had, you know, a little bit of the eleven man coaching un under my belt and then when I heard that we were gonna start a program and and I was gonna be the guy and I was happy to step in and be the guy, I kinda knew we were gonna start at the six man level. So of course I I did a a ton of research and I I you know, watched YouTube videos and listened to podcasts and read some books and stuff like that, trying to learn the six man game, but really you just you have to get out there and start coaching it, right? You know, I there's there's certain techniques and and key things on offense and defense and even special teams really that you just don't know until you get out there and start coaching it and then you have to adjust on the fly and and and really last year was the first year I started to really feel good about coaching Six Man where hey I I now know this game really well and and this year I I think that's maybe part of why we're seeing success because myself and my coaching staff who have been with me for a while are now we we're kind of in tune with the game of Six Man and it it's taken a little while to get there, but now I think we're finally there and and I think our our players are Benefiting, of course, from that, having a coaching staff that that really has come to understand the the six-man game. Devin Davis: So I think one of the biggest things in it and correct me if I'm wrong, I'm just thinking is that when the quarterback takes the snap, he can't pass the ball, correct? So run the ball, okay? Ryan Harrison: Yeah. he can't run he can't run the ball. Yeah. Devin Davis: So Ryan Harrison: Yeah. So what it what it is, the the kind of weird rule, and this is one of the weird ones in six man football, is that you have to have a second a second handoff of the football before anybody can run. So that includes the quarterback. So if the quarterback takes the snap under center at a shotgun or something, he cannot run with the football. He can scramble around, but he has to pass. that's why you'll if you watch a six man game, a lot of the teams that run what are called a spread offense in six man, they're gonna have someone back in a shotgun taking the snap, and then that person And will then toss it back a second time to the quarterback. That way he can he can Devin Davis: Yeah, that's right. Ryan Harrison: it's kind of an RPO, he can run or pass. Yeah. Devin Davis: do whatever he wants then. And then the other thing too, I is that the dimensions of the field are different than a regular Ryan Harrison: Right. Devin Davis: eleven man, correct? Ryan Harrison: Yeah, yeah. So instead of a hundred yard length, it's only eighty yards. and it's about ten yards narrower as well. So which makes sense, right? You know, you don't have twenty two guys on field, you have you have twelve, so so it makes sense to kind of narrow the field down a little bit. But that's that's also kind of been an adjustment, you know, coming from an eleven man game, having the shorter field, the narrower field, it it definitely it it changes things a little bit, kinda with how you think of field position and stuff like that. you see a lot of teams and six man going for it on Fourth down, and that's a combination of number one, you have a lot of big plays in six man, so the chance that you convert a fourth down is is significantly higher than eleven man. but also field position is just a little bit different, you know, with 20 yards shorter of a field. If I'm at midfield and it's fourth and less than ten or even ten, I'm going for it, you know, almost every single time. You know, it just makes sense. Whereas an eleven man, it makes sense to then kick the you know, punt the ball and flip the field. But eleven man, that's one of those things that at first I had to adjust to because an Devin Davis: Yeah. And I I think because of everything you just said, one of the funnest parts about watching Six Man is that you're never really out of the game, right? Because you can score so quickly in six man that I I mean there's been some big deficits I've seen overcome in six man that would would be impossible in eleven man. Ryan Harrison: Yeah, no, that's it's both a blessing and a curse that that's that's that's truth. I I tell my boys you know, in the fourth quarter when we're up by a couple of scores, we better keep playing. You know, a team can come back at any moment and Devin Davis: Yep. Ryan Harrison: you know, another thing that's common in six man kicking onside kicks. Most teams are going to kick onside kicks almost every time. Same thing. you know, the reason we go for it most times on fourth down is because the field position, it just makes sense. You know, you still only have to kick the ball ten yards on an onside kick, so it makes sense. and so yeah, it's it's It's a fascinating game. There's a lot a lot of intricacies Devin Davis: Yep. Yeah. Ryan Harrison: that are that are different than eleven man. It takes some time to learn it. But but yeah, it's it's a fun game. actually two times this year already, we've been down a couple of scores in the fourth quarter and we've come back and won. So I think our week two game or technically week one, our second game of the season against Riverside, we were down two scores with five minutes left to go in the game, and we we went down, we scored, we kicked an onside kick, recovered it, and then went down and scored again and and took the lead and won the game. game. So so you're right, it's Devin Davis: Yes. Ryan Harrison: you can score real quick and blessing and a curse, like I said. Devin Davis: Yeah, yeah. So this year has been you know, in and just kind of pointing towards what's going on right now. I mean, you you guys had a a huge win against Little Snake River. Little Snake River again, if you don't know Wyoming high school football, especially six man, kind of the cream of the crop and have been that way for for a long time. So, I mean, a huge win for you guys. What do you think that meant for your program? Ryan Harrison: Yeah, it's it was it was huge. I would say definitely the biggest win in our in our young program by by a pretty wide margin I'd say. I I have nothing but respect for Coach Cobb and and the way that he's run thing down in down there in bags. I mean you're you're completely right. They have been the model in six man for for probably the better part of the last decade. Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: you know ever since that I've I've been a coach here. They've been the team that's just they're winning everything. They you know I know everybody talked about Sheridan being on that big fifty nine game win streak that that just recently was ended. but for a long time Snake was right behind him. You know, if if Sheridan was at fifty nine, you know, other than a couple year ago's state championship, Snake River was only like a game or two behind Sheridan in that same win streak. So so you're right. It was it was a big, big win to take down Snake. It it it meant a lot to our boys. we had a have a couple of seniors on the team that I mean since they've been playing for me we we've we've kind of gotten the the short end of the stick against Snake every year. I mean, I think the most points we had ever scored on them before this last Saturday was six points. you know, every Devin Davis: Wow. Ryan Harrison: year is, you know, sixty to six or fifty-two to zero or si you know, I mean it's it it's not been close. And so to do what we did on Saturday, I think it showed our boys that hey we we're we're doing something special this year and we have the talent, we have the physicality to to go and compete with anybody we play this year. Whereas in the past we you know you always say that as a coach, but you go out and you play a a superior team team and and you're kinda brought back to earth a little bit, but this year it's hey guys, we actually can do something special. and that's that's a cool feeling, a feeling that we've not had in our program to this point. Devin Davis: That's and i you know it's probably this is probably somewhat of a along with that, some something you haven't coached before is now that the that you guys are ranked number two in the latest YO preps, how is that is is that gonna change your your coaching motivation or coaching attitude? at all because I think it could be pretty easy for a team that has been down and now has some success to just kind of check out a little bit. So wha what are your your plans to to keep the pedal to the metal basically? Ryan Harrison: Yeah, that's a great question, and that's exactly what I thought of as soon as the clock hit zero against Snake. I thought to myself and I talked to my coaching staff, right, I mean, as the boys were getting changed in the locker room after the game, I sat the my coaching staff down and I said, Hey, this next week our emphasis is gonna be is gonna have to be how do we not let this get to our heads? Okay. How do we not allow our pride to get away, get in the way of of the good things that we're doing? How do we continue to give glory back to the Lord and not give glory to ourselves? You know, one of the The verses that I've loved and has been a staple in our program and all of our athletics programs since day one has been Colossians 3 23. Whatsoever you do, do it heartily, ask the Lord and not to men. You know, anything that we do, we're not doing it for our own glory. We're not doing it so that mom can be proud of us in the stance. No, we're doing it so that when we have the level of success that we've been having so far this year, we now have an opportunity to point that back to the Lord. We are his image bearers. We want to be the mirrors that when people look at us, they see Christ. And And so that's been a big emphasis for us this week is don't let your pride get to your head. Okay. Continue to work hard and do the things that we've been doing right, and we'll probably continue to see the same success. And then the third thing is we're here to glorify God. Okay, that's always been priority number one for our programs. as the athletic director, any coach that I've ever hired for any sport at Casper Christian School, I've sat them down during the interview and I've told them this exact thing. If you never win a game. But I see that you are not only mentoring and discipling your players and pointing them towards Christ and helping them to become better followers of the Lord, and you're also showing those those Christ like characteristics and qualities to our opponents, you're doing your job. and that's one thing that that I fully wholeheartedly believe and so it's fantastic that we're having success this year and and of course we're grateful for that and I tell our boys to be grateful for that and not take it for granted. but at the same time, that's not our number one priority. Our number one priority Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: is to give glory to God. And whether we're winning or losing, we get to do that. And so that's that's a huge blessing. That's I think is is something I don't want our players to take for granted that whether we win or lose, we're in a unique position as a Christian school where whether we win or lose, no matter what happens on the football field or throughout the course of a season, we still get to accomplish our number one goal every single year, which is to glorify God. And that's that's awesome. Other football teams Devin Davis: It Ryan Harrison: don't get to do that. Devin Davis: Yeah, and I mean A I second that one hundred percent. That's what, you know. I mean, we we preach and preach and preach with fellowship of Christian athletes is, I mean, there's a greater purpose, right? In in sports. Sports are great and we're not taking away from that, but we don't want sports to become an idol. Ryan Harrison: That's right. Devin Davis: and and a lot of that is remembering who we're competing for and why we're competing. And and I think though, and correct me if I'm wrong, I think one of the things that becomes difficult though is like the world tells you that you're successful by your by your record or you know Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: how much you win by or how many yards you have how many touchdowns you have. and so it's it's hard to counteract that. And do you Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: I I'm sure have you experienced that as a as a coach, even at a Christian school, right? They're all kids. Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. you're always gonna have players who, you know They they can have grown up in, you know, the strongest Christian family. They go to Bible studies every week. They always go to youth group. They're helping out with Iwanas. They're they're doing all the stuff and they have a true, genuine faith. and yet they still hear the whispers of the world. They're still influenced by the world. That's natural, right? We live in the world, right? And we have to combat against that. And so with our boys, I I try to be careful not to put ourselves in a bubble. And what I mean by that is we're not gonna shy away from the fact that we're having a good season. We're not gonna shy away from the fact that we're number two. we're not gonna shy away from the fact That that we're putting up good numbers. I mean, we have a quarterback right now who I think has a real shot at breaking the state passing record in six-man this year. we're not shying away from that. We're I I have these conversations with my boys and say, hey, praise God that we're having this level of success. Let's not shy away from it and pretending it's not happening. However, even if this is taken away from us, we still give glory to God. This is not what we place our identity in. We always place our identity with Christ within Christ. We start every practice every single day with a short devotion. I'm blessed to have on my staff. You know, one of my assistant coaches is a local associate pastor of one of the churches here in town. And I have another one who's an elder at another church here in town. And so I'm blessed to have these guys that are helping me pour into all of our players on a daily basis. And we start practice every day with a devotion, and oftentimes that devotion is focused on here's what happened this last week. And so the devotion the past couple days has been in regards to how do I how do we keep our identity in? Christ? How do we not allow the enemy to now use the success that we're having for his benefit rather than the Lord's benefit? and so it is a challenge, but it's one that I don't want to put ourselves in a bubble and tell them, hey, you have to ignore the fact that we're having success. I want to teach our boys when you have success, here's what the Lord expects you to do with it. Here's what it looks like as a Christian to have success and and how we ought to treat that success. and I think our boys have been doing a really good job at that. Devin Davis: Well and you know, the I think in ev even the big bigger picture too with sports is those lessons that you're teaching those kids and that you're really stressing. you know, another podcast that I was just listening to made a really good point is I I mean, everybody you know, at one point in your life you're not gonna be able to play football anymore, right? Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: And but you're always going to be a man of God and whether that's a a father or a husband or whatever it is and I I don't know. I I just the one thing I love from sports is the lessons that are learned, the lessons that are taught. I I feel like or should be preparing you for life in general as a follower of Christ. and so that's that's really cool to hear that. I I love the devotional thing. It's just on a daily basis. I'm blessed. I go do chapel here at Riverton High School weekly. And the coaches believe that's really, really important because again, you know, you're only gonna play football for so long. And there's there are greater things in life. And we just have to remind kids that because it's so easy to get caught up in in in what they're doing and and not and forget about who they're doing it for. So I I love that. you know, I I just just thinking about that too, is that you know, that you know a lot of that comes also from support, I'm sure f as a as a private school is from the people who support your program, the parents and things like that. how do they play a role in what happens with Casper Christian, with with athletics at at your school? Ryan Harrison: Yeah, that's a good question. obviously you're you're correct. Yeah, it was a private school. We're we're completely funded by by the tuition from our students, but also donations and and things like things like that from different donors and sponsors and businesses in town and stuff like that. So our our school can't function without them. we have a a a board in place. We have both a financial board and we have a logistics board that kinda makes the big decisions in our school and and our head of school obviously works with our board our operations board and and it and it helps kind of make all those big decisions. the the people who financially support our school you know rely on the board to make you know big decisions you know if we want to start a new sports program I have as the ED have to go to the board and ask them for approval of that you know financially we have to make sure that we're we're thin budget and stuff like that. But but yeah of course the being in a smaller community in a smaller bubble it it's we Hear the voices of everybody, and I think that's nice. I think our families enjoy that. That although we have a process to do things, and you know, you know, one person's suggestion isn't just gonna be what happens. It it's I think it's nice for our families to know that because our community is still small, that their voice can be heard, you know, and if there are suggestions or if there are, you know, problems with how we're running things, or there are people who want to commend us on how we're doing things, we're gonna hear all of that stuff. And and so I think our families enjoy that and I think that's you know it's it's similar to being a part of a body of Christ, right? You know, if if you're within a church, it's that same type of thing. You know, of course Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: you've got the hierarchy of of you know the pastor and the elders and things like that, but also you're gonna hear the voices of all the different members of the body of Christ. And it's a very similar system that we've got going on here. Devin Davis: Yeah. Yeah. And so as as the A D, as the coach, do you also teach? Ryan Harrison: I do, yeah, yeah. I wear a lot of hats here. So obviously Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: I'm I'm our athletic director, head football coach. I'm also our student life coordinator. I am our full time PE teacher. I teach our eleventh and twelfth grade boys bible class and I also have taken on a seventh grade history class this year. So so very busy, lots of hats, but that's kinda how it goes, you know, with the a smaller school. If you ask any of the other one A D's here in the state, you're gonna hear some similar things. It's it's what you do in a smaller school, you know, responsibilities need filled. And I'm I'm happy to to fill the spots that I'm able to fill. Devin Davis: Yeah. Really, you know, that's that's i you can honestly say this in in your role, but that's another thing that I try to help coaches understand is Just as ministry is a calling, coaching is a calling, right? You're you're called to coach and having that attitude. But I I can't imagine like when you graduated from from college and you thought about, man, what is Ryan Harrison gonna do? you know, was this was this kind of i on the horizon for you or how did it come along that you Ryan Harrison: Yeah, that's that's a great question. Can I actually can I share the story with you of of how how I got here? So Devin Davis: yeah. Yeah. Ryan Harrison: huge God thing. Okay, God is so cool when he when he works in this way. So my wife and I we're we're high school sweethearts. Actually, funnily enough, we met at an FCA event at Kelly Walsh, you know? So I I have Devin Davis: Amen. Ryan Harrison: those strong ties to FCA in that way, meeting my wife. but we were high school sweethearts. We ended up going off to the University of Wyoming together, we got married between our junior and senior years. after our senior years, she's a a a math teacher. I was a PE teacher. So we were thinking to ourselves and praying, you know, how how are we gonna figure this thing out? You know, are we gonna try to go back to Casper? Are we gonna go somewhere else where we both can find a teaching job? You know, what if one of only one of us finds a teaching job in Casper? So there were a lot of things to consider. But praise God, while we were we both were able to be sent to Casper for our student teaching, the last part of our senior years. And she was at Kelly Walsh, I was over at NC and both of us ended up getting getting job offers here in Casper from from Kelly Walsh actually. and that was awesome because I was on the coaching staff at the time and and so it was pretty cool that we both had opportunities to to go back to our alma mater and and coach and that was actually kind of a dream of mine a coach and teach. That was a dream of mine to be able to do that. but it was the summer before we would have started teaching. We hadn't signed contracts yet or anything but we had been offered jobs there. we had we have a buddy here in town who owned a Christian coffee shop and so we went and we stopped by just to say hi to our buddy and and he had these little these little flyers that he was giving out for an ice cream social for this new christian school that was going to be opening up in the fall and and they were forty bucks you know normally my wife and I we you know whatever we probably wouldn't have done that if it wasn't for a Christian school but we said yeah why not we'll we'll go pay the 40 bucks and we'll go go to this ice cream social and support the school and and so we get here and you know they had a comedian And ice cream social, and it was a good time and everything like that. And I noticed that the the president of the board, the man who was starting the school, was a pastor I had recognized from the past. I went to his church in the past, and so it was cool to get to talk to him. And then he gets up there at the end and he says, you know, thank you everybody for attending tonight. We had a great time. and by the way, if any of you know of a PE teacher and a math teacher, we're still looking for one. And my wife and I just kind of look at each other like Huh, that's kinda funny. And and so we we of course we talked about it, we prayed about it, and we said, Man, that sure seems like a God thing, you know. That's kind of funny that that happened. So you know, we we talked about it, prayed about it, we contacted the head of school, the new head of school who they had just hired, and we we just clicked with him and his wife super well and and they offered us jobs and you know, my wife and I had to consider, you know, hey, we can you know, with with total you know honesty here, we we said, you know, we can go to the public school right now and make probably twice as much. or we can follow the Lord where he seems to clearly be leading us and we can see where this goes, you know, trust in the Lord and and not in ourselves. And and so praise God. We we decided to come here and my wife was our the head of our math department for several years. She's now since stepped away and we have two small children so now she's at home with the kids helping out the school a little bit here and there. But but man since I'm I'm a perfect example of if you follow the Lord's leading and direct He's gonna put you exactly where he wants you to be because I'm I'm living my dream job right now. You know, I get to do all the things I love to do. I've I've always wanted to be a football coach. It's why I actually got into PE teaching because I wanted to be a coach and and being an athletic athletic director was always a dream of mine. That wasn't kind of on my you know it in my idea. It wasn't on my horizon when I first took the job here, but it kind of just worked out that way. And I was the man for the job when we wanted to start start our athletics programs, and so really Really, really cool God story. And of course, I'm not gonna bore you with all the other details about our school, although it would be really cool if I did. But there's a ton of other stories. I mean, our first year, there there's half a dozen teachers who have a story exactly like mine where they had no intention of coming to Casper Christian school, hadn't heard of Casper Christian school, and all of a sudden somehow they're here at Casper Christian School, and God just worked worked his plan you know incredibly. and so we look back at that first year, and it's man, really cool how you see God's. hand in in me getting here, my wife getting here, and all our some of our other original staff getting here. so it it's really cool. It it's nice to to know that there's no coincidence in me being here at Casper Christian. It is it is fully Devin Davis: Amen. Ryan Harrison: the Lord's will that I am here and I'm glad that I decided to follow him instead of my own desires. Devin Davis: Yeah. Yeah. That's what I exact. You said what I was was thinking in my mind, you know, if for people who are are not believers, they would have thought, that's a what a coincidence, right? And Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: and we know, nah. That was the God's plan all Ryan Harrison: No. Yeah. Devin Davis: along. And you know, your your obedience to him set you up perfectly for opportunities that used both of your gifts and that that that's just That's just cool s so cool to think about that and to be able to use your gifts and the passions that he's put in your heart to glorify him. Yeah, that's that's incredible. So as you know, that's the other thing is like with coaching, it's n it's not all roses all the time. and I'm sure that d doesn't matter whether you're a public or a private school. What do you think as as a Christian coach? and you know, I I think obviously hopefully most of the kids that you coach are Christians. There's probably Ryan Harrison: Correct. Devin Davis: some that aren't. I mean, still trying to figure that out. They're they're young, right? How do you I mean, what do you think the most difficult part of or what are you is there any struggle with that in in in kind of interacting with your with your athletes? from a coaching perspective, but especially from a Christian coaching perspective. What are some of the hard parts about that? Ryan Harrison: Yeah, it's a good question. I I it's that's a difficult question for me actually because I I praise the Lord. Maybe he's just wired me this way, but I I'm thankful that he has. But I I I view coaching from a Christian perspective in the same way that I view living from a Christian perspective, where God's got a purpose for everything. And so what a blessing it is that whenever we face trials or we have a bad season or someone gets hurt or something that we don't want to happen happens, we as a Christian can still look at that and say, Well, God's got a purpose here. Let's figure out what that purpose is. You know, whereas I've shared this with my boys before after, you know, devastating losses or seasons that have gone awry, or you know, we've had injuries and it's Derailed our whole scene, stuff like that. If we were non-Christians, okay, if we were in a secular world and trying to make sense of that from a secular perspective, we would be left with no answers. We would be left to say, well, man, this just stinks. What's what is there to do about this other than be depressed about it? You know, however, from our perspective, I as a coach am so blessed so that to that when we we have struggles, we lose a big game, or a guy gets injured, I can talk to the team and address the team and say, Hey, I don't know what God's purpose is here. This seems like a really bad thing right now. I'll acknowledge that. But we trust in God. We know God is sovereign. We know God is faithful. And if we continue to be faithful for Him, eventually we may understand why He did this. We might not. We might not always get the answers. In Scripture, there are prophets even who faithfully serve the Lord, and they never get answers for why God allows terrible things to happen to them or to their people. Yet we see it later on. We can be faithful to God, knowing that throughout Scripture, Even those who don't see God's puzzle pieces being put together, we do. We now see it thousands of years later. We see how God, God's hand was in even the bad things. And so it's a blessing that I always get to point to scriptures and I get to say, Hey, we might not understand why God allowed this thing to happen, but we know that God allowed it to happen for a purpose. So now our job as a Christian is to go figure out what is that purpose and how can we glorify God through it. and so to be honest with you, it it's it's actually not not been A struggle for me. It's been a huge encouragement that we're not secular. We you know, we don't have to chalk up the bad things to, well, that stinks, there's nothing we can do about it. We get to look to the Lord for purpose and for answers, and and that's been huge, huge for me. I can't imagine some of the Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: things we've gone through as a program. I can't imagine having to stand in front of my team and try to explain that from a non-Christian perspective. Devin Davis: Yeah, right. And then and and the other thought, you know, the other part of that is right, is if you're if you're not a a a Christian, you know, you go through, man, wins you get really high and tough losses you get really low. And you know, it's just emotions up and down roller coaster. And when you understand the perfect plan of of God and trust that, you I mean the Bible says over and over, we have peace, right? And I mean that that that peace that surpasses all understanding and and so through the highs and through the lows, we can trust that his his plan is being accomplished and whatever that might be, and maybe we can see it now, maybe we can't. And just trusting in that that's that's a great I I love that that great attitude. And so then that, you know, that really probably trickles down to your pla players, right? So they never get too high or get too low, right? We just Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Yeah, that's an emphasis we try to put on them actually even in the midst of games. You know, we we talk about I'm sure it's Devin Davis: Yes, exactly. Ryan Harrison: it's it's football language. Everybody's always heard this if you've played football, but it's you know, turn the page, think about the next play. Don't worry about the last play, worry about the next one. No matter what good or bad thing happens in the previous play, this is a new play. You know, turn the page, green light, whatever terminology you want to use that everybody's heard some way or another, we we view that or we kind of teach that the same way, you know, Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: where we don't want to get too high, we don't want to get too low, even when the bad Things happen. we gotta we gotta figure out how can we use this to our benefit or or rather how is this how is the Lord working through this in the event that you know we're talking about losing a game or an injury happens, something like that. But but yeah, we we're gonna use that same terminology that you're gonna hear everywhere everywhere else, but we're gonna view it from from a a Christ perspective. You know, how is God working in this? Devin Davis: And so in all of this, just learning about who you are and how you got to where you're at, what you're doing now. T tell me a little bit about the the faith component to everything, from from your life and to where you are now, how did God get you there? Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Yeah, it's a good question. I just a little bit of my testimony, I guess, to kinda start us off here. I I grew up in a Christian home. I mean it's something you hear, you know, I grew up in a Christian home, but I I felt like looking back now as I grew up, most of my life was was kind of the the Sunday Christian, the, you know, go to church, go to youth group, but then I I live my life how I wanna live my life. And that really extended all the way through about my junior year of high school. And so it's nice that I get to share with my boys, a lot of them that hey, you guys are in a better spot than even I was when I was your age. You guys are are killing it for the Lord right now and you you have your priorities right. Whereas I was still struggling up into my junior year when I I met a good buddy of mine, who ended up being the best man of my wedding, as a good buddy of mine to this day, he invited me to his youth group and I ended up going and you know met a couple really good friends that again are friends of mine to this day and and pushed me to actually pursue the Lord rather than delivering for him just on Sundays. And and of course then I met my wife my senior year once I started going to FCA and we connected and started dating and eventually got married and she helped me grow in my faith a ton. But it it it it took a while for me to really dedicate myself to the Lord. Going off to college and being part of a college ministry at the University of Wyoming helped a ton too. But but through all of those experiences and and all the way leading up to me, of course, getting married to my wife and then us getting jobs here at Casper Christian, the lesson that I've learned the most is that when you just stop trying to control your own life and you allow God to lead. in the y the story I just shared with you about how he he led us here to Casper Christian school. I mean, what better example of just don't follow your own path but try to follow the Lord's, allow him to lead you. I mean, it doesn't get better than that. It doesn't get more clear than that, that if you follow the Lord, he'll lead you where he wants you to be. So that's something that I always share with my boys. number one, that again, they're in a better spot than than I was when I was their age. And so continue to serve the Lord and you guys are gonna do great things for the Lord. but also I teach my boys not to not to follow your own desires, not to follow your own path. Got the God God can do great things with your own talents, with your own desires. For example, I I always dreamed of being a football coach and an athletic director. And the Lord has, you know, thankfully put me exactly where I always wanted to be, granted, in a better position than I thought I would ever be. It's really cool to be where I'm at right now, doing the job that I love. But if you follow him, the Lord's gonna use the gifts he's given you for his purposes if you allow him to. and his plans are ultimately gonna be better than what my plans are. I could I could come up with this fantastic dream and and you know, think of this perfect job that I want to have, and and yet God's plans are gonna lead me to a spot that's better glorifying for him in the end, if I decide to follow him. So so that's kind of, you know, short, short part of my testimony, but kind of the biggest lesson that I've learned and how I utilize that. To this day, you know, I'm I'm that perfect example of follow the Lord where he leads you and he's gonna put you exactly where he wants you to be, ultimately for his glory. and so that's really cool that I get to share that with my boys, and I get to be that image of that exact thing that I'm teaching them. I'm not just telling them a story, I'm allowing them to look at me, I'm pointing at myself, saying, Hey, I'm a result of this thing that I'm telling you to do. Okay, don't just take my word for it, just look at me and where I'm at. and I get to be with you guys and and love on you guys and coach you guys and do the job. that I love and and you guys have an opportunity to to serve the Lord in whatever way he's leading you if you just trust in him and follow him. Devin Davis: Yeah. I I have to say I I'm jealous. I wish I would have taken that advice long, long, long ago. And I I i I've I've been a Christian all of my life, but I really tried to live my life somewhat as a Christian and somewhat in the world and until I finally figured out that y you know, he wanted me to be all in and and submit to his authority and Deny my flesh, like you like you said, and and really fully follow and trust him. And so it's taken a long time. I don't have maybe quite as straight a path at as you do. I mean, we all go through challenges, but I'm I'm where I want to be now, and I am so blessed to be doing what I'm doing. So for everybody who's listening out there, listen to Ryan's testimony, but not not mine. Ryan Harrison: Hey, it's all the Lord. It's not me, it's all the Lord. Praise God for him. Devin Davis: Yeah. Yep. Yeah. So no, that's that's awesome. and and you know, I think you've shared a little bit about that, but even just here in the past five years, since you took the position and the school's grown and where you're at right now, i how do you see the the the Lord working in your life since you since you started at Colorado Christian? Ryan Harrison: Yeah, it's One of the things that I I mentioned to you earlier was, you know, when my wife and I were were talking and praying about if we were gonna take the positions here or go over to Kelly Walsh and take positions there, the number one thing we had to consider in in hey, are we gonna pursue the Lord, are we gonna pursue what we think is best, was the financial aspect of things, you know? obviously a start up private Christian school is not is not you know, the most lucrative business, you know, but my wife and I decided, Hey, we're not we're not here for the money, you know, we're we're young, we're you know, we don't We didn't have any kids at the time, you know, so the idea was we're gonna go serve the Lord. you know, we're gonna view this as as though we're going into ministry, not as though we're going into the the professional world, but this is this is a ministry opportunity for us to use the gifts God's given us. And so over the years that's that's been been pretty pretty consistent throughout. you know, obviously as we've grown the Lord has continued to bless the school financially and bless us financially. but we're we're still in a position where we're having to faithfully trust the Lord. in that way. And we still to this day, even as we grow, we're gonna continue to view this as a ministry opportunity regardless of of the financial element of things. And I think the Lord putting us in that position from day one has kind of helped us, you know, develop that mindset, that foundational mindset that this is this is ministry. You know, we're not here to be teachers first, as far as like our subjects go. I'm not you know, my wife's not here to be a math teacher first. I'm not here to be a PE teacher first, although that's our job. we're here to disciple these young people first. this truly is a ministry. We're building up the next generation of of young followers of Christ. And so I think that that mindset has helped us even in the challenges. you know, as we grow, it there's always a concern every year that, you know, if we don't if we don't continue to grow, then our our opportunities for, you know, finding our own facility one day, which right now we're actually we rent out the entire east wing of A of a local church that's you know a little bit too big and they have some extra room. So we've been blessed with the area we're at, but the idea is always hey, if we don't grow this year, you know, we're not gonna be one step closer to having our own facilities, and so that's not just a me thing, that's a whole Casper Christian school thing. That's our head of school, that's our board, that's our president. You know, everybody is having to be faithful that the Lord's the Lord's going to do it in his timing. And while we want our own building, we want our own football field, we want our own track and our own basketball court and and all all that stuff and we want our own facilities, the Lord's gonna provide for us. If we're following the Lord's will and doing what the Lord wants us to do, he will provide for us in his own timing. so that's that's been a huge challenge I think for the whole school is how do we be faithful when we don't have that much right now? How do we be faithful Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: when we want something done now but the Lord wants it done later. So that's been a big thing. Yeah. Devin Davis: No, that's that's same attitude as churches, right? A a good biblically based church is when the the leaders, the elders are are saying, Hey, you know, it what's the the the most God honoring way to spend or steward, I guess is a better word, the finances that we have, right? And and sometimes you want these great fancy facilities and you know, bright lights and awesome worship band, and it's like No, I got God says, no, I want you to faithfully spend that on your you know, in your bi your vacation bible school or whatever it Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: is, you know. So I think that's that that same attitude. So Ryan Harrison: Yeah, we that that's that's a good point. We really I I do view it very much as though we're almost running a church here 'cause it is very similar in a lot of those same exact ways. And Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: thankfully we've got a lot of a lot of local pastors who are either on our board or of like I said, our our former founder and president was a local pastor for many years and he's still working with the school in many ways. And so so it it very is very similar to that where you're absolutely right. Every year the there's decisions made where hey, we've got we've got these finances, do we put towards this or do we put towards that or, you which way is gonna be most God honoring and and, you know, which way are we going to be most faithful with the finances, you know, and so you're right, it very is it is very similar to kind of a local church. Devin Davis: Yeah. Well, I I looked at y you know, your teachers, your staff, I looked at your board members online and I think there's probably one board member that is probably pushing for a wrestling mat and a wrestling facility. that's probably Trent Zimple. So I don't know if you'd know Trent at all. yeah. Trent Ryan Harrison: Yeah. yeah. yeah. Yeah, wrestling. We've actually it's funny you asked that. We've got one one kid this year who plays football for me. He's gonna be a senior. He's wrestl wrestled at Kelly Walsh. and last year I think he he placed fourth or fifth at state at the four A level. So I'm I k keep thinking, man, if if our next our next sport might have to be wrestling, if we have a place where we could put out a mad and we could find either Zempel or I might do you know Randy Larson? Devin Davis: yeah. Yeah. Ryan Harrison: Yeah, I might I might get a hold of Randy and see if he might be interested in any coaching. Yeah. Devin Davis: Yeah. I I'm sure knowing Randy at our at our sports camp this year, that that was the big story is Randy and JC Navarro, who who's over at Neutrona, they both had a r a wrestling match d Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: during our sports camp and it was filmed, so you'll have to ask Randy to Ryan Harrison: man, I haven't seen that one. I'll have to try to catch that one. Devin Davis: Yeah, Randy took that pretty serious. So, but yeah, I think I I've known Trent. He went to Shadron State, we lived there, wrestled with my son, so Great guy and Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: really like him a lot. But I know who you're talking about. That's Tim Shrack, probably. Okay. Ryan Harrison: That's right. Yep. Devin Davis: So I've known I got to know Tim through FCA camp and he came Ryan Harrison: yeah. Devin Davis: a couple of years to our our camp. So yeah, I I I connect with him at every wrestling tournament that I can. So as we close here, I know you you have a a meeting to go to. I just wanted you to tell tell me you've you've kind of told me about your wife, but tell me about the rest of your family, your kids and being a dad, you ha you love the chance to be able to Tell everybody about your kid. So let's hear that before we have Ryan Harrison: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Devin Davis: to leave. Ryan Harrison: Yeah, so my wife and I got married in twenty twenty. we had our our first child two and a half years ago. Our daughter's about two and a half, her name's Myra. and then just three months ago we had our second child, Simon, our first boy. So now we've got a girl and a boy. Praise God for that. we've got one of each now. So now we don't have to worry about either of We get whatever the Lord Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: gives us now, we're happy with. So but yeah, Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: huge blessing. Yeah, Myra. it it's really cool. the kids at at CCS just adjust. Adore Myra. It's been so cool to see her kind of grow up in the school. You know, I remember back when you know two and a half years ago, almost three years ago now, that we announced that my wife was first pregnant and just the kids were so excited for it, and then Myra was born and she got to she's kind of become like the the school mascot almost. You know, anytime Devin Davis: Ha ha. Ryan Harrison: my wife still comes into the school, you know, it is just a a a cred. It's like Myra's got paparazzi. I mean, the kids just adore her. And and of course now with Simon, you know, it's I hear all the hooks. coach, he's gonna be a linebacker. He's gonna be, you know. And Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: so, so it's been it's been really, really cool. I wouldn't I wouldn't get this in a bigger school. You know, you might have a couple if I was working at Kelly Walsh right now, maybe a couple kids would would know my family, but it's so cool being in this tight-knit community where all the kids love my wife and I, and now they love our children, and and now we've got all these older brothers and sisters that Myra gets to look up to and and have these relationships for for all of her life. And Simon, same thing when he gets old enough to kind of get to know it's just a huge blessing. It's something that that I thank God for all the time that we have this community and and all the kids love our kids seemingly almost as much as we do. so it's it's really cool. amen. Amen. Always. Devin Davis: You'll always have a babysitter, right? Ryan Harrison: Yep. Devin Davis: That's awesome. Well, this has Ryan Harrison: Yeah. Devin Davis: been super encouraging and great to get to know you and your school. I think every everyone around the state, like like you said, I mean you're you've only been a around for a few years and everybody's starting to recognize that name and now a little bit more with your success on the football field. And so great opportunity to promote Casper Christian to to the audience around the state. So As we close, I I I'm gonna pray here in just a second, but do you have anything else that you would like to share or that you can think of as as we close out that we didn't cover? Ryan Harrison: Yeah, no, I I I think we we covered a lot of it. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity, Devin, to get on here and to and to talk about my school and my programs and what a blessing this has been. So hopefully a lot of people Devin Davis: Yeah. Ryan Harrison: see this and we we get some more Casper Christian school fans that are thinking and praying about us and attending our events and yeah, that would that would be a huge blessing. Devin Davis: And you guys are the Casper Christian Mountaineers. Is that right? Ryan Harrison: Correct. Yep. Devin Davis: Okay. That's that works out perfect, right? The Casper Mountain. So you gotta be the Mountaineers, right? And Ryan Harrison: Yeah. That's right. That's right. Devin Davis: so all right, I'll pray here and we'll go ahead and close. So Ryan Harrison: All right. Devin Davis: Father, just thank you for the time with Ryan this morning. Thank you for his heart to share the the gospel, the good news with his players, with his school, all the different roles that he's in. Thank you for his family, his children. just thank you for the football team this year and and the success they've been having. And just pray over them for the rest of the season that they reflect Christ through the through the the good times and the bad times, Father, that they are the image of you, Father, that that people see your son through them as they compete. And so just I I pray that this podcast, this episode, would just be an awesome blessing to to the school at Casper Christian. that the people around the state will now recognize them and that you will bless them as they continue to grow. bless their leadership. And we just thank you for your son. It's all possible because he gave his life for us. And it's in your mighty and holy name we pray. Amen. Ryan Harrison: Amen. Hey, thanks so much, Devin. I appreciate it. Devin Davis: You you bet ya. Have a good day. Great interview. Thanks a lot, Ryan. Ryan Harrison: Yeah, thanks. Devin Davis: Man, what a great episode today. Super great to hear about Casper Christian. And I think probably a lot of you guys out there have heard of them, but now you know more about them and and really their mission at the school and what their intention is in in everything, whether it's in their schoolwork in the classroom, whether it's in sports, just a type of men and women that they're producing that they follow after the Lord's commands and live their lives to to glorify him. So super, super awesome. Thank you, Ryan Harrison. go out and support them and have a have a blast because six man football is definitely worth it. But just wanted to close up here and and again as as I do this, I just want to say thank you to our listeners. You can listen to us on YouTube. And Spotify, Apple Podcasts, we have an Instagram page and the the numbers there just keep increasing every week. And that's where we got the message for f to to recommend today's guest. So thank you for doing that, Sky. and anybody is always welcome to reach out to me. and and we'd love to hear from you. So we thank you for your support and we hope that you like what we're doing and just the product that we're bringing to you because it's it's not about me. It's not about FCA. It's it's about God. And and we want you to know him and to grow in him and to share him with others. So I want to close just by saying thanks again to Shane at the Lander Breadboard. I've said that several times, but I can't thank him enough for the support that he's given Fremont County FCA through our wrestling camp and and other things. So when you're in Lander, stop by the breadboard, say hey to Shane and buy a few sandwiches and tell him that Devin from FCA Cinches. So hope everybody has a great week. tune in to this episode. It'll be available in about 10 days or so. Right now, we have an episode running with Braxton Doak, who plays for Central Michigan, and he's got a great testimony and learn about him and how he ended up at at central Michigan. All the way from Green River. So once again, have a blessed day. This is Devin Davis signing off for the 307 Faithful podcast. God bless.