CLEVELAND — Ryan Franzinger knows a thing or two about preparing for a football game no matter the weather.
“You can either get wet from the rain, or from your sweat, or from your tears,” Franzinger, the new St. Ignatius Head football coach, said to his team at a recent practice.
The hand-picked successor to legendary coach Chuck Kyle is a 2002 graduate of St. Ignatius and has either coached linebackers or run the Wildcats defense for the past 17 years.
He said Kyle’s influence goes back to his playing days.
“He really treated you as a person first, not just some football player,” he said. “His integrity was just top notch, and there was no questioning that coach Kyle was going to do the right thing.”
Franzinger, who also teaches theology, said playing and coaching the game with class are his top priorities. When it comes to leading a storied high school football program with a state record 11 Division I titles, Franzinger said he embraces that challenge.
“That’s what coach taught me as a player and the rest of the staff,” he said. “Go after your challenges. Don’t be afraid of them. I put the pressure on myself, just as much as it may come from the outside.”
Wildcats Defensive Line Coach Dave Cicetti said Franzinger is ready to put his own stamp on the St. Ignatius Football program.
“With that tradition, coach Franzinger emphasizes that there’s great responsibility to uphold it,” Cicetti said. “He’s a tremendous motivator, an outstanding X and Os coach, but more importantly a developer of men. And so as a result, he’s prepared, he’s ready to fill those shoes.”
That confidence is echoed by student athletes as well.
“Just to have a coach that you’ve built a relationship with and a coach you trust and have faith in, take the helm, is a lot easier than bringing in an outside source,” senior quarterback Josh Papesh said.
Franzinger expects his team’s on-the-field play this season to speak for itself, and the former Buckeye said he appreciates the support from Kyle and the Wildcat faithful.
“He says he’s going to be up in the stands in row Z, double Z, in a disguise,” he said. “He’s always welcome. He’s part of the family. It’s great to hear that so many people support us. We’re grateful for that.”
