Don Ryan
Don attends St. Thomas the Apostle (where he was baptized and his parents married).
Ryan has been coaching basketball teams for youngsters at The Salvation Army Corps Community Center in Hempstead, New York, since 1961. As such, Don has given more than 25,000 hours in volunteer service to the youth of Hempstead
Don is a product of Hempstead Public Schools. Later, graduating from Adelphi University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree (1966) and Teachers College at Columbia University with a Master of Arts degree (1971). Don taught for thirty-three years; the last twenty five of those years with added responsibility as Director of the Youth Employment Program at Hempstead High School. Several thousand students over the years received their first work experience in this program.
The Salvation Army basketball teams under Don have traveled to Helsinki, Finland; Tampere, Finland; Tallinn, Estonia; Copenhagen, Denmark; Malmo, Sweden; and, Stockholm, Sweden; Toronto, Montreal, Halifax and Charlottetown, Canada; St. Croix, Barbados, Puerto Rico and Bermuda; and, throughout the United States, including Chicago, Wichita, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Amarillo, New Orleans, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Charleston, Charlotte, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Boston.
Don was active at Percy Jackson Youth Center, too, coaching Hempstead Tiger Cubs football teams from 1968- -its first season- -through 1998. Don also coached youth baseball in Hempstead (1962-1983). Don was the first President of the Time-Out Club.
Among youngsters Don coached while they were pre-teens, Julius Erving, a member of Basketball's Hall of Fame; Kenneth I. Chenault, Chairman & CEO of American Express; Steve Mills, President & COO of Madison Square Garden; Lisa Smith, an AU-Big East selection at St. John's University (and Don's goddaughter); Dr. Lee Ross, Professor at Central Florida University; Rob Moore and Brandon Moore of NFL fame. Don is proud, as weld of many others, including Marlon Bottoms, a Hempstead Village police officer, who presently volunteers with Don as a basketball coach at the "Sal".
Don's coaching philosophy goes beyond the fundamentals of basketball. A strong emphasis is placed upon good attitudes and academic progress. Don sums up his coaching philosophy thusly, "I coach life, not just basketball." Words like integrity, character and effort have great meaning in The Salvation Army program.
Don has been a Trustee in the Village of Hempstead (2001-2005 and 2006-2011).
Don sits on The Salvation Army Advisory Council, Leadership Training Institute Board of Directors, Hempstead School District Cultural Advisory Committee and HEW Cluster (Helping End Violence Now). Moreover, Don is a member of HERA (Hempstead Educators Retirement Association) and Rotary International. Don also established the Village of Hempstead Youth Council in 2003 (and remains its advisor).
Don was featured twice in Newsday: Long Island Master Teachers, May 16, 1975, and in Leisure Sports section, Outstanding Long Island Volunteer Coaches, June 16, 1985.
Don has been recognized over the years for his love of community.
1967 |
OTHERS AWARD |
The Salvation Army |
1973 |
BROTHERHOOD AWARD |
Rotary/Lions/Kiwanis |
1978 |
TEACHER-OF-THE-YEAR |
Hempstead HS (voted by students) |
1979 |
MAN-OF-THE-YEAR |
Hempstead Chamber of Commerce |
1981 |
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD |
Union Baptist Church |
1981 |
TEACHER-OF-THE-YEAR |
Hempstead HS (voted by students) |
1986 |
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. AWARD |
Congregational Church |
1986 |
HEMPSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL |
Hempstead High School |
|
YEARBOOK DEDICATION |
(voted by senior class) |
1987 |
CITIZENSHIP AWARD |
Gomillion-Campbell Post 1488 |
1988 |
UNI-SPAN AWARD |
Hofstra University |
1991 |
NATIONAL TEACHER AWARD |
National Football League |
1992 |
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. AWARD |
Nassau County Committee |
1992 |
PRESIDENT'S AWARD |
Hempstead Branch of NAACP |
1992 |
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD |
International Association of |
|
|
Approved Basketball Officials #41 |
1993 |
VOLUNTEER AWARD |
Newsday |
1993 |
VOLUNTEER-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD |
The Salvation Army |
1995 |
PRESIDENT'S AWARD |
World Sports Humanitarian |
|
|
Hall of Fame (Boise, Idaho) |
1998 |
MAKE A DIFFERENCE AWARD |
Town of Hempstead |
1998 |
GRAND MARSHAL |
Hempstead Schools Homecoming |
2001 |
APPRECIATION AWARD |
Hempstead HS Scholarship Fund |
2002 |
GRAND MARSHAL |
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade |
|
|
United People Organization, Inc. |
2002 |
PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD |
Hempstead Hispanic Civic Assn. |
2004 |
THE WOODRUFF AWARD |
Adelphi University Hall of Fame |
2005 |
AL ARBOUR COACHES AWARD |
Nassau County Sports Commission |
2006 |
HEMPSTEAD WALL OF FAME |
Mayor's Youth Council |
2006 |
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD |
Bertha Harris Key Women |
2007 |
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. AWARD |
Nassau County CSEA Local 830 |
2007 |
HUMANIT,4RL4N AWARD |
Tough Talk (AIDS Awareness) |
2007 |
CHAMPION FOR CHILDREN |
Francis J. Logan, Jr. Foundation |