Kansas State University Athletics
SE: Hershberger’s Ability to ‘Be Present’ Prepared Him for New Role in K-State Track and Field
Nov 28, 2018 | Track & Field, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Ryan Hershberger never planned to come back to K-State or to the world of track and field. But, as he learned from his time at K-State, planning isn't everything.
His best advice?
"Be present in whatever you're doing," said Hershberger, in his first year as an assistant for K-State track and field with a role focused on recruiting. "A lot of the time that you spend in high school, you're thinking about, 'What am I going to do? Where am I going to go for college?' A lot of the time you spend in college you think about, 'What am I going to do after college?' We're always looking for the next thing, and it's good to plan, it's absolutely good to plan, but you also have to be present in what you're doing."
He said he's a case in point.
A Clay Center native, Hershberger competed in the throws events for K-State from 2010-14. He earned All-America honors in senior outdoor season in the shot put, along with being a three-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 selection.
He then took an information technology job in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where he was pulled back into track and field when an opportunity to volunteer for Oklahoma Wesleyan's team became available.
"That was great," he said. "Once you get a taste you kind of want a little bit more."
Hershberger jumped back into the sport headfirst, starting at Oral Roberts and then with K-State last season as a volunteer assistant. In July, he was added to K-State's full-time staff. More important, he said he was prepared for the opportunity because of the mindset he adopted while competing for the Wildcats.
"Sometimes life isn't the way you planned it, and I think it's important to have a plan for your future, but you also want to be present. You want to be doing things now as well as you possibly can be, and I think it's good to keep that in mind whenever you're doing something," he said. "While I was here, especially when I was on the track and field team, (I learned that) making sure you were doing what you needed to be doing, when you needed to do it, is something that's really important, not just in track and field but in life."
Hershberger brings a very similar approach to recruiting. He tries to stay present with whatever athlete he's looking at for more than just the moment of competition. Marks and times are a place to start, he said, but they do not tell the whole story. So, he watches for athleticism and potentially underperforming athletes; their preparation and composure; and how they act after a success and a failure, among a number of other things.
"I watch everything the athlete's doing," Hershberger said. "You just want to get a feel for them as people as well as athletes."
From there, Hershberger said he believes his experience in the program can serve as an advantage to anyone interested in K-State. Like many of the student-athletes he will recruit, he did not step onto campus with All-America abilities. He worked toward it, day by day, until it was a reality when he finished ninth at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
"A lot of the young men and women I'll be recruiting will be from the region, the surrounding states, as well as Kansas, and I think I'm able to relate pretty well to them because I kind of came from their situation. I came from just down the road. I can relate to them from going from competing at the Kansas State (High School Athletics Association) meet to competing at the Big 12 Championship and an NCAA Championship," Hershberger said. "It's a process. It takes time and you have to adjust to the different level of competition, but it's possible. We have a lot of people that have done it. So, we're going to try to continue that success and hopefully bring in a lot of the young men and women who are able to be successful at this level."
Last season was Hershberger's first with K-State on the coaching side. The highlight, he said, was obviously seeing the women's team win a second-straight Big 12 Outdoor Championship. In his new role, he said he wants to do whatever he can to help continue that level of success. This starts with bringing in the right people to the program, which is where he enters the picture.
"I just want to keep things rolling and help the entire program continue a pattern of success. That's really what we're trying to do, maintain a consistent pattern, maintain consistency for our athletes," Hershberger said. "If we're able to identify the right athletes and we're able to get them here, then I think that will continue the success that we have. We have a great coaching staff that has done phenomenal with all ranges of athletes, from the conference level all the way to the Olympic level, and I think if we get the right athletes here we can continue to do really great things."
Ryan Hershberger never planned to come back to K-State or to the world of track and field. But, as he learned from his time at K-State, planning isn't everything.
His best advice?
"Be present in whatever you're doing," said Hershberger, in his first year as an assistant for K-State track and field with a role focused on recruiting. "A lot of the time that you spend in high school, you're thinking about, 'What am I going to do? Where am I going to go for college?' A lot of the time you spend in college you think about, 'What am I going to do after college?' We're always looking for the next thing, and it's good to plan, it's absolutely good to plan, but you also have to be present in what you're doing."
He said he's a case in point.
A Clay Center native, Hershberger competed in the throws events for K-State from 2010-14. He earned All-America honors in senior outdoor season in the shot put, along with being a three-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 selection.
He then took an information technology job in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where he was pulled back into track and field when an opportunity to volunteer for Oklahoma Wesleyan's team became available.
"That was great," he said. "Once you get a taste you kind of want a little bit more."
Hershberger jumped back into the sport headfirst, starting at Oral Roberts and then with K-State last season as a volunteer assistant. In July, he was added to K-State's full-time staff. More important, he said he was prepared for the opportunity because of the mindset he adopted while competing for the Wildcats.
"Sometimes life isn't the way you planned it, and I think it's important to have a plan for your future, but you also want to be present. You want to be doing things now as well as you possibly can be, and I think it's good to keep that in mind whenever you're doing something," he said. "While I was here, especially when I was on the track and field team, (I learned that) making sure you were doing what you needed to be doing, when you needed to do it, is something that's really important, not just in track and field but in life."
Hershberger brings a very similar approach to recruiting. He tries to stay present with whatever athlete he's looking at for more than just the moment of competition. Marks and times are a place to start, he said, but they do not tell the whole story. So, he watches for athleticism and potentially underperforming athletes; their preparation and composure; and how they act after a success and a failure, among a number of other things.
"I watch everything the athlete's doing," Hershberger said. "You just want to get a feel for them as people as well as athletes."
From there, Hershberger said he believes his experience in the program can serve as an advantage to anyone interested in K-State. Like many of the student-athletes he will recruit, he did not step onto campus with All-America abilities. He worked toward it, day by day, until it was a reality when he finished ninth at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
"A lot of the young men and women I'll be recruiting will be from the region, the surrounding states, as well as Kansas, and I think I'm able to relate pretty well to them because I kind of came from their situation. I came from just down the road. I can relate to them from going from competing at the Kansas State (High School Athletics Association) meet to competing at the Big 12 Championship and an NCAA Championship," Hershberger said. "It's a process. It takes time and you have to adjust to the different level of competition, but it's possible. We have a lot of people that have done it. So, we're going to try to continue that success and hopefully bring in a lot of the young men and women who are able to be successful at this level."
Last season was Hershberger's first with K-State on the coaching side. The highlight, he said, was obviously seeing the women's team win a second-straight Big 12 Outdoor Championship. In his new role, he said he wants to do whatever he can to help continue that level of success. This starts with bringing in the right people to the program, which is where he enters the picture.
"I just want to keep things rolling and help the entire program continue a pattern of success. That's really what we're trying to do, maintain a consistent pattern, maintain consistency for our athletes," Hershberger said. "If we're able to identify the right athletes and we're able to get them here, then I think that will continue the success that we have. We have a great coaching staff that has done phenomenal with all ranges of athletes, from the conference level all the way to the Olympic level, and I think if we get the right athletes here we can continue to do really great things."
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