“ Well you wouldn’t want me as a coach, I can tell you that much.” says newly selected Athletic Director Ryan Peters when asked qualified him for the new job last week. If not a coach, then why an athletic director someone might ask?

Not only did Peters grow up in Beachwood, he left his legacy here as an athlete as well. Graduating in 1992, Peters was a 4x state qualifier in the sport of wrestling. His freshman year “was an okay state tournament” says Peters, “Sophomore year I was 2nd in the state, and I lost to a kid who was eventually a 3x state champ.” With that behind him, Peters had a very promising junior year career till a shoulder injury ended his season short at the district tournament. “ I was 28-0 with 26 pins going into the tournament, no one could touch me, and no one was going to, I came back senior year, but blew out my shoulder towards the beginning, ending my wrestling career at Beachwood High School.”

Peters never reached his goal as being a state champion, and that is “still hanging over his head.” His silver medal in his office is always going to remind him to stay focused, stay driven, and to stay determined, not only in his new job, but also in every aspect of his life.

After high school Peters continued his education at the Miami University followed by a JD at the Cleveland Marshal School of Law. Before becoming the athletic director, Peters had a successful job in commercial real estate. “ I liked my job, I was successful, but I didn’t love my job, and I needed to love my job; I’ve wanted to be the Athletic Director at Beachwood since I was in high school” Peters also had the upper edge by living in the community and being well known for his Bison spirit and enthusiasm.

Like any job, there was an application process. When Peters found out about the job position, he filled out the initial online application. From there, there was a phone screen, just a series of follow up questions to those on the online applications. “ I was confident I would make it to the actual interviews, I had the advantage of already knowing everyone.” Says Peters. Next came a face-to-face interview with Mr. Hardis and Dr. Wagner. After making it passed the initial interview round, then came a second and more interview with Mr. Hardis, Mrs. LaGalbo, Dr. Markwardt, a former Boosters president, and two students.

Last was an interview with Mr. Hardis, Mr. Chase, Dr. Markwardt, and Mrs. Milles. “ This interview was very intense, but I was sure I was in at this point, I wanted to interview them as well to not only make sure I was the right fit for the job, but that the job was the right fit me for me”

Peters says the biggest challenge he will face is to “create a winning mindset and to change the culture” The community as a whole is pleased with its academics, but at the same time also seems to be content with just “okay” athletics. To Peters, this is a problem. “We are not losers, we are winners, and if we strive to make improvements daily we can be successful”

Another big challenge Peters will have to face is to change the mindsets of his coaches. If Peters asks a coach how their team is doing and they say great, he doesn’t call it a day, he is going to ask the coach how his entire program is. “Coaches need to work their entire programs, not just the teams at their age level, that’s how success is created.”

“One of my biggest rewards is to see kids be successful beyond their sports,” says Peters. “ The coaches need to focus on Bison pride, and let their athletes know how important it is to be apart of this wonderful community” Peters realizes how important teammates are, regardless of the sport, and is going to encourage the coaches to help the athletes contribute to each others success, and to focus on victory.

“Everyone needs to love Beachwood, no other community in the country is like Beachwood, everyone knows everyone, its just a very special place” It is attitudes like this that is going to make Peters a very successful athletic director. With his focus and determination, as well as his compassion for athletes not only for athletics, but the people they are, is going to put Ryan peters on the road to victory.