Fatima boys’ coach Ryan Robertson hit a milestone Friday as the Comets defeated Russellville to give the Loose Creek native his 300th career win.
“I had no idea I was close to that number,” said Robertson. “I just never think about it. Every year, you schedule teams that will challenge you, and help you and your team improve. I’m humbled by the fact I’ve reached 300 wins but that’s not why we do this.”
A standout player at Fatima, Robertson graduated in 1996 and went on to play basketball at Evansville, Ind., where he redshirted one year before going to Central Methodist University at Fayette. He graduated in 2001 and returned to his alma mater, serving as an assistant coach under Todd Uffman for the next four years.
“That was a great experience,” said Robertson. “I learned a lot as an assistant coach.”
That would lay the groundwork and Robertson took his first head-coaching job in 2005 at Linn, where he led the Wildcats to four straight district championships, with a fourth-place finish at the state tournament in his third year. About a third of his career wins came while at Linn as he worked with assistant coaches Brian Hoskins and Lucas Branson.
In 2009, Robertson returned to Fatima as the head coach, and since then, his Comets have won three district championships and earned fourth place at the state tournament in 2012.
During his tenure at Fatima, Robertson has worked with assistant coaches Jeff Adamson and Ethan Williams the entire time.
“There’s something to be said about continuity,” said Robertson. “It’s been a great experience working with these guys. We’re on the same page and it makes things a lot easier when the guys coming in each year know what to expect.”
While Fatima is known for its success, more importantly to Robertson is the work ethic that each player brings to the court.
“The quality of that work ethic flows from the parents,” said Robertson. “We are hardworking people here in Osage County and you can see it at all three schools. We almost seem to live in a bubble. There are friendly rivalries with each school but no real drama. There’s a lot of respect here. It’s just phenomenal, and I feel very fortunate to have been able to coach these kids.”
When Robertson began his coaching career, he did not spare much thought for the legacy he would leave. “You start out and don’t envision how long you’ll coach,” he said. “I’m kind of narrow-minded about that. You treat every year as if it’s your last. You set goals and if you reach them, it’s amazing, but if you don’t, it’s not a failure because you know you gave it everything you had. Wins and losses aren’t as important to me as working your butt off and trying to get the most you can out of every player, every game, along the way. Goals push you to give your best, and I hope we achieved that.”
Mistakes will be made, sometimes more often than not, but Robertson said the key is learning from them, and not making them again. “You can’t will yourself to win, necessarily, but you can prepare the best you can for what’s to come, and make sure your kids are ready to play,” he added. “That’s all you really have control of going into the game.”
Of particular interest is the fact that Robertson has coached many of his nephews, including three this season, but there’s no favoritism.
“If anything, I err on the side of being too harsh or critical,” said Robertson. “They know that in practice and games, I am their coach, not their uncle, they know I’m not going to give them a free pass. The level of maturity all of them have shown has been incredible.”
There is also an understanding between Robertson and all the parents of his players. “I’ve had to do things and make decisions they may not agree with but we understand each other,” he said. “They know I’m doing what’s best to help the team succeed.”
When they’re not on the court, Robertson is pleased to sit around the dinner table with his nephews and nieces and talk basketball.
“They all know the game and love to play so it’s easy to talk about,” said Robertson, whose daughter, Alli, is a freshman on the Lady Comets’ squad. “I enjoy watching her play and scheduling gets a little rough sometimes but we make it work.”
Robertson’s daughter Kristen is an eighth-grader at IC-Loose Creek and plays hoops while his son, Brooks, a third-grader, plays in a fall league at State Tech.
Helping to manage the family’s schedule and transportation is Marla Robertson, who loves the gym almost as much as Ryan.
“She’s the strongest woman I know,” said Robertson. “Every night is a challenge but she makes it look easy. We love this aspect of our life, and always wonder what people who aren’t involved with basketball do in the winter.”
Robertson said that family is very important to him, and he is able to put things into perspective when he sees them.
“I could come home after a tough loss and somehow Marla makes things better,” said Robertson. “My son is excited to see me and he doesn’t care about the score or whether we won. He just wants to see me, and that’s wonderful. It’s a reminder that basketball isn’t everything. Sometimes you lose and think it’s the end of the world but if you have a family that cares about you, everything will be okay. Tomorrow is another day.”
Robertson doesn’t really unplug from basketball. “If you love what you do, it’s always on your mind and that’s a good thing,” he said. “Over the years, I’ve come to see things differently and I watch games with a new perspective. I’m always trying to learn, and the one thing I’ve come to understand is that the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know anything.”
For now, Robertson plans to continue coaching. “I’ve never looked long-term,” he said. “I enjoy what I’m doing now as much or more than when I got started. What I have come to realize over time is that my relationship with these players is very important, and I appreciate being in the gym with them. The day I don’t enjoy going to practice is the day I hang it up.”