Carbondale’s Ragan chosen for Hall

[Southern_Hospitality]

BY LES WINKELER, The Southern thesouthern.com | Posted: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 12:15 am

Long-time Carbondale Community High School wrestling coach Dennis Ragan has been selected for the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association Hall of Fame.
Ragan has coached Carbondale for 32 years. He wrestled at Granite City High School and lettered in wrestling at SIU Edwardsville.
"They figured they'd give it to me before I died," Ragan said of his selection.
Ragan's record at Carbondale is 335-218. He's had 46 athletes qualify at state since taking over the Carbondale program. Five of those wrestlers placed and last year Zane Richards brought home Carbondale's first individual state championship. One other wrestler, Ian Blache, placed third at state.
Before his selection, Ragan was aware that he had been nominated for the Hall of Fame.
"I never take anything for granted," he said. "It's just something over the years ... it's hard to explain. You go to the state meet and they introduce the guys that have been inducted and you just say, ‘I'd like to be in that group because they are the best of the best and have been recognized for their achievements.' It's humbling to tell you the truth."
Ragan's association with wrestling began at the legendary Granite City High School program.
"I was fortunate enough to wrestle for the best wrestling coach in the United States (William Schmitt)," he said. "When he retired, he was the winningest coach in the United States with over 600 wins."
His college coach was the equally legendary Larry Kirstoff.
"I like to think that what Granite City was about is what I brought to Carbondale, to have a program of excellence," Ragan said. "We always tried to go to the Metro East area (to compete). I've always had athletic directors willing to work with me and put us on the busses to where we needed to go.
"I've had kids along the way that really worked for me. They're the ones that got this award for me. Over the years and all the wins, those wins were about the kids. I never really looked at this as being about me. It's just been the thrill of my life to be able to work with such superb kids."
Two of those kids were his son, Jared, and daughter, Alli.
"That's been a real highlight," he said. "Now, my son Jared is coaching with me. My daughter is still wrestling.
"That was really different. I didn't think it would be that different. The highs are higher and the lows are lower when you get your kids involved. I thought I'd rather be in the stands than here in the corner. You have to make decisions and you have to be objective. I'd rather be squirming in the bleachers somewhere."
Ragan will be inducted April 14.
"In a couple of years I can retire, but I can't even imagine ever being away from wrestling," he said. "You're never there, as far as knowing everything. There is always something you can add. It's just been great for my family and me. I attribute everything I have to what wrestling did for me."

[Tom Blaha]

Contests coach. Very deserving & overdue!

[Carbondale]

Great coach and a great guy!

[Warrior70]

Congratulations, Dennis! Another great example.

[coach venne]

Congrats Coach Ragan

[herrin wrestling]

Coach Ragan has always been a great teacher, and willing to help anyone willing to work. I have great respect for Coach Ragan as a coach, a leader and most important as a person! Congrats Dennis!

[coach kirgan]

Well deserved!!!!! and overdue.

[armdrag077]

Congrats Dennis. Just goes to show how well our Coaches before us prepared us to follow in their footsteps.... ( Coach Red Schmidt..Coach Walt Whitaker.... Coach Bob Whelan... Coach Mike Garland.... Coach Alan Kirgan....) All are now Hall of Fame members from Granite City!! What a great honor.