University of Minnesota Athletics
The Love of the Game: Sophomore Ryan Saunders
12/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
An injured player on any team learns to take on a different role during their ailment. Saunders hasn’t been able to give his physical effort on the court yet this season, because of a stress fracture in his left leg. The injury occurred some time prior to the start of the season and during the healing process, the muscles around the stress fracture knotted up. Now he is in the process of rehabilitating those muscles back to normal strength so he can return on the court.
Saunders has never really experienced a significant injury that has taken a long period of time to heal and finds it difficult to not contribute physically on the court. However, he is adamant about giving 100 percent emotionally for his teammates and coaches. “Being injured means that I am keeping the guys ready on the side lines,” Saunders said. “You almost want to be a cheerleader. You need to cheer the guys on to keep them going after a loss or when they are down. There aren’t many physical things that you can do in practice but you can help keep the guys mentally focused.”
In addition to keeping his teammates focused, he’s concentrated on keeping himself involved besides doing the rehabilitation needed for a healthy leg. “On the sidelines I’m trying to watch what plays other teams are running,” Saunders said. “If I see anything that can help my teammates, I’ll let them know. I just try to do everything else possible because I can’t physically be helping the guys. There are other ways I can help.”
Assistant coach Jim Molinari sees the effort that Saunders it putting forth. “When Ryan has been hurt, although he’s battling huge frustration because he misses it so bad because he loves the game, he has been one of those guys that will do anything he can to help us prepare for the other team. Even though he can’t do the things he is accustomed to right now, he’s awesome on the bench with some of our other players.”
Fellow Gopher Vincent Grier recently joined Saunders on the injured list with a broken bone in his hand, but the two have shared some quality time in the training room en route to physical repair. Together, Grier and Saunders have realized what they need to do on the sidelines, because they cannot contribute on the court. Saunders jokingly said, “With Vince out of the lineup, I guess I kind of have a buddy in the training room. When I’m getting treatments during practice, it’s not so lonely.”
Although Saunders has dealt with his injury most of this season, he is anxious to return healthy and is ready to take on any role that his coaches give him. “I don’t know how my role will change because it’s tough being out with an injury for five or six weeks, but whatever role Coach Monson puts me in, it will be a role that I will embrace,” Saunders remarked. “That is why I am with this team. I am going to do what ever it is that I can; whether that means that I’m playing, that’s great. Or if it means still cheering guys on, I’ll embrace that too. I know that everything happens for a reason, and that’s how I’ve looked at this injury too.”
An injury isn’t the only obstacle that Saunders has had to deal with this year. Growing up in Wayzata, Minn. Saunders was fortunate to have the support of his family close by, especially his father whom he is very close to. But his tight-knit, Minnesota-based family was thrown a small loop when his father, Flip, accepted the head coach position with the Detroit Pistons.
Saunders credits his mother, Debbie Saunders for keeping the family strong. She has been the glue for the Saunders family when they can’t physically be together. “My mom is what keeps our whole family going,” Saunders stated. “It’s tough because my dad and I have always been very close, but it isn’t anything that we can’t get through. We still talk every day, so we still remain close even with the distance.”
The Saunders family has been heavily involved with the Golden Gopher program over the years and continue to give to the program, not expecting something in return. “Flip played here. Debbie worked with the spirit squads. I know that (Ryan’s sister) Mindy is coming here next year and Ryan is obviously here now,” Molinari said. “There are givers and takers and Ryan is such a giver. He is trying to make everything for the University of Minnesota men’s basketball program better from players to coaches. I think the Saunders Family has done a tremendous amount for the University of Minnesota and they have something that they all love together. It is not based on what they get out of it or what is going on with them. It’s just something that they have in them.”
In fact, Saunders has aspirations to be like his father and coach basketball. He is undecided with his major as of now but is leaning towards sport studies. “Basketball has always been my life. What I always look forward to during the day is going to basketball practice and it’s really all I want to do,” Saunders said. “Basketball is all that I think about. I just love the game.”
Saunders grew up around basketball and knows the game better than some of the most talented players. He has a tremendous feel for the game and attains great coaching qualities. “There is no doubt in my mind that Ryan will be a coach and he will be a very good coach,” Molinari said.
At the moment, Saunders is trying to learn from his coaches, and observe their coaching philosophies. He also sees his dad’s philosophies when watching him coach. During the summers, Saunders is actively involved with the Flip Saunders Basketball Camps in Wayzata. This past summer, when his father was busy with the signing process in Detroit and was unable to be at his camp, Saunders took over his role and was able to show off his coaching skills.
In the meantime, Saunders isn’t trying to coach his teammates as he watches from the sidelines. He takes on a different role, a player. “I’m not really coaching the guys. That’s something that I’m not going to do right now because we all have different roles on the team,” Saunders said.
Like any player, Saunders has high aspirations for himself and his team. “We are just going to keep on working hard, keep on being unselfish and do the best we can,” he said. “We are going through a lot of adversity but I think that we can only get better right now.”
story by Cathy Behr, athletic communications graduate assistant The University of Minnesota’s men’s basketball team has already experienced its fill of adversity during the non-conference portion of the 2005-2006 season. At one point during this season, the Gophers found themselves with only eight healthy players dressed for a game. But you will never see a lack of effort from the Golden Gophers, especially sophomore guard, Ryan Saunders.
An injured player on any team learns to take on a different role during their ailment. Saunders hasn’t been able to give his physical effort on the court yet this season, because of a stress fracture in his left leg. The injury occurred some time prior to the start of the season and during the healing process, the muscles around the stress fracture knotted up. Now he is in the process of rehabilitating those muscles back to normal strength so he can return on the court.
Saunders has never really experienced a significant injury that has taken a long period of time to heal and finds it difficult to not contribute physically on the court. However, he is adamant about giving 100 percent emotionally for his teammates and coaches. “Being injured means that I am keeping the guys ready on the side lines,” Saunders said. “You almost want to be a cheerleader. You need to cheer the guys on to keep them going after a loss or when they are down. There aren’t many physical things that you can do in practice but you can help keep the guys mentally focused.”
In addition to keeping his teammates focused, he’s concentrated on keeping himself involved besides doing the rehabilitation needed for a healthy leg. “On the sidelines I’m trying to watch what plays other teams are running,” Saunders said. “If I see anything that can help my teammates, I’ll let them know. I just try to do everything else possible because I can’t physically be helping the guys. There are other ways I can help.”
Assistant coach Jim Molinari sees the effort that Saunders it putting forth. “When Ryan has been hurt, although he’s battling huge frustration because he misses it so bad because he loves the game, he has been one of those guys that will do anything he can to help us prepare for the other team. Even though he can’t do the things he is accustomed to right now, he’s awesome on the bench with some of our other players.”
Fellow Gopher Vincent Grier recently joined Saunders on the injured list with a broken bone in his hand, but the two have shared some quality time in the training room en route to physical repair. Together, Grier and Saunders have realized what they need to do on the sidelines, because they cannot contribute on the court. Saunders jokingly said, “With Vince out of the lineup, I guess I kind of have a buddy in the training room. When I’m getting treatments during practice, it’s not so lonely.”
Although Saunders has dealt with his injury most of this season, he is anxious to return healthy and is ready to take on any role that his coaches give him. “I don’t know how my role will change because it’s tough being out with an injury for five or six weeks, but whatever role Coach Monson puts me in, it will be a role that I will embrace,” Saunders remarked. “That is why I am with this team. I am going to do what ever it is that I can; whether that means that I’m playing, that’s great. Or if it means still cheering guys on, I’ll embrace that too. I know that everything happens for a reason, and that’s how I’ve looked at this injury too.”
An injury isn’t the only obstacle that Saunders has had to deal with this year. Growing up in Wayzata, Minn. Saunders was fortunate to have the support of his family close by, especially his father whom he is very close to. But his tight-knit, Minnesota-based family was thrown a small loop when his father, Flip, accepted the head coach position with the Detroit Pistons.
Saunders credits his mother, Debbie Saunders for keeping the family strong. She has been the glue for the Saunders family when they can’t physically be together. “My mom is what keeps our whole family going,” Saunders stated. “It’s tough because my dad and I have always been very close, but it isn’t anything that we can’t get through. We still talk every day, so we still remain close even with the distance.”
The Saunders family has been heavily involved with the Golden Gopher program over the years and continue to give to the program, not expecting something in return. “Flip played here. Debbie worked with the spirit squads. I know that (Ryan’s sister) Mindy is coming here next year and Ryan is obviously here now,” Molinari said. “There are givers and takers and Ryan is such a giver. He is trying to make everything for the University of Minnesota men’s basketball program better from players to coaches. I think the Saunders Family has done a tremendous amount for the University of Minnesota and they have something that they all love together. It is not based on what they get out of it or what is going on with them. It’s just something that they have in them.”
In fact, Saunders has aspirations to be like his father and coach basketball. He is undecided with his major as of now but is leaning towards sport studies. “Basketball has always been my life. What I always look forward to during the day is going to basketball practice and it’s really all I want to do,” Saunders said. “Basketball is all that I think about. I just love the game.”
Saunders grew up around basketball and knows the game better than some of the most talented players. He has a tremendous feel for the game and attains great coaching qualities. “There is no doubt in my mind that Ryan will be a coach and he will be a very good coach,” Molinari said.
At the moment, Saunders is trying to learn from his coaches, and observe their coaching philosophies. He also sees his dad’s philosophies when watching him coach. During the summers, Saunders is actively involved with the Flip Saunders Basketball Camps in Wayzata. This past summer, when his father was busy with the signing process in Detroit and was unable to be at his camp, Saunders took over his role and was able to show off his coaching skills.
In the meantime, Saunders isn’t trying to coach his teammates as he watches from the sidelines. He takes on a different role, a player. “I’m not really coaching the guys. That’s something that I’m not going to do right now because we all have different roles on the team,” Saunders said.
Like any player, Saunders has high aspirations for himself and his team. “We are just going to keep on working hard, keep on being unselfish and do the best we can,” he said. “We are going through a lot of adversity but I think that we can only get better right now.”
story by Cathy Behr, athletic communications graduate assistant
