Latin School of Chicago

O n and off the court, Ryan Marks '89 says he is inspired by his Latin School experiences on a daily basis. While the work he did in Latin classrooms has served him well over the last 23 years, it has been the relationships he forged with his coaches that has most influenced the path his life has taken. As head men's basketball coach at the University of Texas Pan-American (UTPA), Marks says he continues to rely on their lessons. "I was so much better prepared than many of my classmates at USC. I left Latin with a blueprint of how to be successful in different endeavors." After graduating from the University of Southern California, Marks began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Central Missouri. He's served as assistant coach at Northern Illinois University and as head coach at Southern Vermont College and St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, before joining the UTPA coaching staff three years ago. Marks played sports throughout his 14-year career at Latin: soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring. Ironically, basketball was far from his strongest sport. In fact, Marks says, "I was easily worst at basketball. But that meant I had to think about basketball the most and understand it the best to bring value to the team." That process was made easier by two coaches at Latin: Tom Bower, who helmed varsity soccer and middle school basketball teams at the time, and Charles Sebastian, who coached the baseball squad in those days. "They were not only great coaches to play for, but they also have had a huge impact on my career," Marks explains. His first brush with coaching happened during his junior year: Coach Bower encouraged him to join the Super Stars in-house basketball program, coaching fifth and sixth graders. That same year, Coach Sebastian took over the junior varsity basketball team, and Marks was there to help. "I would sit with him during the games and help him out 28 Latin Magazine for the first three quarters." In the fourth quarter, Marks would have to leave for his varsity game. "I'd tell him, 'Okay, you're on your own now.'" It was a profound experience, Marks recalls. "I remember thinking: I might have a future in this." Both Bower and Sebastian helped shape his identity as a coach – albeit in very different ways. Bower advocated meticulous preparation before a game. "Being thorough in our preparation helped us to compete confidently and calmly," Marks says. "That's really stuck with me. When I'm coaching, there's a lot of Coach Bower in what I do." Coach Sebastian, on the other hand, was "very good at teaching you how to maximize your potential and strengths," Marks says. "He was great at showing you how to relax, how to be enthusiastic." Beyond his passion for sports, Marks was also a fairly diligent student. "But it wasn't until I got to college that I understood the value of my experience." "I was so much better prepared than many of my classmates at USC," he says. "I left Latin with a blueprint of how to be successful in different endeavors." Today, Marks uses that blueprint to inspire a new generation of student athletes. And he refers frequently to the lessons learned under Coaches Bower and Sebastian. "Those two guys have impacted my coaching more than anyone – or anything – else." n

• Cover