RYAN HENKEL

Coach Henkel works for the Department of Defense. He and his wife Mia live in Satellite Beach and have three children – Miles, Emme, and Liam. His 2020 running back core consisted of a rotational dynamic trio with Achaia Jones, Garrett Tantius and Gabe White combining for 146 rushes and 1,043 yds/8.4 YPC/15TDs/0 Fumbles Lost. Garrett Tantius earned a selection for the All-Space Coast Team, Space Coast Daily All-Star Team, and First Team All-County Team. Achaia was also an All-County selection. In 2016 and 2017, he was the varsity running backs and linebackers coach for Central Catholic H.S. in Bloomington, Illinois. During his tenure, the Saints were 2x conference champs and made the IHSA playoffs both years. In 2017, his first team all-conference and 1st team all-county senior running back compiled 180 rushes for 1373yds/7.6 YPC/25TDs finishing top in the Central Illinois area (4th) and the Bloomington-Normal city schools (1st). He was with Lexington H.S. in Lexington, Illinois from 2011-2015. For the Minutemen, Coach Henkel was the JV head coach and coached the varsity wide receivers and linebackers. He is from Decatur, Illinois and is a 1994 St. Teresa H.S. graduate where he was a varsity football starter for 3 seasons — each making the IHSA Playoffs (’93 quarterfinals). His senior year, Coach Henkel was voted for captain and selected as a Chicago Sun Times All-State linebacker. In 1994 he went on to play OLB and long snapper for the Illinois State Redbirds. He graduated from I.S.U. with a Bachelor of Science in 1998. He was accepted into graduate school at the Savannah College of Art & Design in Savannah, Georgia and earned a Master’s Degree in 2001. His professional career started in Beaufort, South Carolina. In 2005, he returned to a Central Illinois firm as an industrial/mechanical 3D designer doing work for Caterpillar and John Deere. In 2017, Coach Henkel started his current job with a training institute at Patrick Space Force Base.