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Central Catholic Names New Strength and Conditioning Coach
Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, Christi found her footing in Track & Field and Basketball at Bexley High School. She attended University of Akron where she broke records in every Track & Field event in which she competed (winning 11 Mid-American Conference titles and earning ALL-MAC honors seven times). She is proud to be Akron’s first multiple All-American, receiving that honor four times. In 2000, she became Akron’s first NCAA Division I Champion as a heptathlete and the school’s first athlete to qualify for the US Olympic Trials. In 2012, she was voted Greatest Female Athlete of All Time by the University of Akron and is currently a 7-time Track and Field Hall of Fame inductee.
Christi’s passion has since turned to coaching and she is proud to have led Central Catholic’s Track and Field program as Head Coach the past five years. Prior to Central Catholic, she was an Assistant Track and Field coach at Ohio University, Kent State University, and University of Iowa. She spent time in Eugene as a Strength and Conditioning Intern at the University of Oregon and has been a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the NSCA since 2014.
Smith-Ryan truly believes that we all have the ability to overcome challenges and achieve our full potential, but that can not be done alone. As Central Catholic’s Strength and Conditioning Coach, Christi is committed to supporting team goals across all sports and ensuring that every student athlete has the opportunity to reach maximum strength, prevent injury, and accelerate their development so they can perform at their absolute best.
“To reach excellence together, we need trust, and trust is built on relationships, so please know that I always have an ear for you!"
-Christi Smith-Ryan