COACH
MEET YOUR
Meet Ryan Ponsonby, the laid-back, down-to-earth coach extraordinaire who's been shaping the running scene since 2006. A former University of Texas Track & Field All-American with a knack for bringing out the best in athletes, Ryan's coaching journey began just after graduation. He served as a volunteer assistant for the Texas Longhorns track & field program from 2006-08 and also founded FloSports and FloTrack with a former teammate, Mark Floreani. The two spent months on the road interviewing the best coaches in the sport, and Ryan quickly realized he was on the wrong side. He didn't want to interview these coaches; he wanted to be the coach.
Since then, he’s pursued that dream. Ryan has coached NCAA Division I Champions, U.S. Champions, and World and Olympic medalists. He coached Shannon Rowbury to World Championship Bronze, Olympic Bronze, and Leo Manzano to Olympic Silver. This was the first medal for an American man in the 1500m since the 1968 Olympics, and the fastest time ever for an American in event final. He’s worked with many International athletes including National team members representing Kenya, Ethiopia, Mexico, and Japan. Ryan also spent almost 5 years as Head cross country and track & field coach of St. Edwards University, leading both the men and women's team to their highest finish ever at a conference championship, placing 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Ryan’s favorite aspects of coaching are the relationships and the process. He loves getting to work with motivated athletes to help them reach their goals. And he especially loves developing the blueprint for how we'll get there together, then making adjustments and seeing progress along the way.