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07/11/2023 11:48 AMSports can often wield instances of overcoming hurdles and personal adversity on the road to triumph, and another fine example of that resided at North Branford High School this spring with Ryan Chasanoff and his path to track and field glory.
The North Branford Class of 2023 graduate actually missed the prior indoor track campaign for the winter due to having Tommy John surgery–effectively ending his long and budding baseball career. After being cleared to compete on the outdoor circuit just a week before the season started, Ryan decided to diversify his abilities by moving from hurdles to the triple jump this spring.
Ryan rose up the ranks quite quickly, as he claimed the Shoreline Conference crown in the triple jump with a victorious leap of 39 feet and 7.75 inches–earning First Team All-Shoreline honors in the process–and narrowly missed qualification for the State Open Championship in the event by 0.25 inches.
“It is all hard to describe, but it was a beautiful season,” says Ryan, who also won a CIAC Scholar Athlete Award. “I was crushed after the elbow injury in baseball, but when I found track, the team welcomed me and the coaches made everyone want to compete. I just felt like smacking adversity in the face. The guys favored over me at Shorelines, I didn’t think they were better than me.”
Harkening back to that fateful day at Shorelines, Ryan recalls that he was seemingly the only one absent of any anxiety and that, coupled with motivation from earlier performances in prior events, pushed him to the pinnacle.
“I was fifth in the long jump, and I thought I could do better, and so it lit a fire in me for the triple jump,” Ryan says. “Everyone else competing seemed nervous, but I was calm and relaxed. I was on deck for the triple jump, and the guy in front of me went two feet over my personal record to move into first, but then I overtook him on my next jump to win.”
North Branford boys’ outdoor track Head Coach Mike Rabuffo details that Ryan made remarkable progress in such a short span of time to pull off a win that was a surprise to probably everyone but Ryan himself, given his solid self-belief and competitive spirit.
“Ryan is a great influence on the team. He likes to joke around and have fun, but makes it serious when it’s time to do a workout. As a senior, he had a big influence on the team and he always gave 100%,” says Rabuffo. “A key aspect of Ryan’s form clicked, and his jumps became a lot more consistent while also adding distance exponentially. He went into the Shoreline Championship as an underdog, not expected to even medal. Winning it was an amazing feeling for us both. He has himself to thank for his progress. He put the work in; he deserves this achievement.”
Rabuffo was even more astounded by how Ryan even earned clearance to compete, on top of him being new to leaping in the field after traversing the track as a previous hurdler.
“What makes Ryan’s story so special to me is the unexpectedness of his season. Coming off surgery and missing our indoor season, Ryan was not even expected to be able to compete,” says Rabuffo. “He was cleared close to the start of the season. Ryan was mostly a hurdler before, with little long jump experience and no triple jump experience. He worked extremely hard this season, giving 100% at practice and always willing to do an extra practice on Saturday to perfect his form. His positive attitude was always the highlight of the day.”
When it comes to his swift ascendancy among Shoreline Conference triple jumpers, Ryan denotes that his increase in his controlled but abundant self swagger was a big factor, along with his dedication and diligence.
“It is all mental for me; I knew when I started track that I had the physical attributes but I was not confident enough,” says Ryan. “The confidence helped make track easier, and the team made it an easy atmosphere to succeed in, but it was also about putting in the work. I always told myself that I was better than the other guys for any competition, and I got to play underdog and spoiler against guys who had done track their whole lives.”
While he looks to utilize his first year as a freshman at UConn priming himself for future athletic forays, Ryan expresses a great deal of gratitude towards a new home he did not anticipate becoming a part of at the onset of his high school tenure in T-birds’ track.
“I want to succeed, get good grades, and graduate college and look to be in the gym my freshman year and work on my game,” Ryan says. “North Branford track meant a lot to me; I love my team and they were like a family to me. It was a different feel on this team compared to other teams I was on. They accepted me with open arms, and there were no negative-minded people there.”
Ryan’s entire trajectory and final destination in his time as a student-athlete has garnered him a great wealth of knowledge regarding the benefits of ingenuity and persistence when one path seems to be blocked.
“I learned that there is always a way to get it done,” says Ryan. “I also learned that closing one door can open a whole new opportunity. A bridge was burned with baseball, but it lit a bridge to new chances for me. If you have faith in yourself, you will figure it out.”