6A Coach of the Year - 2005

RYAN JILKA
Goddard High School

Ryan Jilka was voted the Head Coach of the Year by 6A coaches for his team’s success in 2004-05. Goddard won three tournament titles: Emporia Winter Classic, Goddard Invitational, and Regionals. His team had 11 state qualifiers and four placers, including the school’s first ever three-time state champion.

Jilka coached at WaKeeney and Maize before coming to Goddard in 1998, where he became the head coach in 2001. He has coached 19 state placers, 6 state finalists, and four state golds as head coach at Goddard.

Jilka, who teaches seventh-grade Social Studies, graduated from Ft. Hays State in 1997, where he was an NAIA National Qualifier in 1992. In addition to many freestyle/Greco-roman success, he also was a two-time state placer for Maize High School, and academic all-state in 1991.