Why take on the daunting task of trying to tell another person's story? Especially a story about a man so revered, admired and known by so many. Truth be told, Chris Ridley never sets out to write a book. He chooses an interesting person or story about a person he knows and tries to tell that story to the best of his abilities. Usually, the person has a bigger than life persona. That was certainly the case with his first book, "Venable: Part Legend, All American" a book about his high school football coach and mentor who was a coaching legend in Kansas high school football and in Baldwin City. His second book, "Never Seen A Finer Day" is a story about his first official educator/ coaching mentor, Ron Bowen, also a Kansas high school football coaching legend who arguably is the best football coach in the city of Topeka, Kansas and who coached at Auburn-Washburn's Washburn Rural High School. And this book about Kansas tennis coaching legend, Kevin Hedberg, is about a coach Ridley hired at Washburn Rural when he was the athletic director.
Ridley grew up in the small town of Baldwin City, Kansas. In many ways, it resembled the fictitious community "Mayberry." Baldwin was a peaceful utopia with lots of good folks and with midwestern charm. Many of you who lived a small town childhood in the 50's, 60's and 70's can relate to this. The importance of the schools in these small communities is quintessential to the values developed. Of course, back then, it was just a way of life for many. Looking back, it is clear that the safeness was reassuring to all.
Long story short teachers in Baldwin City influenced and inspired Ridley in various ways. Jack Brookshire, Carolyn Groves, Mary Plank, Conrad Braun, Dick Wilson and Venable were just a few of the teachers who impacted Ridley.
Ridley attended Baker University located in Baldwin for a year, then completed his education at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas earning his Bachelors in Education and his Masters in Educational Administration/ Leadership. In 1978 Ridley student taught at Washburn Rural High School in Topeka. His cooperating teacher was Ron Bowen. And Ridley never left the district completing a 36-year career in education. He was a teacher of language arts and composition, journalism and physical education at the district's junior high school. He spent 11 years coaching football, basketball, and track for both the junior high school and the high school. He was a member of the football coaching staff that was fortunate enough to win two of the school's three state football championships (1985 and 1986).
His background and experience with language arts and journalism was fueled by his love of writing. Whether writing or speaking, he loves to tell stories.
So, if i was advising any author who publishes, I would tell them to try and choose to write about something you are familiar with, close to and choose a story that has broad appeal.
In writing about tennis legend Kevin Hedberg, I chose a story about, not only an exceptionally gifted tennis player and an influential coach, I chose an educator who had the gift to relate well with students in the classroom as well. And as exceptional a player, coach, and teacher he was, he was even a better person.
That makes telling his story exciting and personally fulfilling.
