Time for some ink

HORSEPLAY

River Falls High School senior Ryan Langer is a three-sport athlete but you may not know who he is. The 6'2' 200-pounder hasn't received much ink in the newspaper, although he did make Second Team All-Conference as a defensive end for the Wildcat football team.

The only ink announcing Langer's presence are the two tattoos on his body in plain view during basketball games.

Both tattoos collectively represent exactly who Ryan Langer is, whether he knows this or not.

The cross and rose on his arm are for his grandfather who passed away. The 'AO1' tattooed above his knee stands for 'audience of 1.'

'It reminds me I'm playing for the person above,' said Langer, 'And nothing is going to get in my way.'

That's the double-edged sword that is Ryan Langer. On one hand, he's caring and compassionate and makes no apologies or tries to hide it. That's the teddy bear cross and rose side of him. On the other hand, he's extremely intense and is very aware this is his last year of playing organized sports.

'He's the guy who is driving the culture of that tenacity and that blue collar toughness piece,' said Wildcat Head Basketball Coach Zac Campbell.

Langer was nicknamed 'The Plumber' by River Falls Sports YouTube announcers Kevin Westhuis and Mike Kealy on the football field. Langer did the dirty work on the gridiron and brought the same work ethic to the hardwood.

'Coach Campbell always tells us our team is going to win games in practice,' said Langer.

'Ryan controls the competitive pulse of our practice,' said Campbell, 'He definitely has an 'it' factor, but that 'it' factor became contagious.'

The 2021-22 Wildcat boys basketball team only had one returning starter from a team that went to the state tournament a year ago. This year's Wildcats were predicted to finish dead last in the Big Rivers Conference.

'We all took that personal,' said Langer, 'And the confidence and the chemistry just kept growing. It all comes down to trust and we trust Coach Campbell.'

Sports prognosticators use statistics to make their predictions, but they forgot about the strongest muscle of them all, the heart.

Playing defense is all about energy, effort, and heart. Defense won games for the Wildcats this season.

'This was the best half court defensive team I've ever coached,' said Campbell, 'And it's because of Ryan Langer. He is the complete product of his daily work.'

'The reason we play such great defense,' said Langer, 'is because Coach Campbell expects us to.'

Langer was on the 'B' team in middle school. He was on the JV2 team as a freshman. He was still on the JV team as a junior. Most other kids, especially ones excelling in two other sports (football and baseball) would've quit and focused on other things.

'Ryan bucked that pattern for sure,' said Campbell.

'I just didn't want to give up on Coach Campbell,' said Langer, 'Because I knew I'd have the opportunity at some point.'

Good team chemistry is tough to define and impossible to coach. It's like a gorgeous piece of art. I don't know what makes up a beautiful painting, but I know it when I see it. The same goes for team chemistry. The Wildcats had it this year and Ryan Langer was the team chemist.

'I don't want to sound cocky,' said Langer, 'I honestly don't really know how to explain it. It gradually became a part of what I do.'

Like an artist working with paint, he can't tell you the team chemistry blueprint, he just knows what needs to be done.

Like many players, senior point guard Michael Schurman can become frustrated after a bad call or a play that didn't go his way. Schurman wears his heart and his body language on his proverbial sleeve. Like fixing a leaky pipe, 'The Plumber,' Ryan Langer, is there to do his job.

'Michael is the most important player on our team and we need him,' said Langer, 'It's my job to be uplifting and help him focus his energy.'

And when break-out star Ethan Campbell needed a confidence boost, Ryan Langer was right there giving him a pat on the back and letting him know how good he was.

Team chemistry all comes back to trust and relationships. It’s a two-way street and just because one person says what needs to be said, it doesn't always mean the other party will listen. They listened to Ryan Langer and he listened to his coach. That's why it worked.

'He has never once questioned anything,' said Campbell, 'He just says 'yes' and goes to work.'

Two weeks ago, the Wildcats drummed Chippewa Falls by 28 points. After the game, Langer and fellow senior, Ty Larsen, hopped in the car and drove to Hudson to lift weights and work out at 9:30 p.m. This was nothing new. They did this all season long after practice and games.

The Wildcats finished the season with a 20-6 record and second place in the conference. Their season finale was this past Saturday, losing in the region play-offs to Onalaska. They were down by 23 points well into the second half, but with 1:29 seconds remaining in the game, they were down by 7. Onalaska turned the ball over and, you guessed it, Ryan Langer was diving for the ball on the floor and it bounced off a Hilltopper leg. The crowd went berserk.

Like Coach Campbell said, Ryan Langer brought the “it” factor and it was contagious, not only for his teammates, but for everyone watching.

The Plumber punched the time clock every single day. For all the time on JV, for all the time preparing for his opportunity, and for being the competitive pulse of practice, that's why it's time for guys like Ryan Langer to have some ink, in the newspaper that is.

BY GREG PETERS