Senior Ryan Kolb enjoying his gridiron success

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Tipp Featured Athlete

The football program at Tippecanoe has been one of the most consistent programs in Ohio. Coming off a state final four appearance, their second in four years, the Red Devils always count on their leaders to continue carrying on the standard the program has built.

One senior this coming season who looks to continue that success is defensive standout Ryan Kolb, who had an elite season in 2025. As he uses the summer to hopefully produce a stellar senior season, he looked back at what happened last year with their great season.

“Last year's season was something special. Ever since I entered the program as a freshman, the coaches have instilled the concept in us that pressure is a privilege,” Kolb said. “As we moved further and further into the playoffs, this pressure was building on us as a team and as individuals. We finally started to understand it. Each game we were playing for something more than ourselves.”

“We were playing for our family, friends, and fans in the stands and the name across our chest. All season we were trying to prove that a small school like Tipp City can hang with the big dogs in our division. I think that we succeeded in that.”

Kolb contributed 78 tackles last season, more than double his sophomore season. He credited the older players who guided him during his sophomore season, then exploded onto the scene last year as a junior.

“As an underclassman, I had mentors in the upper classes that I looked up to,” he said. “I was so grateful for the opportunity to play with them last year and contribute in a meaningful way to our team. With the end of each game in the playoffs, I recognized that with just one loss I would be done playing with the friends and brothers I had grown up with in the senior class. I wasn't ready for it to end. None of us were.”

“This motivated us to give it our all and put our body and minds on the line. Moving forward into next season, I hope to be the same kind of mentor to my team that I had. Each practice, I try to pass on the knowledge and skills that I had passed on to me. That pressure that was put on us last year hasn't left. The whole team can feel it, motivating us to work as hard as we possibly can. We got a big taste of what our team can do last year. This year we are coming for the whole thing.”

He knows success comes after preparation, and that is what he and the team are doing.

“The offseason has always been a big part of my season,” Kolb said. “The preparation in the months prior is necessary to have a great year. Going into my junior year, I had an injury that threatened to end that season for me. All summer I was consumed with the idea that I could have been on the sidelines vs on the field that year. Every part of me was focused on getting healthy again.”

“When I was finally back, I worked tirelessly in the gym to become the best version of myself that I could be. That fear of not being able to play stuck with me and motivated me all season. I owed it to that version of me that could have been watching my team without being able to contribute.”

Kolb stated he works out not only with the Tipp coaching staff but also with trainers Coach Aracri, Sam Faulkner, and Zach Vargo to improve his moves and explosiveness.

“Coach Burgbacher and Tipp football are big on training during the winter months in the offseason,” Kolb said. “They give us a couple of weeks of rest to soak in and celebrate our success as well as reflect on our losses. After that, it's back to work, and we put the past season behind us to focus on the next one ahead.”

“As a team, Coach Burgbacher encourages us to have fun during these team lifts and sprints, but when it's time to lock in, we give each other our best. That's something that I have noticed that brings us together as a team and builds memories that we carry with us into our season.”

The one thing this group of guys do is only look one week at a time, but Kolb knows the cohesiveness of this group could lead them a long way in 2026.

“Going as far as we did last year definitely has prepared us for another long run this year,” he said. “Playing week after week like that for so long was still relatively new territory to us as a program last year. This year we know what to expect and what's required of us.”

“One of the biggest strengths this year's team has is how close we are. Last year we were a close team, and we were able to overcome adversity when the pressure of the playoffs increased. We need to make sure we’re prepared for similar challenges this year and stay focused throughout the season.”

“My senior class has put a big emphasis on making everyone feel welcome. We do activities outside of football to build our relationships and get closer to each other. I feel that this is gonna really help in those close games where the pressure is high.”

While he is focusing on his senior season, Kolb is preparing himself for life at the next level, hoping to continue his playing career at the collegiate level.

“I have always wanted to play at that next level. It's one of the reasons that I work as hard as I do. With the end of my high school career coming into view, it makes me realize how special this year is, and I’m staying focused on contributing to my team by being the best version of myself.”

“To prepare for opportunities that may come after high school, I have attended multiple camps this summer to get some coaching and exposure to the next level. These camps have given me a small taste of what college life might look like and what I can expect going forward. I’m excited for the opportunity to play in college, but right now I’m keeping it one game at a time and looking forward to the upcoming season and playing our last game in Canton.”