I AM PROUD TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, JASON RUZICH, AS THE HEAD BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL COACH AT SOUTH ALLEGHENY HIGH SCHOOL. AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF LIBERTY BORO, I AM HONORED TO TEACH AND HOLD THE HEAD COACHING POSITION AT THE SCHOOL I ADMIRE.

      DURING MY SEINOR YEAR (1995,) MY BASKETBALL TEAM ACCOMPLISHED MANY GOALS AND STARTED A NEW TRADITION IN THE BASKETBALL PROGRAM. AS A TEAM, WE WERE THE FIRST TO BEAT SERRA CATHOLIC, FIRST TO MAKE THE PLAY-OFFS, AND FIRST TO WIN A PLAY-OFF GAME. AT THE END OF THE SEASON, MY HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO THE SPORT PAID OFF. I WAS ANNOUNCED AS MAKING THE ALL-DISTRICT TEAM, WHICH CONSISTED OF THE TOP 10 PLAYERS IN THE AREA.

     WHILE ATTENDING CAL ST., I DECIDED TO TRY OUT AS A WALK ON PLAYER. SHORTLY AFTER, MY HAND WAS BROKEN AND SURGERY WAS A MUST. I DECIDED NOT TO GO OUT THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND CONCENTRATE ON THE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS, ACADEMICS. AGAIN, I AM A 1995 GRADUATE OF SOUTH ALLEGHENY AND WENT ON TO PURSUE MY DEGREE IN ELEMENTARY/SPECIAL EDUCATION AT CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

     DURING STUDENT TEACHING IS WHEN I WAS FIRST GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO COACH THE SPORT I LOVE, BASKETBALL. BEGINNING AT THE 9TH GRADE BOYS LEVEL, I IMMEDIATELY FOUND A NEW HOBBY, COACHIING. THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF MY CAREER WAS COACHING THE 9TH GRADE BOYS AND THEN ASSISTED THE GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM AS A VOLUNTEER. MY FOURTH YEAR WAS SPENT AS THE JUNIOR VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL COACH. MY FIFTH YEAR OF COACHING IS WHEN I RECEIVED MY FIRST HEAD COACHING TITLE, WHICH WAS WITH THE GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL PROGRAM.  WE WERE THE SECOND TEAM IN SCHOOL HISTORY TO MAKE THE PLAY-OFFS AND WIN A PLAY-OFF GAME.  OUR TEAMS OVERALL RECORD WAS 15-11.  IT WAS THE MOST VALUABLE EXPERIENCE I ENDURED IN MY 5 YEARS OF COACHING.  NOW I AM BACK WITH THE BOYS PROGRAM, BUT WITH A NEW TITLE, HEAD COACH.

     JULY OF 2005 WAS THE DATE OF MY HIRE AND SHORTLY AFTER WAS MY FIRST INTERVIEW WITH THE DAILY NEWS. ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS THEY ASKED WAS "I NOTICED YOU JUMPING BACK AND FORTH FROM BOYS TO GIRLS. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY BETTER?" WELL THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE, I LOVE THE GAME. WHETHER IT IS WATCHING, PLAYING, COACHING BOYS OR GIRLS, YOUNG OR OLD. AS LONG AS I AM ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND MOLDING PEOPLE'S LIVES TO BECOME BETTER BASKETBALL PLAYERS AND OUTSTANDING CITIZENS. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FIRST SEASON, AS WELL AS SEVERAL MORE TO FOLLOW. PLEASE VIEW OUR SCHEDULE AND SUPPORT THE VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM, THEY DESERVE IT.