In explaining his philosophy toward playing football, Robbinsville High School senior Ryan Emigholz refers to Ravens’ head coach Andrew Patterson and assistant Brian Snell.
“Two of my favorite quotes from coach Patterson and coach Snell are ‘In football you don’t get second chances,’ and ‘Give it your all whether it’s for one play or sixty,’” Emigholz said. “These quotes have stuck with me in every aspect of my life.”
He has indeed lived by them, as Emigholz battled adversity throughout his four-year career. And in his role of long-snapper he got closer to one play per game than 60 but made the most of every one.
In summary, Emigholz played on the freshman team as a two-way lineman and saw varsity action as a sophomore. When an injury sidelined him for the entire 2023 campaign, “Ryan proved himself as the true team leader we all knew he already was,” according to Patterson.
Emigholz spent his junior year as a student-assistant and did such things as run practices and game-day sideline; learn the entire offense from a skill-position standpoint and become an offensive signal caller by relaying in every formation and play call.
He was able to return as a long snapper and still served as a student-coach and mentor to the younger players his senior season.
For his unheralded efforts as well as his academic acumen, Emigholz is this year’s RHS honoree as Scholar-Leader-Athlete at the 63rd Annual George Wah dinner on March 9 at Marriott @ Forrestal. He will receive a $1,000 scholarship (and is eligible for others) at the dinner, sponsored by the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.
“Receiving this award is a huge honor,” Emigholz said. “I am proud that I was able to continue with my high standard of academics as well as play sports in high school. A player who receives this award embodies what it means to be a hard working and well rounded individual.
“The players who received the scholar-athlete award had more work than any other student in their school. They had to juggle the work and stress of being a great student as well as play a varsity sport. Not many people are able to do what we all did.”
While taking numerous honors and advanced placement courses, Emigholz has compiled a 3.9 grade point average and 4.1 weighted GPA.
“Academics have always been my second priority after family,” he said. “I want to thank my mom and dad for instilling in me the importance of school and always pushing me to take the hardest classes possible to challenge myself.
“I take pride in challenging myself in school as I feel it really helps me grow as an individual. I have always taken great pride in my academics as I feel I’d be letting myself down if I didn’t take them seriously.”
His attention to the classroom has not been lost on RHS history teacher Jonathan Hutchinson, who raved about his participation in several projects from different classes that he taught.
“I’ve known Ryan for the last three-plus years as an outgoing and hard-working student who is dedicated to his studies both in and out of the classroom,” Hutchinson said. “Despite juggling a busy extracurricular schedule, Ryan continues to maintain an excellent academic standard.”
Those activities are varied and many. Football is one of just three sports played by the all-around athlete, as he is also a varsity basketball player and has played JV baseball at Robbinsville.
He joined the school’s Chinese Club, Ping Pong Club and Jewish American Club, and is part of the #WHATSMYNAME Foundation Youth Group at Saint Gregory the Great Church in Hamilton. He spearheaded the #WHATSMYNAME fundraisers his junior and senior years and helped raise $2,000 both times.
A guitar player since eighth grade, Emigholz has squeezed singing and playing rehearsal into his schedule. He volunteered for the New Jersey Hunger Project; packaging and assembling ingredients for meals for those in need.
Emigholz has also been part of the workforce, having been a clerk and retail assistant for the Cross and Shamrock shop, and a camp counselor at the Robbinsville Recreation Summer Camp.
His Scholar-Leader-Athlete honor is just the latest in a string of them. Emigholz has won his school’s Excellence in Business Award, Superintendent’s Award and Unsung Hero Award and was named Counselor of the Week at the rec summer camp.
“When Ryan Emigholz is part of the equation, everyone around you knows that everything is going to be okay,” Patterson said in a heartfelt letter to his senior after the season.
As much as Emigholz has done for the football team, he feels the sport has done just as much for him in the ways of life.
“Being a football player has taught me the importance of giving it your all no matter what you are doing,” he said. “The way you do the little things is how you do everything. You don’t always have the opportunity for second chances in life so you have to give it your best the first time.”
His best has provided him with a bright collegiate future. He is eying academic powerhouses Penn State, Villanova, Rutgers and Johns Hopkins (and is waiting to hear back from Hopkins).
“I want to double major in Business and Political Science,” he said. “I don’t know exactly what I want to do in my career, but I am super interested in something in the business industry or being a lobbyist like my dad.”
His dad and mom are just two of the folks that Emigholz acknowledges for making him the man he is today.
“Also my family, friends, coaches and teachers for helping me get to this point in my academic and athletic careers,” he said. “I greatly appreciate their support and encouragement throughout high school.”
In looking at Emigholz’s political and business acumen, Hutchinson sees a lot of potential.
“In my AP Government & Politics class, his personality and strong work ethic were once again on display,” the teacher said. “One assignment that really stood out to me was Ryan’s outside experience reflection. In the assignment, students are expected to engage with local elected officials and attend meetings to witness the inner workings of local government.
“Ryan actually had a unique perspective this past election as his father ran for local office. He was able to witness the election process and what goes into a campaign from a very personal level. He did a great job reflecting on the evening and tying the events to what we have learned in class about the election process and how elections are held.”
That is just one of the many reasons the Ravens coaching staff elected Emigholz as this year’s Scholar-Leader-Athlete.
Tickets for the George Wah Scholar-Leader-Athlete Dinner can be purchased by calling 609-202-4166 or emailing delval.nffhf.@gmail.com
