Ryan Banta

Ryan Banta is a hall of fame high school coach author of the Sprinter’s Compendium

His athletes have achieved 148 school records (FR, JV, Varsity), 11 top-five team finishes at the state championships, team state title in 2022, 12 district championships, 8 district runner-up finishes, 15 conference team titles, 297 state semi-finalist (sectionals), 222 state qualifiers, 3 state records (3200, 4×800, and 100HH), 23 national ranked events, 196 All-state Medalists, 24 state champions, 24 runner-up performances, and 3 Gatorade athletes of the year all done in a single gender at Parkway Central High School.

Banta was the St. Louis Suburban Conference Coach of the Year 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, past President of the MTCCCA, and has a Master’s in Positive Psychology from the University of Missouri. He was also the HS coach of Olympian Emily Sisson.

• Member of Missouri Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (MTCCCA) Hall of Fame 2021

• USTFCCCA Girl’s Coach of the Year 2022

• MTCCCA Coach of the Year 2021 & 2022

Leadership, Coaching Contributions, and Peer Development

● Lead Sprints Instructor at the Olympic Training Center for the USATF Coaches Podium School 2025

● Presenter at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon

● Author of the Sprinter's Compendium, the most comprehensive book ever written on the topic of speed, 2017

● Featured Coach on Ryan Banta’s Critical Mass System: Sprint Training Philosophy & Methods by Championship Productions 2022

 ● Host of Companions of the Compendium Podcast 2021

● MTCCCA President

● MTCCCA Executive Committee

 ● MTCCCA Vice President

● MSHSAA Advisory Board Member

● Clinician Presenter in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Wisconsin, Virginia

● Presenter at World Speed Summit and ALTIS Apprentice Coach Program

● Contributor to speedendurance.com, just-fly-sports.com, and elitetrack.com. Academic Education

● Master of Education in educational, school, and counseling psychology with an emphasis in positive coaching at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, 2019

● Teacher’s Certification from the University of Missouri in St. Louis, 2007

● Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in history and Asian Studies from Carthage College, 2001 Athletic Education & License

● USATF Level II in endurance, jumps, relays, hurdles, and sprint events.

● USTFCCCA Technical Certification

● ALTIS Apprentice Coach’s Program

● USATF Emerging Elite Coach in 2012