The RoundHouse | 1/3/2019 8:24:00 AM

Where are they now:
 
Ryan Jones – Baseball (2007-10)
 
Jones, a Wichitan, loved playing outfield in the stadium where he watched the Shockers as a young fan. He enjoyed talking with fans, always happy to sign autographs and pose for pictures after games before finding friends and family members near the dugout.
 
He played right field and center and combined with teammates such as Andy Dirks and Kevin Hall for an excellent defensive group featuring great speed and instincts.
 
Jones started 188 games in four seasons with the Shockers. For his career, he hit .281 with 20 home runs, 34 doubles and 53 stolen bases. 
 
In 2007, Jones raced home, after a double by Derek Schermerhorn, to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning of a 4-3 elimination game victory over Arizona in NCAA regional play. He batted second and hit .326 with five triples and 11 doubles for the 2008 super-regional team as a sophomore. 
 
Status update –Jones learned baseball from Charlie Ebright, his coach at Bishop Carroll. Ebright also inspired Jones with his teaching methods.
 
Jones is in his third year teaching social studies at Valley Center Middle School. Ebright taught the same courses at Carroll.
 
"I absolutely loved going to his class every day," Jones said. "The biggest key, and what's given me success, is that you can't really teach it as a timeline. You've got to teach it more like a story. Once you show the kids it's like a big, long story and that it's fun to learn the little things. You play it off as a big movie or a big book and they really get into it."
 
Recently, Jones taught about the Civil War in his eighth-grade class. His seventh-graders are learning geography.
 
"It's more project-based, and letting the students decide what they want to learn," he said. "If they decide what they want to learn, you get a lot more buy-in."
 
Family –Wife, Jennifer; Bella (4), Paislee (2)
 
Run a team -Jones, who played four seasons in the minor leagues, is owner and general manager of 316 Elite, an instructional and travel baseball academy, which operates out of the Wichita Sports Forum.
 
"Learning how to go at it from the coaching side has been a lot of fun," Jones said. "I have a bunch of great coaches that I love to work with. It's been something that I needed in my life ever since baseball left me from the playing side."
 
Jones said he preaches that joy is an important part of the game.
 
"Once baseball become a job, you've basically lost," he said. "Every time you put cleats on and step on the field, it's a blessing."
 
Shocker time – The Shockers qualified for NCAA play in 2007, 2008 and 2009 during Jones' career and won Missouri Valley Conference titles in 2007, 2008 and 2010.
 
Jones said he remains close with several teammates, such as shortstop Dusty Coleman. Jones' memories start with the coaching staff. 
 
Jones loved playing spades (often partnering with Dirks) and listening to stories from coaches Gene Stephenson and Jim Thomas and radio broadcaster Mike Kennedy on the bus rides through the MVC. He enjoyed his talks Stephenson, many of which didn't involve baseball.
 
"I was lucky enough to play for Gene Stephenson," he said. "He's a legend and there's a reason for it. The way that he coached. The way that he taught the game. Not only that, the way he taught you how to be a human being. That was the greatest thing. He always told my parents that his job isn't just to make him a great baseball player, it's to make him a great student and a great son."
 
In 2007, the Shockers won a regional at Eck Stadium and lost to Cal Irvine in the super regional at home. In 2008, they knocked off Oklahoma State in Stillwater to before losing at Florida State in a super regional.
 
"That's something that will last a lifetime with me," he said. "At that point, you're not there for yourself. Baseball seems like it can become an individual sport. In all actuality, you need everybody on the team to have success. That's what Gene always instilled in us – playing the game as hard as you can."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.