By Devin Jones
For the entirety of the 2015-2016 season head coach Roy Rana will be taking a sabbatical from the Ryerson Rams men’s basketball team.
The news comes off the heels of a bronze medal finish at the CIS tournament, which Ryerson hosted back in March, as well as Rana taking a guest coaching spot at an NBA summer camp with the San Antonio Spurs over the summer.
“I am grateful to our team, staff and department in understanding and supporting my need to take time to concentrate on my family, re-energize and continue growing as a coach and person,” said Rana in a press release. “I’m very proud of the strong, positive culture we’ve built in our program and know we have the right leadership and character in our players and coaches to keep us operating at the highest level this upcoming season.”
Since joining the Rams back in 2009, Rana has turned the team into a powerhouse program that has consistently out-performed themselves season over season. As well as capturing bronze in 2015, Rana and the Rams also managed to tie the program’s single season wins record (17-2) set during the 1999-2000 season.
“It’s been a long grind since he’s been here and he’s put in a lot of time and energy to build the program up so he wants to take some time to spend some time with his family, his two young kids,” said associate director of athletics Stephanie White. “He wants to refresh himself and ultimately be ready for the battles in the upcoming years. We’ve been seeing this in the men’s basketball program; two others (coaches) have done this, this season.”
Coaching duties will be turned over to assistant coach Patrick Tatham who, since joining the Rams in 2011, has assumed head coaching duties once already while Rana attended an international trip to China in 2013. Tatham played his collegiate career at Cleveland State University and was a member of the Canadian Junior National team from 2002-2004.
According to White, Rana and Tatham are in the process of figuring out additional support — the role of which is not yet clear — with a possible announcement in the weeks to come.
The Rams kick off their OUA season Nov. 4 when they host the Toronto Varsity Blues at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
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