Ryan Bliss is in his third season coaching with South Kent School, this year leading the 16U team. Originally from Chelmsford, MA, Ryan began playing hockey at three years old and instantly fell in love with the sport. Over time, he realized that his hard work and passion for hockey gave him a great chance to play at the collegiate level. To set himself up for success, Ryan started challenging himself at a young age, which enabled him to receive many accomplishments such as captaining the 2012 USA Youth Olympic team and playing for the National Team Development Program from 2012-2014. This allowed Ryan to have many options to play for a competitive high school team, as he played for Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and ISL power St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire. Due to his success in high school, Ryan took his career to the next level, playing for Cornell from 2014-18. Ryan tallied four goals and 14 assists as a member of the Big Red. He then went on to play for a fifth year at UMass Amherst, helping the team finish as the NCAA Tournament runner-up to Minnesota-Duluth.
In the following year, Ryan joined UMass Amherst’s coaching staff as a volunteer assistant. In 2021, he helped UMass Amherst win the National Championship against St. Cloud, resulting in the fewest losses of a national champion since the 1992-93 University of Maine team. After the season, Ryan arrived at the Hillside where he has coached the 18U team as an assistant before becoming the head coach for the 16U team.
Ryan has deeply enjoyed his time at South Kent, as he looks to develop student athletes on and off the ice and prepare them for post-graduate opportunities. He also has an admiration for the legacy of South Kent hockey, and he aims to continue setting the bar high for student-athletes, maintaining the school’s prestige. In his free time, Ryan likes spending time with his husky Kaia, golfing, and skiing with friends and family.