Kennedy coach Dennis Ringel leaves behind dynasty

Posted

Dennis Ringel isn’t ruling out a return to coaching, but after 12 extraordinary seasons at the helm of John F. Kennedy High School’s boys’ volleyball program, he’s chosen to step away for a while to focus on family.

The 45-year-old Ringel, a health teacher at Merrick Avenue Middle School, guided the Cougars to nine Nassau County championships, four Long Island titles and two state crowns in 2012 and 2018. His first county title came as co-coach with Allen Ma in 2009, which set the foundation for the most successful stretch any athletic program in the history of the school has enjoyed.

“I’m going to miss so much about coaching, but I knew there would be a point where a decision like this had to be made,” Ringel said. “My kids are 13, 11 and 9. They’re all heavily involved in different activities, and I want to be there for them.”

Ringel said some of the things he’ll miss most are daily practices with the music blasting, introducing former players to current ones and seeing parents of former players in the stands still supporting the team.

Kennedy’s Athletic Director Craig Papach said the biggest things that separated Ringel from most coaches were his practice routine and dedication to preparation.

“You can find Dennis in the middle of February after volleyball season was long over watching a video or reading an article,” Papach said. “His teams watched so much film. He was always looking for an edge and to keep getting better.

“I’ve urged younger coaches in our building to observe his practices because they were the perfect combination of intensity and fun,” Papach added. “His players never wanted to miss a practice because of how he challenged them each day in a fun environment. They had great chemistry year after year.”

Steve Gassert played an integral role on the Cougars’ first state championship team in 2012, and went on to win a collegiate Division III national title as a junior at SUNY New Paltz in 2016.

“I’m excited for coach to take some time with his family,” Gassert said. “He was great to play for and really made an impact on all of the kids he coached. He infects people with a love of the sport. One of the most memorable things I took from him is how special it is to be part of a group all working hard towards a common goal.”

Papach added that Ringel’s body language and demeanor during matches also played a role in the program’s success. “It was hard to tell the score by looking at Dennis,” Papach said. “He knows more than anyone that volleyball is a sport of momentum. Even if we lost three, four, five points in a row, he never yelled or did anything to bring a kid’s confidence down.”

Ringel, a three-time Nassau County Coach of the Year, said the state finals in 2012 when the Cougars swept Lake Shore ranks among his favorite memories. But, he said, every team he coached at Kennedy “had a special bond.”