Chichester recovering from coach's sudden death

Ryan Smith always envisioned himself one day becoming a head football coach somewhere. The 31-year-old, 1997 Sun Valley graduate just didn't think it would come this fast-or under the toughest of circumstances.

Smith is the new head coach of Chichester football, taking over for Bobby Shull, who never coached a game after dying suddenly and unexpectedly on June 4 at the age of 37 from leukemia. Shull's death struck the Chichester community and forced Smith, a gym teacher at Chichester, into action.

"Bob's death hit us all hard, and I saw the look in the eyes of these kids every day in school, and what Bob meant to them, it's why I submitted my name," said Smith, who was an assistant coach under Shull and was appointed head coach on June 18. "When Bobby took the program over, I don't think there could have been a better guy to be working under than him. I grew immensely as a coach in the short time I was with him. Losing Bobby was the ultimate blow. Tragedy isn't even the right word for it. It came at us so fast, we didn't even have time to brace ourselves."

Smith will have his work cut out for him in transforming the Chichester program back to respectability. The Eagles were 0-12 last season and 2-33 the previous three seasons under former head coach Dan Singley. The Eagles play in the Del Val League, which features powerhouse Interboro, and tough programs Penn Wood, Glen Mills and Chester.

The message Smith wants to convey to his players is accountability and holding them to high standards. He admits it's going to be a huge challenge, but, "I believe in these kids," Smith said.

You get the sense that Smith and the Eagles will be playing for more than just wins next season.

"We're going to continue an extended arm of what Bobby started here," Smith said. "I'm going to go all out and do everything necessary to get this going in the right direction. It's what Bobby would have wanted.

"Bobby was given a ship with a big hole in it that was sinking. He got it patched up and moving in the right direction when he got sick. These kids really attached themselves to him. They bought into what he was telling them. You have to believe he's somewhere looking down at us; there's no doubt that he's here."

Send e-mail to santolj@phillynews.com.