(Photo by Colton McKee, coltonmckeephotography.com) 

Truman Bartman | themavericks.ca

Oklahoma is a hard-wired, southern-rooted, resilient place. Blazing heat, fierce dust-ups, and unforgiving storms are common occurrences. Those born in “The Sooner State’s” rugged western territory are built to withstand even the toughest environments. 

Medicine Hat Mavericks Head Coach Ryan Reed, just like the environment where he grew up in Yukon, OK, carries with him all of the attributes that define his home state.

Since he was a kid, all Reed remembers is being a baseball player; he can’t remember a day when he wasn’t playing baseball. 

“I feel like I’ve always had a bat in my hands since I was able to walk. I don’t know where it exactly started; it’s just been a part of who I am.”

Like any kid, Reed dreamt of playing at the highest level, and as he progressed through each level that Oklahoma baseball had to offer, he found himself in a position to play collegiate baseball. 

Beginning at Vernon College in Texas, two more stops at Rogers State (Oklahoma), and finally, at Mid-America Christian University. During his final stop at MACU, Reed would not only cap off a decorated baseball career as a 2nd baseman but also lay the groundwork for a future in the sport. 

“My first spring there, I was banged up and missed a weekend. I remember I was on the gator dragging the field with our pitching coach, and he was like, “Have you thought about coaching?” Are you interested in being a grad assistant after next year? I’m like, I’d love to, and the conversation started there.”

“I felt like, towards the end of my senior year, that I was already part of the staff. They were almost prepping me for what was to come. They instilled that confidence in me before I was even a coach.”

After a seamless transition into a role as a grad assistant at MACU at the conclusion of his playing days and an enjoyable first season as a coach, Reed’s aspirations were bigger. That’s where a rare opportunity to coach north of the border was presented to him through his coaching colleague and mentor, Brett Stanton. 

An application submission, followed by an interview with Mavericks GM/Owner Greg Morrison resulted in an offer to serve as the Mavericks’ assistant coach for the 2025 season. It would be Reed’s first time leaving the United States, and similar to the rough-and-tumble Oklahoma environment, his first arrival in Canada brought its own turbulence. 

“It was my first time out of the States, and well, it wasn’t good to start,” Reed said with a laugh.

“My drive up was about 25 hours. When I got to the border, I gave them my papers to get my work visa, and found out I went through the one portal entry that can’t print a work visa. Luckily, they let me in, but they sent me to the Coutts, which is about a two-hour drive on a gravel road with no cell service. I was mapping it out by hand. I had low tire pressure, and I was terrified. I just kept thinking, What am I doing? I don’t know. If it all was worth it.”

Not only did Reed survive his first trip across the border, but he excelled in his first summer coaching in Canada. Reed helped the Mavs capture a record of 34-12 as head coach Jonathon Thornhill’s right-hand man. Despite the promising regular season, Reed got his first taste of WCBL heartbreak with Medicine Hat losing in round 1 of the postseason. However, the young skipper remained optimistic about the future.

That future included Reed getting a major promotion in 2026 and being named as the Mavericks’ head coach, a title he had been preparing for since the start of his coaching journey. If you were to sit down 1 on 1 with Reed, he’d open up about how much an opportunity like this means to him, and you’d feel his passion for his craft. 

On the field, it’s hard to get a read on what the stoic 27-year-old is really feeling. Wise beyond his years, Reed has both a calmness and a measured intensity that only comes around in spurts. Young coaches in his field can often be quick to react or ultra animated, but Reed channels his energy and hunger for competing into a poised approach.

“I mean, I don’t know if I always show it, but I’m a competitor. All I really know is sports; I want to compete, and I want to win. It motivates me to be at the park every day.”

Away from the park, that hidden fire and competitive spirit still remain a part of who Reed is. However, it’s his ability to turn his coaching switch off that has offered him a much-needed balance and allowed him to gain perspective on the importance of checking out of “baseball mode.” 

“It’s always been important to me to try to balance when to turn off or on that switch. I don’t handle losing very well. Even though I don’t express it or show it. There have been times as a coach and as a player where it just never turned off. I’ve learned how to balance that as I’ve matured.”

“I have a thing where I flush it on the way home, and then it’s over with. I’m not in baseball mode. I am able to enjoy life and relax a lot more. It helps when I get to hang out with staff or the players and just talk about other life things.”

Tough conditions don’t seem to faze Oklahoma’s Ryan Reed when he’s coaching. His stable and steady demeanour keeps its form under pressure. Unshakeable, undeterred, and unrelenting, Ryan Reed is ready to weather any storm he and the Medicine Hat Mavericks may encounter as he navigates through his first season as a WCBL head coach.