By Thomas Michael

He’s packing his bags for Elon University where he’ll be headed in the fall, but New Canaan hasn’t said goodbye to this Fairfield County All-Star football player yet. Former Ram Ryan Kilbane is gearing up for this Friday’s Hall of Fame Classic against New Haven County.

When Kilbane isn’t working out at the gym or earning college money from his job at the New Canaan Toy Store, his mind is set on football.

“When I step onto the football field it’s like a tranquil place,” Kilbane said. “I don’t know what [would] fill that void if I didn’t play football.”

But after coming out of a wrist injury (which kept him on the bench for about six weeks) and catching the game-winning touchdown against Daniel Hand High School in the CIAC Class MM championship game, who wouldn’t be eager to play more football?

“It was hard watching the team go on without me. I was sitting their knowing I could help the team in so many ways,” he said.

Kilbane’s wrist was injured on the first day of full-pad practice, just three weeks and two days before the first game of the season.

“Everyone was really supportive,” Kilbane said. “The coaches called the house to check up on me and my friends brought me balloons.”

Kilbane’s injury helped strengthen his values in the behind-the-scenes routines of football.

“When you’re out and you’re not playing, like when you sit back and watch, you begin to appreciate the little things,” he said, “Like the warm-ups and the jumping jacks that they make you do.”

Kilbane was one of several male athletes to be presented with the CIAC Sportsmanship Award at the annual New Canaan senior awards ceremony in June. But his sportsmanship doesn’t end with football.

“I’ve played pretty much every sport imaginable,” he said, naming baseball and basketball as major aspects of his athletic career.

Looking forward to his first semester at Elon, Kilbane sees an exciting future ahead.

“They have a great semester program for going abroad.” Australia, Spain and Italy are among Kilbane’s list of places he would like to visit. He also plans to join the practice squad of the university’s Division I football team and participate in intramural basketball and flag football. “I just love the place,” Kilbane said.