Ryan Sallis has been coordinator and coach for the Future Trojans Wrestling Club in Waterloo, Iowa, as well as the organizer of the annual Willie Gadson Youth Tournament for the past six years. Sallis graduated from Waterloo East High School in 2001. He qualified for the state wrestling tournament twice, and finished fifth in 2001. Sallis attended Wartburg College before being deployed by the Army National Guard to Egypt and Iraq for three years. He was active duty with the Army National Guard for nine years from 2003-09.