But rather than rely on fortuitous serendipity or offer a sprinkling of pixie dust before the basketball gods and goddesses in order to realize his aspiration, he is hard at work forging the foundation necessary to climb the ladder.
Currently a graduate assistant with the Arizona State men's basketball program, Ruta participated in a recent Q-and-A:
Q: You list Mansfield, Massachusetts and Tempe, Arizona on your Twitter account -- what's your connection to those two cities?
AR: I'm originally from Mansfield, MA which is a small town 30-40 minutes outside of Boston. Mansfield is a place that you won't see on many maps, but I take a lot of pride in being from there. Then, once I graduated from high school I came out to Tempe to go to ASU.
Q: You are currently a grad assistant with the Arizona State men's basketball program -- what and why are you studying academically, why did you pursue the position and how did you go about landing it?
AR: Right now I am finishing up my degree in Higher Education. It's an awesome program and I learn a lot of things I try to apply to my day to day life both personally and with basketball. My main goal ever since I have been in high school is to be a college head coach, but I feel like going out and getting a Master's degree can only help me in the long run. As for my goal of being a college head coach some day, I can only take it one day at a time and try to perfect my craft and be a like a sponge trying to absorb as much information as I can.
Q: What are your duties with the team both during the season and during the off-season?
AR: My duties vary greatly on a daily basis. When people ask about my job at ASU the best way I can describe it is that no two days are ever the same. If I want to make it in this competitive business I know I have to be a renaissance man so I try to dip my feet in as many areas as I can. I'm involved with everything from scouting to player development to camps to overseeing the student managers and everything in between.
Q: What are your employment plans/hopes/dreams for the future? What would a prospective employer see of importance on your resume?
AR: My goal one day is to be a college basketball head coach. I know that it's a lofty goal, but it is something that I have always dreamed about and strive each day towards this goal. I first started at ASU as a student manager and you're the bottom man on the totem pole and it humbles you very quickly. As I advance in my career I don't think I'll ever forget that. I take pride in the aspect of being able to come from the bottom and climb each rung of the ladder and be able to absorb as much information as I can along the way.
Q: If any, which basketball-related figure(s) had the greatest effect on your life to date plus why?
AR: I think the biggest influence on my career has been Eric Musselman. I've been lucky enough to be around him for a year now and each day I learn so many things from him. He's so innovative and his mind is always flowing a million miles an hour. Also, he is great with X's and O's, but most importantly he just knows how to relate to players and get them to respond better than anyone I have been around. Coach Sendek has been great and has taught me a lot with his preparation and attention to details. Also, guys like Dedrique Taylor (Fullerton head coach), Lamont Smith (associate head coach New Mexico) and Scott Pera (Associate head coach Pennsylvania) have taught me a lot. I've been very fortunate to be able to work with some great people in my time at ASU.
Ruta maintains a presence online via his Twitter account.
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