“HEEEYYYYYY!” His voice bellows as he walks into the computer room and surrounding hall. You can hear the gasps of fear and surprise clearly throughout the room. The words, “You scared me. I didn’t know you were there,” followed by nervous laughter, is vocalized shakily as everyone tries to catch their breath.

With teaching Accounting, Microsoft Office, Web Design, a gym class or two, coaching boys basketball and still having time to spend with his wife and four adorable, young children, one may say he is a super hero, which could possibly be correct, especially during basketball season.

He is one of the most loving people I know. His family is one of the most important parts of his life, following close behind his faith and walk with God. You can tell he just adores his wife, and that his children really are his world. When traveling to home from an away basketball game, he noticed that he wouldn’t be able to talk or see any of his children before they went to bed. When this hit him, I saw him reach for his cell and dial in the numbers first talking to his wife, then each child. He asked his two oldest about their day, and games they played in that night, not forgetting to remind them both to help out their mother and that he loves them. His next youngest he told him to go to bed and not give his mother trouble, and that he loved him. His youngest, only 3, he explained that he wouldn’t be able to read her a bedtime story tonight, and to not give her mother any trouble I could hear the pain in his voice when he said he couldn’t read her that story. Then he told her he loved her very much, and smiled while seemingly melting as she said something enduring back.

His students and players come right after his family. The lessons he teaches, not only in the classroom, but on the court, are both motivational and inspirational. His incorporation of God in everything, from the devotions to the simplest things is unspeakable. His players adore and respect him. In, at least, one of his varsity players you can see it in his eyes that he respects and adores his so much that he goes to him for advice and guidance on and off the court, which I think makes not only a good quality in a teacher, but in a person to talk to whenever needed. It’s a fact that teens don’t always have someone to talk to and I feel blessed to know that if I am ever in a problem I can go to him whenever for whatever.
You can see it in his eyes and through the assignments that he doesn’t view teaching and coaching as just giving facts, but making students figure it out themselves and then teaching how to use it. It’s clear his intentions are to make better young, Christian men and women and to help them achieve all that they can.

His faith, though, is one of the most impressive qualities of him that I admire. Through daily devotions, and small comments, and stories here and there about how to improve life through God, and how to understand why we are on this earth in the first place, he demonstrates through not only words, but actions. Yes, it sounds extremely cliché but it’s the truth. He helps his players become better people when school problems arise, not by jumping to conclusions and punishing right away, but by explaining what’s going on, and how it should be brought about, and then if anybody has violated what was discussed as the rule, he is punished in private.

His faith, his love for his family, his passion for teaching and coaching; it’s some of the most heartwarming things I have witnessed. The impact he has made on me in such a short amount of time is unbelievable. I have caught myself wondering how he would react if he knew I was about to make some of the decisions I have faced. It sounds insane, but it worked. Some students don’t realize what a great person he is because they haven’t seen him from the inside. I’ve hardly seen him from the inside, but what I have witnessed has been worth it. As for his life lessons and class lessons, those are the reasons why I look forward to his classes.

“HEEEYYYYYY!” His voice bellows as he walks into the computer room and surrounding hall. You can hear the gasps of fear and surprise clearly throughout the room. The words, “You scared me. I didn’t know you were there,” followed by nervous laughter, is vocalized shakily as everyone tries to catch their breath.

A smile appears on my face and a chuckle escapes my mouth. He’s here.