Tag Archives: Athletic Coaches

Missouri’s John Roderique: Stellar football coach and Athletic Director

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Webb City High School’s Head Football Coach and Athletic Director John Roderique has led his teams to 13 Missouri State Championships.

One of the most celebrated football coaches in the country is John Roderique of  Webb City, Missouri. There he works at his high school alma mater, Webb City High School. He also serves as the school’s Athletic Director.

John has been the Varsity Head Coach of Webb City’s football program since 1997. Since he has taken the helm, his teams have won an astounding total of 11 state championships. And they have logged an outstanding 10 undefeated seasons.

Despite all this success, John remains humble, and he encourages his players to remain humble, too. “I think one thing that maybe gets overlooked is just trying to keep everything in perspective in terms of never get too up and never get too down, and keeping all the winning and all of the success in perspective,” asserts John.

John was born in Joplin, Missouri. As a youngster, he attended Webb City High School. After his high school graduation, he enrolled at Pittsburg State University (PSU). There he played football as a starter for three years. In 1988 and 1989 he served as his team captain.

John earned his Master’s degree from PSU. Prior to his work in Webb City, John served as an Assistant Coach at Pittsburg State University for seven years.

For his stellar work as an athletic coach, John has earned many accolades. He’s been inducted into the Missouri Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Joplin Area Sports Hall of Fame, the Webb City Athletics Hall of Fame, and the Pittsburg State Athletics Hall of Fame.

To read more about John, see this biography at Webb City High School.

The amazing Troy McAllister: Teacher and championship-winning football coach

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The amazing Troy McAllister: Teacher and championship-winning football coach

There are many talented educators who also serve as exemplary athletic coaches. One of these is Troy McAllister. He is a teacher and football coach at Wendell Phillips Academy High School, a public school located on the southside in Chicago, Illinois.

Troy has been the coach of the Phillips Academy Wildcats since 2010. When he first took the job, only ten players were on the team. In the ten years since he assumed the helm, his teams have won two Call 4-A state championships. Currently, the Wildcats are currently ranked Number 93 in the High School Football America 100 national rankings.

But Troy does more for his players than simply teach them winning football plays. He set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to provide healthy pre-game meals for his players. “Due to the lack of funds, our school and our boys have pre-game diets that are either nonexistent or devoid of nutrition,” Troy described. “I am raising money to be able to buy food for our boys for pregame meals. It seems obvious, but having enough energy to play four quarters of football could mean the difference between making history or not. However, our kids do not always have that choice,” he explained. Through the fundraising site, the Chalkboard Champion was able to raise more than $5,300 towards his goal of $7,000.

For his work on the field, Troy garnered the 2018 Gatorade Coaching Excellence Award, a national award that recognizes the best coaches throughout the country.

To learn more about Troy, click on this link to an article about him published on USA Today.

Football coaches teach their players life lessons during “Manly Mondays”

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Two football coaches, Cody Gross and Steve Carter, from Athens High School in Athens, Alabama, are helping their players learn what they consider to be essential skills on how to be a man. The coaches conduct weekly lessons on topics ranging from how to give a firm handshake, how to tie a tie, how to change a tire, and how to make jewelry for their moms. They have dubbed these weekly sessions “Manly Mondays.”

Coach Carter describes the importance of these weekly lessons. “A lot of kids these days don’t have father figures,” he observes. “They don’t have people to show them things. I was blessed with a father that showed me how to do a lot of stuff.” Coach Gross agrees. “The big thing is, as coaches, we can have a big impact on young men,” Coach Gross explained. “That’s why I do what I do. When (last) season ended, I felt the need to be more intentional about some things we do. We try to model the behaviors we expect.”

To learn more about these amazing coaches, read the article here (written by Mark Heim and published online by Alabama Media Group). You can also watch the short YouTube video below, originally published by WAAYTV.com:

Teacher, coach, and former pro football player Herb Banet

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Teacher, coach, counselor, and former professional football player Herb Banet

When I think of chalkboard champions, I never forget all of our nation’s talented coaches. These dedicated professionals work many long hours with our young people, teaching them the value of self-discipline, healthy competition, fair play, and teamwork, and helping them to choose a healthy, active lifestyle. One such chalkboard champion in Herb Banet, a high school teacher, basketball coach, and guidance counselor from Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Herb was born in 1913 in Fort Wayne. As a high school student, he was a gifted athlete.  At 6’2″ and 200 pounds, he earned All-City Honors in both football and basketball. After his graduation from Fort Wayne South High School in 1933, he attended Manchester University in North Manchester, Indiana, where he played collegiate football. While at Manchester, Herb played All-Conference Football and All-State Football in 1934, 1935, and 1936. During the 1937 season, Herb played in the National Football League with the Green Bay Packers.

As if all this were not enough, Herb was also a war hero. When World War II broke out, he served his country in the US Navy.

These experience served him well during his eighteen-year career as a coach at Central High School in Fort Wayne. While coaching there, his team made one trip to the Final Four in 1960, where they were defeated by just one point by East Chicago Washington. Later in Herb’s career he served as a guidance counselor at Northrup High School. This talented educator retired in 1979. In recognition of his illustrious career as an athlete, he was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.

Herb Banet passed away in 2003 at the age of 89 and is buried at Falls Memorial Gardens in Wabash, Indiana. It is certain that his efforts as a gifted teacher, coach, and counselor will always be well-remembered.

Science teacher Donna Gradel recognized as Oklahoma’s 2018 Teacher of the Year

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Donna Gradel

Oklahoma’s Donna Gradel, a science teacher and girls’ basketball coach at Broken Arrow High School,  recognized as 2018 Teacher of the Year

Oklahoma’s 2018 Teacher of the Year is Donna Gradel, a high school science teacher and girls’ basketball coach. Donna has taught at Broken Arrow High School in northeastern Oklahoma near Tulsa for 21 years. She taught in West Virginia for seven years before moving to Oklahoma.

Throughout her career, Donna has led her students in projects that explore ways they can help improve their local environment. The students have already helped their city to develop and implement low-cost,solar-powered solutions that improve the city’s water quality. The students have also worked on developing aquaponic systems to help feed people living in poverty in Kenya.

Donna once said that  there are three principals at the core of her practice as an educator. “Number One: All students can learn regardless of their starting point, she declared. “Number Two: All students have a sense of purpose, and they want to make a difference in the world,” she continued. “And Number Three: All students need to know that their teacher has a genuine concern for them and is willing to be their champion,” she concluded.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Donna serves as her school’s Science Department Chair and is an advocate for STEM curriculum and facilities. In 2015, she was one of ten educators throughout the nation to the receive the Henry Ford Innovation Nation Innovative Teacher Award. She was the recipient of the 2017 Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators which recognized her innovative approach to environmental education. And as if all this were not enough, Donna has also coached her school’s girls’ basketball team to a state championship.

Donna earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1982 and her Master’s degree in 1983, both from West Virginia University.