Tag Archives: Athletic Coaches

Social Studies teacher Jeff Erdmann runs for Congressional office in Minnesota

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Jeff Erdmann

Social Studies teacher Jeff Erdmann runs for Congressional office in Minnesota.

Excellent educators often throw their considerable energy and talent into helping solve important social issues. One such modern-day educator is Jeff Erdmann, a high school social studies teacher who is currently running for US Congress in his home state of Minnesota.

For 29 years, Jeff has taught American government and history at Rosemount High School in the Twin Cities area. At the same time, he has served nearly 20 years as his school’s football coach. During his tenure as coach, the Rosemount Irish have gone to the state tournament in 7 of the past 11 seasons and they have participated in two state championship games (2010, 2013). Twice Jeff has been named the Minnesota State Coach of the Year.

Jeff is running for Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, which represents the Twin Cities area, on the Democratic ticket. The candidate contends his work as an educator makes him uniquely qualified for a job as a legislator. “My preparation as a teacher is fantastic for being a representative, because every day in my classroom I’m held accountable by my students,” he asserts. “I’ve got to do my job in challenging them and in educating them. That is kind of what the representative is supposed to be about, so I think I’ve got 28 years of preparation for this.”

In addition, Jeff says that during classroom debates, he often argues the less popular viewpoint. He says this practice has taught him to see issues from all perspectives. “I think that helps dramatically when I have conversations with people that tend to vote Republican,” he theorizes. “I can understand what they’re thinking.”

Jeff earned his Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and Teaching from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota (1990), and his Master’s degree in Athletic Administration from the University of St. Thomas in the Twin cities, Minnesota (1995).

Todd Gerhart: Head football coach, physical education teacher, and former NFL player

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Todd Gerhart

Todd Gerhart, football coach and physical education teacher

There are many examples of talented athletes who have distinguished themselves as coaches and teachers after they have concluded their careers in sports. One of these is former NFL football player Todd Gerhart, who became a football coach and physical education teacher in Norco, California.

Todd, who was born on December 8, 1962, attended Norco High School in Norco, California. At 5’11” and 235 pounds, he made a great choice as a running back. Following his high school graduation, Todd enrolled at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). He played football for the Titans from 1981 to 1984. Once he graduated from CSUF, Todd was drafted by the Denver Gold of the United States Football League (USFL). He also played in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Minnesota Vikings and did a very brief stint with the Houston Oilers.

When he retired from professional football, Todd returned to his alma mater when he accepted a position as a physical education teacher and Head Football Coach at Norco High School. During his tenure, which lasted nine years from 2004 to 2012, the Cougars posted a combined record of 85-28. Two times in three years, the Norco team advanced to the CIF championship, and they won the title in 2005 and 2006. Currently, Todd teaches physical education at Auburndale Junior High School in Corona, California.

To read more about this amazing educator, read the article at CNS Sports entitled Gerhart Juggles Fatherhood, Coaching and Heisman Hoopla.

 

The amazing educator and football coach Jeff Carnazzo

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Jeff Carnazzo

Palma High School Varsity Coach and educator Jeff Carnazzo

Football is the lifeblood of many high schools, so it’s no surprise when a football coach works incredibly hard for his team. But when a varsity coach also teaches Advanced Placement classes, you know you have a very impressive educator. This is the case with Jeff Carnazzo, a high school teacher and football coach in Salinas, California.

Jeff was born on February 10, 1967, in Omaha, Nebraska. As a teen, he attended Palma High School, a private Catholic all-boys high school located in Salinas. Before his graduation in 1985, Jeff lettered in two sports: football and baseball.

After his high school graduation, Jeff enrolled at California State University, Fresno, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology. Later he completed the requirements for his teaching credential and his Master’s in Education at Chapman University.

Jeff Carnazzo

Jeff Carnazzo

In 1990, Jeff returned to his high school alma mater to teach. In addition to his classroom duties, he served as the trainer for the junior varsity linebackers. He held this position for ten years. In 2000, Jeff was promoted to the position of varsity football coach. During this time, he has led the Palma Chieftains to three Central Coast Section Open Division titles, including two in his first two years as head coach. In addition, Jeff instructs courses in US History, Advanced Placement US History, and physical education.

Jeff takes his work with young people very seriously. “It’s an honor to be involved in the lives of young kids,” he once said. “I get the opportunity to see them grow. The older I get, the more appreciative I am. The staff and I get to have an impact on their futures.”

Learn more about this amazing teacher and coach at Alchetron Jeff Carnazzo.

 

New York’s Joe Lamas: Educator and Former NFL Player

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Many former athletes go on to successful careers as educators and coaches. This is the case with Joseph Francis Lamas, a New York teacher who formerly had been a player in the National Football League (NFL).

Joe Lamas was born on January 10, 1916, in Havana, Cuba. As a young man, he attended Straubenmuller Textile High School in New York City, New York. Following his high school graduation, Joe enrolled at Mount St. Mary’s University, a private Catholic institution of higher learning located in Emmitsburg, Maryland. There he played college football.

Following his education at Mount St. Mary’s, Joe played one season in the NFL. In the 1942 season, he played on the offensive line with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he started in eight games. During the game against the Detroit Lions on November 8, the 5’10”, 216-pound guard scored a spectacular 29-yard fumble recovery touchdown, leading his team to a 34-7 victory. Joe is also a United States veteran. When the 1942 football season ended, he served in the military during World War II.

In 1952, Joe accepted a teaching position at Iona Preparatory School, a private Roman Catholic boys’ school located in New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York. He was also the school’s assistant football coach for five years, and then he was named the head coach in 1957. He held this job until 1961. During his years at Iona, the former football player also coached baseball and worked as the school’s athletic director, and he also taught courses in Latin, history, and health. This accomplished educator retired from teaching and coaching in 1979.

Joe was 80 years old when he passed away on April 22, 1996, in Manhasset, New York. To learn more about him, you can click on SportsLifer Weblog.

Joseph Lamas: a chalkboard champion, certainly.

Duke Southard: Teacher, coach, and award-winning author

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I often meet talented educators who have also become successful authors. This is certainly the case with Duke Southard, an English teacher and coach from New Hampshire who is also an award-winning author.

Duke’s credentials are impressive. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Villanova University, a private research university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned his Master’s degree from Rowan University, located in Glassboro, New Jersey. In addition, Duke completed the requirements for a Certificate of Advanced Study in Media Technology from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Duke’s career as an educator began in 1962, when he accepted his first position as an English teacher and coach at Burlington City High School in Burlington, New Jersey. “The one important lesson I learned from a principal early on was to vary assignments at least every five years so that boredom and complacency did not set in,” recollects Duke. “Don’t have one great year of teaching, then use the same plans and approaches for the next thirty years trying to duplicate it.”

In addition to teaching, Duke coached football and track in New Jersey for eight years before moving to Kingswood Regional High School in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. He then accepted a position as a coach and Library/Media Director for the Governor Wentworth School District. In 1988, he relocated to Conway in New Hampshire to become the Library Media Specialist in the K-12 Conway School District.

After a 36-year career, Duke retired in 1998. “I loved my career in teaching and coaching,” says Duke. “While it had a few difficult times, such as teaching in a predominantly black city high school in 1968 when Martin Luther King was assassinated, I always felt indebted to my students, who supplied so much joy in my life.” For his outstanding contributions as a media professional and school librarian, Duke has been honored with an “EDie”, the New Hampshire Excellence in Education Award.

Since his retirement, Duke has published four novels and two nonfiction books. All of his novels have been selected as finalists for prestigious book awards, including the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards in 2013, 2014, and 2015. His short works have won first place and finalist awards in many competitions, including the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards and the Society of Southwestern Authors Writing Contests. His personal essay, “The Fallacy of Closure,” garnered first place in the 2016 Writer’s Digest Writing Competition

Duke currently lives in Green Valley, Arizona, where he is often engaged as a public speaker for schools, libraries, and community groups. You can view Duke’s works on amazon.com or visit his website at www.dukesouthard.com.