Tag Archives: Athletic Coaches

American-Israeli Jim Boatwright: Teacher, coach, and pro basketball player

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Many accomplished athletes go on to distinguished careers as educators and coaches. This is certainly true of history teacher and basketball coach Jim Boatwright.

Jim was born in Twin Falls, Minidoka County, Idaho, on December 10, 1951. When he was a youngster, his family moved to Rupert, Idaho, where Jim attended Minico High School. While there, Jim lettered in basketball, track, and golf. In basketball, Jim led his school team to back-to-back state championship games (1969, 1970). In addition, Jim’s high school honors include being named a Sunkist All-American, a Top 10 High School Player in America, and a participant in the prestigious Dapper Dan Classic held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This event is now known as the McDonald’s All-American Team. The talented basketball player graduated in 1970, and was later was inducted into the Idaho Basketball Hall of Fame.

After his high school graduation, Jim played on scholarship at Utah State University (USU) in Logan, Utah, where he was the leading scorer during both his junior and senior seasons. In addition, Jim was selected to play in the Pizza Hut East/West All-Star game in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was named Utah State University Athlete of the Year in 1974. Recently, USU voted Jim one of the Top 25 Athletes of the Century.

Jim graduated from Utah State University in 1974, having earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. Upon his graduation, Jim joined the European Professional Basketball League and played eight years for Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel. During these years, Jim’s team won seven championship titles, six cup titles, and two European championship titles. Jim was instrumental in the Maccabi team’s win the European championship in 1977. He led Maccabi to a second win in 1980. Jim became an Israeli citizen, and in 1980 was named a member of the Israeli Olympic Basketball team for the Olympic Games held in Moscow.

In 1982, Jim retired from professional basketball and returned to the US with his former wife, Chris, and their four young children. In 1988, the former professional athlete began teaching and coaching in Star Valley, Wyoming, leading his team to a state championship. For his efforts, Jim was named Wyoming’s Coach of the Year. Jim later returned to his alma mater, Utah State, where he coached for three years with Head Coach Kohn Smith.

After a few years, Jim relocated to Arizona to teach and coach. There he met his second wife, Jennifer Magrane Boatwright. Jim and Jennifer taught and coached in several Arizona towns and also in California, but he returned to the Gem State ten years ago when he accepted a position as a social science teacher and assistant basketball coach at Wood River High School in Hailey, Blaine County, Idaho. In all, Jim’s career as an educator spanned 23 years.

Jim passed away on February 11, 2013, after suffering for a brief time from an aggressive cancer of the liver. He was 61. To learn more about this chalkboard champion see HJNews.com.

Chalkboard Champion Bryan Still: From NFL to Virginia Classroom

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There are many fine examples of professional athletes who go on to successful careers in the classroom. One such athlete is Bryan Andrei Still, a physical education teacher from Virginia who was a former professional football player.

Bryan was born on June 3, 1974, in Newport News, Virginia. As a youth, he attended Huguenot High School in Richmond, Virginia. Upon his high school graduation, Bryan enrolled at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University located in Blacksburg, Virginia. There the 5’11”, 174-pound wide receiver played college football. In fact, this outstanding athlete went with the Virginia Tech Hokies to the Nokia Sugar Bowl, where the team came from behind to defeat Texas 28-10. Bryan garnered the coveted Most Valuable Player Award for that game. You can read more about this spectacular victory by clicking on this link: HokieSports.com.

After college, Bryan was drafted into the National Football League (NFL). He played first for the San Diego Chargers (1996-1999), then the Atlanta Falcons (1999), and finally the Dallas Cowboys (1999). In total, Bryan played 52 games in the NFL. To examine Bryan’s statistics, you can check them out on NFL.com.

Currently, Bryan teaches physical education and health education at Cosby High School, a public school located in Midlothian, Virginia. He also coaches track and field there.

Charge on, Brian Still!

Florida School Shooting: Mourning the Loss of Three Chalkboard Heroes

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Once again our nation mourns the tragic loss of life in a school shooting which occurred two days ago at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. This most recent shooting brings to national attention three exceptionally courageous chalkboard heroes who were killed while attempting to protect their students from the gunman, a former student described as mentally ill who was expelled from the school last February.

Scott Beigel

Among the slain is geography teacher and Cross Country Coach Scott Beigel, age 35. Student Kelsey Friend remembers her teacher with great respect. “Mr. Beigel was my hero and he still will forever be my hero,” said the grieving teen. “I will never forget the actions that he took for me and for fellow students in the classroom. I am alive today because of him.”

Chris Hixon

Also killed in the attack was Athletic Director and Wrestling Coach Chris Hixon, age 49. Known for his generosity to students, he would give them rides or lunch money and, if they needed it, welcome them into his home, remembered his wife, Debra Hixon. “He just loved being around kids and giving back to the community,” she said. Also a United States veteran, Chris served his country as a Naval Reservist and was deployed to Iraq in 2007.

Aaron Feis

The third chalkboard champion who perished was Assistant Football Coach Aaron Feis, age 37. An alumnus of Stoneman Douglas High School, Aaron had been a football player when he was a student, and in 2002 he returned to the campus to serve as a coach. Witnesses say Aaron shielded students with his own body, and was hit by oncoming bullets which caused his fatal wounds. “He died the same way he lived –he put himself second,” expressed football program spokesperson Denis Lehtio. “He was a very kind soul, a very nice man. He died a hero.” Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel concurred. “The kids in this community loved him. They adored him. He was one of the greatest people I knew. He was a phenomenal man,” said the sheriff.

To view CNN’s story about all 17 victims of the shooting, click on CNN: These Are the Victims. You can also read the story at Times: These are the Victims.

Rod Paige: from classroom teacher to US Superintendent of Schools

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I love to share stories about talented educators who have also served successfully in the political arena. Today’s story is about Rod Paige, the first African American to serve as the US Secretary of Education.

Rod was born Roderick Raynor Paige on June 17, 1933 in Monticello, Mississippi, the oldest of five children. His father, Raynor Paige, was a public school principal, and his mother, Sophie Paige, was a public school librarian. After his high school graduation in 1951, Rod earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. He earned both his master’s (1962) and doctorate degrees (1980) from Indiana University at Bloomington. Rod is also a veteran, having served as a medical corpsman in the US Navy from 1955-1957.

After completing his military service, Rod accepted his first teaching position when he went to work as a health and physical education teacher at Hinds Agriculture High School in Utica, Mississippi. He taught there and coached football from 1957-1963. From 1971 to 1984, Rod served as the head coach and athletic director for Texas Southern University.

In 1980, Rod accepted a position as a professor at Texas Southern University, where he taught until 1984. While there, he became the Dean of the College of Education, a position he held until 1994. During this time, probably his greatest achievement was the establishment of the university’s Center for Excellence in Urban Education, a research facility focusing on issues related to instruction and management in urban school systems. During this time, Inside Houston Magazine named the former classroom teacher as one of “Houston’s 25 most powerful people” in guiding the city’s growth and prosperity. In 2001, Rod was honored as National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators.

Rod’s next job was as the superintendent of the Houston Independent School District in 1994. While there, Rod earned a reputation for outstanding leadership skills and innovative reforms. His professional goals were to focus on best instructional strategies, accountability at all levels, and developing of a core curriculum. Next, Rod returned to Texas Southern University, where he served as the Dean of the College of Education.

In 2001, Rod was named by President George W. Bush to be the seventh US Secretary of Education, a post he held until 2005. The major push in education during Rod’s tenure was the controversial No Child Left Behind legislation.

After leaving the Education Department, Rod became a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, where he helped fashion public policy. Recently, Rod has served as the interim president of his alma mater, Jackson State University in Mississippi.

To read more about this chalkboard champion, you can read Rod’s biography at the US Department of Education.

Physical Education Teacher and Olympic Athlete Dick Ault

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There are many examples of fine educators who have distinguished themselves in the world of sports. Such is the case with Dick Ault, a high school physical education teacher who competed in the 1948 Olympics.

Richard “Dick” Francis Ault was born on December 10, 1925, in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, the son of the Herbert and Madeline (Dowling) Ault. After his graduation from Roosevelt High School in his home town, Dick attended the University of Missouri from 1946 to 1949. While there, he won the Big 6 title in the 220-yard low hurdles in both 1946 and 1947. In the seasons that followed, he garnered the Big 7 title in the same event in 1948 and 1949. He was also named the conference champion in the 440-yard dash in 1947 and 1949. In 1948, Dick competed in the London Olympic Games, finishing 4th in the 400-meter dash. In 1949, the former Olympic athlete competed in Oslo, Norway, where tied the world record in the 440-yard dash.

In 1950, Dick accepted a position as a teacher and coach at Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois. While there, he led his cross country students to the state championship. In 1967, Dick was hired to be a physical education professor at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. There he coached several sports, including cross country, track, swimming, and golf. After a career spanning 29 years, he retired in 1996.

This chalkboard champion passed away from complications from diabetes at the age of 81 on July 16, 2007, in Jefferson City, Cole County, Missouri. For his outstanding achievements, Dick has earned many honors. He was inducted into the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame (1976), the University of Missouri Hall of Fame (1991), the Missouri State Sports Hall of Fame (1993), and the National Sports Hall Of Fame in Washington, DC (1999).

To read more about this amazing educator and athlete, click on this link: Dick Ault Obituary.