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Clemson Football

Coaches and Teachers: Being impactful on and off the field

September 20, 2018
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Education and small-town life. Two things I know all too well.

Growing up in a town of fewer than 6,000 people, Barnwell, South Carolina was the backdrop to my youth. I never moved. Heck, we lived in the same house my entire life. The only time my address changed was when we got the new 911 system and had to update our house numbers.

My parents were both educators, devoting their lives to the students in the Barnwell community. My mother taught physical science; my father was the high school principal.

In fact, after working several years in the textile industry, I went back to graduate school and obtained a Masters degree in Elementary Education. I wasn't fulfilled in the corporate world and I recognized the impact that I could have and that drew me to the profession.

I was once asked to write down two words to define myself as an educator and they've never left me: Be impactful.

I know I wasn't the best 4th-grade teacher in history, but I poured everything I had into my students. It was never about the tests; it was always about the students. It was about creating a drive and a determination within each child.

It is my hope that many, if not all, of my former students look back on their educational careers and remember me, the support I gave them and what I saw within each one of them. I often wished that they wanted success for themselves as much as I wanted it for them. 

It's not much different from being a parent. I hesitate to imagine what my parents thought about me at twelve or thirteen.

One really strange parallel between my two jobs is that for four years I've had an opportunity to raise awareness for Extra Yard for Teachers on my show. Through a partnership with Nicko Sports, we have raised awareness and money for the cause. 

(In fact, right now we are giving away one of the Nicko Sports footballs to one lucky person who signs up for a free account on ClemsonSportsTalk.com between now and the Wake Forest football game.)

Extra Yard for Teachers elevates the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers through the implementation of programs in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development.

It's been a perfect relationship for me, but also for the ACC and the College Football Playoff. During his weekly ACC Teleconference, Swinney was asked to address how teachers impacted his life growing up in Alabama.

Listening to him speak, it was clear to me that we've got a lot in common when it comes to our memories of school and the important role that teachers continue to play in our society.

"Oh, yeah. I mean, I grew up in a small town. Certainly when I was there in Pelham, Alabama. I was fortunate that I was able to grow up there in one place. I didn't have to move around as far as changing schools, things like that," Swinney noted.

For Swinney, having two older brothers meant he was already somewhat familiar with his teachers even before he walked in the door.

"I was the baby of three boys. I got to know a lot of the teachers along the way. By the time I got to the next grade or whatever, most of them knew me because I had been around, my brothers had been there and stuff."

Thinking through his former teachers' impact on him, Swinney remembered how they dedicated themselves to creating a determination in their students to be successful and to push through adversity.

"Man, I tell you, from my own just personal background as far as things that I kind of grew up in as a kid, my teachers were a huge part of just shaping me and encouraging me, helping create the drive in me and the discipline," Swinney recalled.

What's incredible to some, but very familiar to me, is that Swinney can remember the names of his teachers throughout his career. Perhaps that's a bond we share being guys from smaller towns, but it's something that's often surprised many of my friends.

"I remember all my teachers, from my kindergarten teacher, Miss Payne, to my first-grade teacher, Miss Puckett, my second-grade teacher, Miss Wilder, my third-grade teacher. I could go on and on. Another Miss Payne in the fourth grade, Miss Autry in the fifth grade, Miss Andersen in the sixth grade, Miss Smith in the seventh grade," Swinney said. "I was so blessed. I had so many great teachers that really just poured into me. That's what teachers do."

As for the comparisons between the roles played by teachers and coaches, for Swinney, there is always that emphasis on preparing for life, which is something he's brought to his role as a coach.

"Then we call coaches coach, but coaches are teachers. They're teaching a game just like a teacher teaches a subject. A teacher may teach math, and coaches teach football. But you're using that to also prepare them for life"

Swinney continues to stay in touch with many of his former teachers and the national championship-winning head coach hasn't forgotten what they gave to him. 

"I've been so fortunate in my life, so many different coaches and teachers. A lot of them I'm still in touch with to this day. I'm very, very fortunate for the people who poured into my life academically and athletically along my journey," Swinney stated.

"That's kind of what I see in myself today with the opportunity I have, I see myself as a teacher. Yes, I'm teaching a game, but I'm also teaching young people how to do what's right, how to become a man, how to handle adversity, sacrifice, be a good teammate, help them think through some things, see the bigger picture of life."

Hearing Coach Swinney's thoughts on education, I was reminded of how well our one-on-one interviews have gone throughout the years. Perhaps the commonalities that we share with education and small-town life make it easy for us to have an open conversation.

A teacher and a coach, talking life, talking football.

Being impactful.

Coaches and Teachers: Being impactful on and off the field

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