Naïve preschoolers and kindergarteners tend to presume that teachers live at school, and to see them anywhere but where they “live” seems completely out of place. Teenagers tend to have similar mindsets, assuming teachers’ lives revolve around the classroom: grading tests, assigning homework, and planning the curriculum. Athletes have an opportunity to discover that teachers are normal people who share their passion for sports. Coaches also get to build stronger relationships with their students by getting to know them under different circumstances.

When teachers know students as athletes it gives them insight on the types of people their students are by viewing them from a different lens.

“I think it is beneficial to see students in a different environment than the classroom. Some students I have are completely different when they are on the court instead of in the classroom. I think it improves the student-teacher relationship because we get to know each other in a different way. I think there is mutual respect because we know how much work the person is putting in after school hours,” said Anne Williams, upper school Learning Center teacher and volleyball coach.

Building a stronger relationship with student-athletes compared to students is almost inevitable for teachers who coach.

“In general, I would say that yes, I have better relationships with students that I coach. The more you know a student outside of the normal school day, the better the relationship is at school,” said Williams.

Although teachers have stronger relationships with student-athletes, they restrain from granting them special privileges.

“Having a player as a student gives me another perspective of who they are as a person. Being an athlete should not have its advantages in the classroom nor should being my student have its advantages on the baseball field,” said Rich Van Gilst, upper school math teacher and baseball coach.

For student-athletes, having a teacher who coaches them allows them to be at ease in the classroom and naturally connect with the teaching style.

“I know [Mr. Van Gilst] better than your average student does and I am more comfortable asking questions in class. I understand things easier [by having Mr. Van Gilst as my coach]. He uses a lot of baseball references in class so we come from the same point of view,” said varsity baseball player Jordan Smith, junior.

Teachers gain awareness on learning styles that work best for student-athletes by knowing them as their coaches.

“I think that anytime that you know a student better it aids you in their learning processes. That is true whether you use athletics, resources from the guidance office or learning center, or conversations with the students to gather that information,” said Cory Snyder, upper school science teacher and head football coach.

For teachers, having students who participate in the sport they specifically coach does not mean that those students will try harder in the classroom nor that they will slack off, thinking they have an advantage unlike their peers.

“Sometimes good athletes are not good students and vice versa.  My hope and expectation is that whether in the classroom or on the baseball field, the student athlete will always give his or her best effort.  Also, we spend time in athletics on character issues since athletes are part of a team and are representing their school, their families and their God in a public forum.  Character is important in the classroom too but in a different way,” said Van Gilst.

While student athletes value their coaches, the stronger relationships ultimately do not influence the work effort they will put in.

“[The relationship between my coach and I] is a relationship where I respect him and I am going to do what I need to do to get my work done, whether it’s in baseball or the classroom,” said Smith.