football – April Coker, Author

My Connection to Patrick Mahomes

I’m sure almost everyone who has been following the Kansas City Chiefs football team would like to say they have a connection to Patrick Mahomes, NFL’s best quarterback ever, according to some. I really do, though. I taught in the same schools his father Pat attended.

After my son was born in 1984 I did substitute teaching part-time so I could be home with him more. I did a long-term subbing job for an 8th grade English teacher and Pat was in that class. I didn’t really develop any relationships with my students back then since I thought I had to be very strict to maintain classroom discipline. A couple of years later I resumed teaching in the high school where Pat excelled at sports.

A little while later I taught 11th grade English and Pat’s sister and Patrick’s aunt Tinesha was one of my students. She was excellent at basketball, volleyball, and track as I recall.

So there you have it. It’s not much, but enough for me to be rooting for my “grand-student” Patrick Mahomes II as he leads his team in the 2020 Super Bowl. I’d never even been much of a football fan until he started playing for the Chiefs. I missed his rookie year and his years at Texas Tech but I heard about him often on the local news. I hope he wins.

Go Chiefs!

XOXO

TEACHER TUESDAY: Sometimes they become famous. . .

I am proud to say that many, if not most, of my students have grown into successful adults with good jobs and nice families. I love seeing them on Facebook showing off pictures of their own children (whom I call my grand-students) and sounding like responsible adults. After all, isn’t every teacher and parent’s goal to raise their children into responsible, contributing adults? Even the ones I or other teachers may have despaired over have grown up into surprisingly well-adjusted and responsible people!

Imagine that!

Not only do students grow up into responsible adults, some of our students become famous. I have had several of those in my career, but the one I met in my supervisory teacher’s classroom during my student teaching

was my first.

Have you ever watched “Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team”? This reality program chronicles the tryouts of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders under the direction of Kelli McGonagill Finglass, who happens to be that student. Beautiful, tough as nails, and a former Cowboys cheerleader herself, she has brought the cheerleaders to international recognition and status.

I’m not going to pretend and say that I knew Kelli well or was a favorite teacher. In fact, when I met her at a Distinguished Alumni reception we had at Lindale High School a few months ago, I was surprised when she said that she remembered me. It may have just been her being polite. I could instantly see how she has become such a successful professional and even a national icon. Her poise and charm made everyone feel at ease and important after they waited in line to speak to her.

I am proud of all my students, not just Kelli, and I am not more proud of her than my others. It’s just kind of cool when one of them becomes famous and you can say that you were one of their teachers.

XOXO