In the Life of a Teacher

By Scott Kumamoto, Staff writer

When thinking of McClatchy, two important things come to mind. One- its valuable and skilled teachers. Two- its fantastic sports programs. However, have you ever thought of those two factors combined? Many teachers at CKM have played in the same sports as you have. Our teachers have participated in basketball, baseball, track and tennis, just to name a few.

Mr. Warren is a well-known teacher of Ap biology and Anatomy here at CKM, and an excellent example of a former student athlete.. As a kid and teenager, Mr. Warren was actively involved with sports. He even said, “If it weren’t sports, I wouldn’t have known what to do. Playing sports was my whole childhood. “ When Mr. Warren was a teenager in high school, he played baseball, basketball and football. All four years consisted of sports for him. As a kid he would always go to the diamond to play baseball with his friends. In college,  Mr. Warren played for the UC Davis football team. However, his season was cut short by an injury that would take some time to heal. Basketball wise, Mr. Warren often played with friends at the park. As he got older, Mr. Warren started to loose his athletic abilities and then resorted to playing golf and running. He golfs whenever he has free time and runs every so often. Currently. He is planning  to run a 24 mile marathon. He is training for this marathon by constantly exercising. He explained to me how training for running was his favorite part because he enjoys preparing for an accomplishing goal.

Another teacher who participated in sports as a teenager is Japanese teacher, Mr. Fisher. As a teen, Mr. Fisher played baseball and football for Rio Americano all four years on the freshman, JV and Varsity teams. At first he was intimidated to play. As a freshman, Mr. Fisher was not as big or fast as some of the other players, but as he aged, he gained experience and became one of the dominant seniors on the field. His favorite part of playing football was playing as a unit. His team was tightly bonded and they were able to beat several teams with their cooperation and will to win. Mr. Fisher wasn’t as interested in baseball but still played with friends. After high school, Mr. Fisher moved to Japan and  took lessons in martial arts. Additionally, he occasionally runs half marathons. Now, Mr. Fisher is one of the head coaches for the CKM football team. He trains the team with his fiery, competitive mindset.

Mr. Starace was also one of the many teachers who played a sport during his high school year. Mr. Starace was a football, tennis and badminton player. In his opinion, football was his favorite sport. He was part of the Varsity football team for Lodi High, playing the linebacker/center. His favorite part of being on the football team was being able to connect with other people and meeting new friends. It was also  great way for him to take his aggression out. Unfortunately, his season was cut short by a torn ACL (a ligament in the knee). Mr. Starace was unable to play for a long time and his return was difficult. He still tried to play sports after his recovery. He wished he could’ve played other sports like basketball and soccer because he had the build for it and he never really got the chance to play.

Mr. Maxwell is six feet and six inches tall. He participated in baseball, basketball and football. His favorite sport to watch and play was baseball but he was more successful in his basketball career. He was an active player on the Jesuit freshman, JV and Varsity basketball teams . Mr. Maxwell’s favorite part of playing was being part of a team He described himself as “a team sport kind of guy.” He enjoyed being part of a team that worked together to win. The cheering section was another favorite of his because it gave him the motivation to play. Nothing was more exciting than hearing the crowd cheering him on. Now, Mr. Maxwell only runs for exercise. Teaching takes up most of his time so he runs to keep in shape, not for marathons or competition.

Ms. Downey was a swimmer and cross-country runner for Aragon High school in San Mateo. She swam the 200-yd and 500-yd freestyle race for JV and varsity. Her favorite part about swimming was the social aspect. Ms. Downey enjoyed how she was able to bond with a team and meet new people. It was also a great way for her to relieve her stress from school. Swimming was her way to vent all the problems out of her mind. Ms. Downey constantly pushed herself to improve at practices. The personal challenges gave her swimming career a new level to strive for. To this day, Ms. Downey stays active by running and swimming.

It is here at McClatchy where sport made a huge impact on the lives of our teachers. Several of the teachers here have played sports that are commonly played today. Through all the books and learning, our teachers were once the athletes in the making.