My Dad

The man above all the rest, because of his influence on my life, is my dad. He is so special to me that it's hard to put it in words. My dad is the one who had me knowing in my heart by 7th grade, maybe even sooner, that I wanted to teach someday and that I wanted to coach. My dad was a 5th and 6th grade teacher for 23 years. During these years he coached track, softball, volleyball, and my favorite sport, basketball. I think I probably had a basketball in my hands when I was born!

My sisters and I used to travel to games with him on the bus with their crazy bus driver, Mr. Krueger. The team members always welcomed us, and we had a blast. My dad used to say as Mr. Krueger wildly whipped around another corner, "don't you tell your mom about his driving!" As we grew up, my sister Erin, who is one year younger than me and I went to and practice with my dad's team whether it was the girls' team or boys' team if they needed extra players. I met many people this way and sometimes when I went to school with my dad for the day, I would attend classes with some of my newfound friends.

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... grew up in California and moved to Milwaukee after, at the age of eleven, his parents and two of his sisters died in a car accident. I admire him for the person he has become in his lifetime and the difficulties he has overcome. I can talk to my dad almost better than anyone. We started biking about 5 years ago, just the two of us, and I think this time has helped me see the man that so many people respect and admire, the man that's my dad. I admire him so much and will always look to him for guidance throughout my career of teaching and coaching.