By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

The Coaches in the Classroom feature is a weekly series that spotlights and celebrates coaches throughout Portage County, who spend their days in the classrooms and hallways leading today’s student-athletes to be tomorrow’s leaders.

Today’s spotlight is on Kent Roosevelt High School ice hockey head coach Brad Edwards, who is a teacher in the Mentor Exempted Village School District.

• School District: Mentor Exempted Village School District.
• Years: 18.
• Classes taught: 9th Grade Physical Science and Instructional Coach; 6th Grade Science and 7th Grade Science.
• What made you want to become an educator?: I really wanted to coach, and I knew that coaching and teaching were very similar. I also had some great teachers that made me want to make a difference in students’ lives.
• What is your favorite part of your job?: My favorite part is seeing my students be successful and developing a good rapport with them.
• What have you learned about being an educator that you didn’t know before you started?: Every day is a new challenge, and I look forward to being challenged.
• What teachers influenced you to go into education?: There were many, but the two that come to mind are my elementary Physical Education teacher Mrs. Clemons and my Third Grade teacher Ms. Malivuk.
• How do you apply some of your coaching in the classroom?: In coaching, I am always reflecting on what works and what doesn’t I do the same thing in the classroom. Reflection is huge part of growth in coaching and within the classroom.
• How do you apply some of your classroom to your coaching?: The piece of my classroom that I bring to coaching is structured practice plans. In the classroom, we always have activities and a plan. I think having a plan and letting the players know the plan ahead of time allows them to be prepared and know what to expect.
• Funniest thing that has happened in your classroom?: When my room neighbor placed a digital cricket in my room that I couldn’t find for a few days. It went off every 10 minutes.
• Mentors in your building who have helped you along the way?: Pete Dawson, Chris Vanorsdall, Larry Luciano.