Lewis Cass High School was lucky enough to receive quite a few new teachers this year who we all turned out to love. My very first story that I published this school year was a feature on a new teacher of ours: Mr. Carlton. Little did I know he would later on in the year be my track and field coach at the time. In the previous article on Mr. Carlton, he had talked about his excitement for the boys’ football team and what becoming a new teacher meant for him; not only that, but his goals for the year and why he wanted to become a teacher. I deemed it quite appropriate for a closing story for the year on how his first year as a Lewis Cass High School teacher had gone.

I had asked Mr. Carlton what he had learned from the school and students and he said that he learned that it was ok for him to not be perfect. Going in, he had the goal and idea to be the best and have the best lessons and class in the school but learned soon after that things would not go his way all the time and adjustments would have to be made. Carlton also said that he is always “constantly learning” and “will always need to evaluate myself on a daily basis.” He also stated that he wants to have fun and be happy in class (and in general) and have the students feed off of that.

His favorite part about being a teacher is “working with amazing young people day in and day out.” Carlton also said, “There is no other profession in the entire world where you get to work with people trying to figure out the world. There is also no other profession where you get to laugh about the craziness of 14-18 year olds for nine hours a day! I love that young people are caring, compassionate, and most importantly hungry to get better at all aspects in life.” Since Carlton is also an assistant coach for football and head varsity coach for track, I had asked him what his favorite part was being a coach as well. He had said that he is a “results motivated person” and that he “loves to set a goal, work towards it, and then see success.”

Carlton then went on into further explanation of what he loved as being a coach and explained to me that “In coaching there is an ever present need to achieve goals. At the first football practice I was able to coach at for Cass I asked Gabe Eurit what our goal as a defensive back unit was for the season. By the second practice Gabe confidently answered that it was to get 15 interceptions by the end of the season. During the first round of sectionals, we hit that goal with Easton Good’s final interception of the game. It’s moments like that where I love coaching.” The same thing applies to his track athletes and his coaching abilities there as well.

This year was Carlton’s first year at Lewis Cass Jr. Sr. High School, and not only did he help coach football but was the HEAD VARSITY COACH his very first year! Usually, it takes a little while for a new coming teacher to be the head coach at any sport but not for Carlton! He had said that it was a literal dream come true when he found out he would be varsity head coach and had been involved in track for the past twelve years and counting! He told me that when he was growing up, he and his family didn’t go to baseball games or tennis matches but watch qualifications for the 500 or races on the rubber of the track. Carlton had also said that “I have improved communication skills, but I think I’m still trying to learn how to deal with girls constantly crying, ha! The girls of the team have been amazing, and I could not have been more lucky to work with such fine young women.”

Since Carlton had gone to a very small school (similar to ours) growing up, he felt right at home when he came to Lewis Cass. He said, “There is nothing better than a small town feel at athletics too” and he could not be any more right. “Obviously we at Cass are hoping for a higher turnout at major sporting events next year, but I love that community cares about our athletic success.”

Because I have Carlton as a coach, I had to ask him which sport he liked coaching better: track or football. To my disappointment, he said he liked both. I also asked what his least favorite part of the school year was and he replied with “This interesting season called, ‘Wing.’ I just made it up. It’s a combination of Winter and Spring. I really do not enjoy what it has been doing to make everyone super sick!”

All in all, I believe that Carlton has had a very experienced full of a year for him. Carlton had told me that he is 110% glad that he moved here and is so grateful for how welcoming everyone has been to him and his wife. He also stated that we have all changed him for the better, not only as a teacher and coach but as a person as well. He is super ecstatic for the next year and the new challenges and opportunities it will bring. Something we track girls (and coach) say everyday before breaking it out to train is, “Today is a good day to have a good day; so let’s have a good day.”