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Teacher-Coach Model

From the earliest days of the School, Dr. Howe, our founding headmaster, instilled the idea of teachers as coaches. As described in The Education of a Modern Boy, Dr. Howe pushed for the employment of only faculty coaches and for no professional coaches to be hired. He believed that professional coaches would take away from learning the meaning of true sportsmanship.

What is particularly notable in the teacher-coach model is the relationships faculty build with each boy. Sometimes a boy who is struggling in the classroom makes a connection with a coach and important lessons can be learned in this process. The heart of the teacher-coach model is that it creates a number of quality contact points for boys to forge relationships with teachers. Not every teacher connects with every boy, not every coach connects with every boy. But when you create enough of those contact points, somewhere along the way, a boy is going to make a connection and many times it's on the athletic side of campus.

A truer sportsmanship that develops character.

- FROM THE ATHLETIC PRINCIPLES OF DR. HOWE

Maggie and John Ryan Family Teacher/Coach Chair

A man in a white shirt and blue tie is sitting at a desk in a classroom setting, with a whiteboard visible in the background.
A group of young men, some wearing black shirts, are gathered closely together, their hands joined in a huddle or team-building exercise.

Established in 2017 in memory of Maggie and John Ryan by the Ryan family—Ann, Tony, Matthew ’14, William ’17, and Thomas ’19, this chair honors a faculty member who exemplifies an ideal embraced by the School since its founding: excellence as both a teacher and a coach.

Recipient:
David L. Leonardis

Sextant Divider

Teacher/Coach Model Through the Years

The image depicts a group of people, likely students, sitting in a classroom setting with an older man, presumably a teacher, standing in front of them and writing on a chalkboard.
A group of people, some wearing baseball uniforms, are gathered on a field, with a body of water visible in the background.
A man in a suit and tie sits at a desk, surrounded by stacks of papers and books, with a serious expression on his face.
The image shows an older man wearing a brown jacket and a younger man wearing a white t-shirt, both holding tennis rackets and standing in what appears to be a tennis court or indoor facility.
A man in a suit stands in an office, pointing at a whiteboard behind him.
Two young players, one in a gray shirt and the other in a navy blue jersey, are engaged in a lacrosse game on a grassy field surrounded by trees.
A black and white image of a classroom setting, with a group of people seated around a table and a person standing at the front of the room, likely a teacher or instructor.
A man in a white coat stands on a boat, gazing out at a cityscape with a bridge and buildings in the background.
A woman in a white shirt stands in a classroom-like setting, surrounded by bookshelves and a skeleton model.
A group of people, likely a sports team, posing together in front of a building with the name %22Duncan%22 displayed on it.
An elderly man in a suit is standing in front of a whiteboard, writing or drawing something with a marker.
A black and white image of a hockey game, with players on the ice and a person in the foreground, possibly a coach or spectator, observing the game.
A group of students in formal attire are gathered around a table in a rustic, wood-paneled classroom, with an American flag hanging prominently on the wall behind them.
A group of men, some wearing sports uniforms, are seated in a classroom or meeting room, with a person in the foreground on the floor.
A group of people, including a woman with long blonde hair, are working on laptops and documents in what appears to be an office or classroom setting.
The image shows a group of young athletes standing on a sports field, with buildings visible in the background.
The image depicts a group of people, including a man standing and several others seated, in what appears to be a classroom or study setting, with windows visible in the background.
The image shows a group of football players walking onto a field, surrounded by spectators in the background.
A man in casual attire is standing in front of a red and yellow background, holding a document in his hand and gesturing with the other.
A group of young basketball players, both male and female, gathered together in a gymnasium setting, engaged in what appears to be a team discussion or strategy session.
Two men, one older and one younger, are working together on a wooden structure in what appears to be an art studio or workshop, with abstract artwork displayed on the walls in the background.
A group of people wearing matching red and blue uniforms standing on a wooden dock in front of a snowy, forested landscape.
The image shows a classroom setting with several students seated at desks, engaged in what appears to be a discussion or lesson. In the foreground, a woman is seated at a desk, seemingly interacting with the students. The background includes a wall with a poster or sign that reads %22Toothman%22.
The image shows a group of people wearing baseball caps and jackets, engaged in what appears to be a sports-related activity or event, with a grassy field and trees visible in the background.
Two men in suits, one with glasses, are seated at a desk, engaged in conversation or discussion.
A group of people in winter attire, including coats, hats, and skis, are walking together on a snowy path in the foreground, with a building and trees visible in the background.
A middle-aged man in a suit and tie is sitting at a desk, working on a laptop computer in an office setting with a whiteboard visible in the background.
The image shows a group of people, including a coach and several players, engaged in what appears to be a sports activity or training session on a grassy field.
The image shows a classroom setting with a teacher standing in front of students seated at desks, engaged in a discussion or lesson.
A group of tennis players, both male and female, posing together on a tennis court with a black curtain backdrop.