Soccer and Supply Teaching

I have been supply teaching for secondary schools in the Niagara Catholic District School Board since November 2011.

I just finished a conversation with a young lady with whom I have many common acquaintances through soccer.

It's unbelievable how rarely (and I mean rarely) I have had a class where a student didn't recognize me or vice-versa because of soccer, or a name is recognized or something. The kids light up when they know you can identify them because of sports.

Making a connection to young people is always enjoyable, whether through sports, socially or through family, etc. I never thought soccer would play such an important role in helping me settle into a strange class and keep my day moving long.

Sports are not the only way to make a connection as I also ask about students' surnames, clubs/groups identified on their jackets or anything I can pick up.  But soccer has expanded my radar scope for finding a link between us.

As a final note, I always joke that my father's goal in life is to find a connection between him and everybody he meets ... and here I am doing the same thing.