P.E. Teacher Debbie Fay

 Where did you go to college?

Northwest Missouri State [University].

What inspired you to become a P.E. teacher?

I’ve always been really fired up about fitness and the human body and taking care of the one we get.

What classes will you be teaching here at Mill Valley?

I have team sports and I have a strength and conditioning class.

Did you play any sports when you were in high school?

In high school I played a lot. I played volleyball, tennis, softball [and] ran track. And then I played volleyball in college.

What sports have you coached in the past?

I coached basketball years ago, softball and track.

Would you be interested in coaching any sports at Mill Valley other than volleyball?

I really like tennis and I really like track, but I’m really just good with [coaching] volleyball.

What made you want to teach high school students?

I’m really a kid person, I like being around this particular age group. I really like little kids too. It keeps you young. They have a lot of energy and I feel like I have a lot of energy, so it’s a good fit. I like to be around people.

How have your past P.E. teachers influenced your teaching style?

I take the things that I think are their strengths and I try to make them my strengths, and the things I didn’t particularly care for, I try not to have them, but we all kind of evolve as we get older. Raising two kids myself has made me change my style a little bit because they’re grown and very honest with what kind of works and what doesn’t. You have to be able to relate and change with the times, because the times change.

What kind of workout should your students expect on a typical day?

The classes [I teach] are very different. I’m excited about team sports because those are normally the kids that are like me and passionate about wanting to play some during their day. Obviously I want to start with a little bit of fitness warm-up, but those kids are usually the ones that play hard the whole game, the whole hour, and don’t want to go early to the locker room. I like that about them. So I just want them to be respectful, but I also want them to want to try all the games we play and enjoy themselves. With everything you’ve got to do in your day, and work, my P.E. class I hope is a relaxation for your mind, not so much your body.

What is your favorite sports team and why?

That’s a tough one. I mean obviously I like the hometown teams. There wasn’t something at the professional level that I can remember that was as exciting as the Royals last year. People that weren’t even fans of athletics just jumped on board and I thought that was kind of cool that the whole city and actually the whole Midwest … got involved. So I’m a pretty big Royals fan right now.

What made you want to be a part of the Mill Valley staff?

I’m very excited about being here in the building because I want to be around the kids throughout their day and learn them as people, not just athletes. I helped with summer weights last year and I really enjoyed that and meeting the kids and the kids in different sports other than just volleyball because that’s all I really had any contact with. I just kind of want to impress upon young people [to] grow old gracefully and take care of yourself, because it’s harder when you’re older, so you’ve got to establish that work ethic now.

Are there any activities or lessons that you’re excited to do with your new students?

I’m kind of excited to do my team sport volleyball with my team sports class because I’ve had some of the girls say that the guys really like it. At my old school, the basketball players, the football [players], they loved learning how to play volleyball the right way, not just banging it around because it’s a whole lot more fun and normally your athletes, men or women, they can learn the game and play it like it’s supposed to be played. So, I’m excited about that unit with those kids.

What are some things that you want your students to know about you?

I’m a huge … fan of all the sports and all the programs. I also like to know and [am] interested in what they like to do other than sports. Like if my kids are in the play, I like to go see them in something that’s not just sports because they’re my kids. My kids are grown and gone. I did the college thing with them, and now these are my kids and I really get attached to them and I want to see them grow up outside of just our sports world, which is still my love, but I think it’s cool to see the other side of kids.