Micah Kraus has devoted his life to expressing himself through teaching and art.  A diversity of interests and a commitment to expression and humanity allows him to be an artist at home and a teacher at school.  Whether it's photographing abandoned structures on the weekend or building up the interior structure of a young person in a grace-filled moment after school, Micah's quiet dignity guides his interactions with both the art implement and the person.  In this episode we explore the maltreatment he received from high school bullies, the heritage of non-violence and calm he learned from his father, the structure of his home and impact of his sister, and the parallels between the art teacher and a coach. Teachers, coaches and well, humans with a heart, will appreciate this rich journey.

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Jason Knapp has always put in a full day's work. Whether it's engaging students in the history classroom with his relics, coffee mugs, battle helmets, Iron Maiden music and interesting artifacts...or on the football field where he calls the defense for one of the best teams in the state, Knapp has earned the trust of students and fellow coaches.  An epiphany led him from Ohio University to Mount Union where his coaches, Don Montgomery and Larry Kehres, forged him into a man who knew he wanted to teach and coach for a living.  Stops at Massillon and Kenmore rounded out his experiences, and he settled back on the field at Wadsworth as DC under Justin Todd.  He shares his wisdom with us on this podcast.

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Gilmour head coach Dan DeCrane's steady rise to coaching excellence was shaped by many influences, but his will power, work ethic and commitment to integrity have come naturally and from his tight-knit Catholic family.  His father, Ken, and mother, Kathy, along with his brother Chris...have always been faith-filled mentors in his life.  A proud Archbishop Hoban graduate who played for T.K. Griffith, Dan has honored his beginnings with a fervent passion for impacting lives in a positive direction.  His anchors of consistency, faith and leadership training are paralleled by his consistency as a husband and father. He has made all of those influences proud with his daily actions.

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Dana Addis, the former successful head basketball coach of Copley High, has become one of the most respected school leaders in northeast Ohio. His journey started as a youngster playing Norton athletics and continued at many teaching and coaching stops:  Smithville, Copley, Strongsville, Medina Highland and now Norton.  While his trip has taken him full circle, the carousel ride allowed for many life lessons and lifelong relationships.  An amazing undefeated season at Copley, a coveted Principal run at Highland, marriage and family and depth of wisdom, this episode has so much richness to explore.

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John Gramuglia has been inducted into nearly every Hall of Fame imaginable.  His 2010 state championship wrestling team brought down the giants, but he himself is a giant who has impacted lives in the English classroom and on the wrestling mat by using the grit and determination learned from his Irish mother and Italian father.  Raised in Catholic schools, Gramuglia traces his many influences through the incredible storytelling of his humble beginnings.

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Casey Kaufman brought his team to the final four of the league tourney this year and inspires fellow basketball lovers with his old school values and humility.  Brought up in Holmes County at Berlin Hiland High School, Casey went on to play college basketball at Heidelberg College.  He then assisted Wooster College legend Steve Moore and landed at Malone University as one of the youngest head coaches in the country.  He refuses to buy in to the false pretenses of social media and prefers to remain true to himself.  His players appreciate his grit, commitment to excellence and values for the game.

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Jacki Windon's journey in the game of basketball has taken her from the State Final Four as a star player at Archbishop Hoban to a stellar college basketball career at Gannon University.  She then became a high school varsity head coach and shortly after a Div. 3 college head coach: all before the age of 25.  A high school and college basketball referee, Jacki has settled nicely into her current role with the OHSAA.  For 11 years she has broadcast college games on several television networks and she still referees in her "spare" time. Her heart for the game of basketball was forged in the backyard with her older brother who was a varsity athlete at Mogadore and who now serves as battalion chief in the Columbus Fire Department. Her parents have been close by on each step of this magical journey.

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Walk the path of Coach Tim Tyrrell as he moves from growing up on the north side of Youngstown at Catholic schools to Youngstown State University to college coaching, St. Thomas Aquinas, Florida high school ball and then to Archbishop Hoban where he has won 4 state championships.

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An incredible array of kids say goodbye to Hoban by reminiscing on their hopes and dreams for this senior seasons  The kids reflect on cherished memories, coaches/mentors and anticipated roles that would have been realized had this opportunity not been snatched away from them.  Alec Haas, Madde Susong, Dominic Brink, Logann Saus, Janae Bass and Owen McDermott represent their respective teams.

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Kevin Finefrock, perhaps the greatest basketball player to graduate from Canton Central Catholic, went on to play Div. 1 college basketball and then came back to coach, teach, serve as an administrator and now leads the East Canton School District as Superintendent.  This episode is so rich with content about the nuances of the teaching and coaching journey.

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