With Tallwood’s spring sports season approaching rapidly, many students and teachers will suddenly have an increased schedule of commitments, possibly exchanging any free time for more stress.
Those involved in extracurricular sports will have to juggle going to practice after school most days and weekend games, while also managing school assignments and academic deadlines.
From a student’s perspective, managing work from three-plus classes, after-school sports, and also home-life or social aspects is strenuous at best. Students can hear numerous perspectives about how tiring day-to-day life is from their peers, but they often don’t hear that same perspective from their teachers.
Mr. Brian Bevan may be seen in the classroom, teaching World History 1 and Virginia US Government, or he may be seen on the field coaching JV boy’s soccer.
Although soccer wasn’t always a major passion in Mr. Bevan’s life growing up, government and history was.
“My mother was a big time historian… I was very influenced as a youth,” said Bevan.
Mr. Bevan also talked about how his home contained many different beliefs growing up, which he thinks contribute to his broad perspective on modern issues in the world.
When asked if he has a favorite between teaching and coaching, Mr. Bevan divulged that in truth, he does prefer teaching. He explained that coaching can often become redundant or repetitive, and although he does enjoy the physical exertion after long hours in the classroom, he often leaves class with more ideas than he started out with.
“Whereas with teaching, you just get so much of an array and a plethora of different kids to deal with, and that’s why I like to hear from that perspective cause I like to hear as many perspectives as possible. It helps me grow as a person and it opens me up to new ideas and new things.”
This ties back to hearing multiple perspectives growing up, as having an open mind will better prepare you for anything you may encounter in life.
If one is closed off to ideas that differ from their own, they may become trapped in a bubble of naive delusion that negatively impacts themselves, and anyone around them. After all, are your ideas genuinely accurate? Or is the opposing party just not audible?
Hearing these different perspectives and ideas from countless students now makes it easy for Mr. Bevan to recognize promising characteristics or attributes from students and athletes alike.
“Obviously I like ones who are honest. And what I mean by honest is honest with themselves. Like what do they want out of this, and what are you willing to put forth.”
Regardless of whether you’re in a classroom or a field, you have to at least have an idea of what your priorities are, as they will determine the course of your life. People will respond well to someone who knows what they want, and they’ll respond even better if that person not only works to better themselves, but also those around them.
Mr. Bevan also believes that any success only exists from pushing limits. “Get comfortable with getting uncomfortable.”
He later states, “If you’re only willing to put in work you know you can do, but aren’t willing to do the things that you might not be able to do, then you’re never going to be able to progress as a person and or a player.”
As PT Barnum once said, “Comfort is the enemy of progress.” This could be applicable to any endeavor a high school student is wary of.
Someone could be afraid to apply for college when they know their family can’t afford it. Another person could be afraid to join a sport because they feel like they’re too out of shape. Someone else could be afraid to move far away, as that would mean they would be far from everything they know.
In all these circumstances, all that matters is if you take that chance aimed for success, instead of staying where you know, just because it’s comfortable.
In aiming high and working hard, Mr. Bevan gives one word of advice: “Structure.”
“It’s just keeping a very constructed schedule, and the same routine, and once you get in the flow of things it all becomes natural.”
Regardless of which path you make for yourself, you will soon find a new “normal,” in which you can set goals for yourself, and become more and more confident in your future and your day-to-day life.
All these ideas that have shaped who you are as an individual will only carry you through any future aspirations. If all goes to plan, Mr. Bevan plans to become an administrative assistant next year where he will continue to get to know different students from different backgrounds and perspectives.
“I go from the micro level of my room D239 to the macro level of an entire school.”
