Pictured: football coaching staff stands on the field during summer practice. Football, track athletes, as well as Red Rhythm and Cheer began practices over the summer to prepare for the upcoming school year.
Justin Lopez
October 1, 2019
From Oklahoma, to UTEP, to Texas A&M, biology teacher and assistant football coach Justin Lopez is adjusting to not only life in Frisco, but what it’s like to be a Redhawk.
Wingspan: How have the first few weeks at school been?
Lopez: “It’s been a little bit tough because I still need to get used to your ways over here, I’m still getting used to it, it’s starting to slow down a little bit, but I like it.”
Wingspan: What made you want to come and teach here?
Lopez: “Frisco as a whole was my aiming point, and I was just fortunate enough to land at Liberty because they had an opening here. But I think Frisco because all opportunities you guys have over here and all the things you can do.”
Wingspan: What do you like most about teaching here?
Lopez: “I like all the students to be honest with you, the students, faculty , and staff. You guys are really welcoming and really nice. You guys do everything that we ask you to do, you guys are really helpful.”
Wingspan: What made you want to study biology?
Lopez: “I initially wanted to be a dentist, which is something I might continue to pursue later in my career, that was my initial plan.”
Wingspan: Have you always enjoyed biology? If not, when did you start to take an interest in it?
Lopez: “I haven’t. So when I was in high school I hated biology, I really did. But once I got into college, I started to get into it a little bit more detailed, because right now biology is really just vocabulary and you don’t get into too much detail. So once you get into college they start explaining things further like how medicine works against bacteria and viruses, things like that. So college is where it gets a bit more interesting.”
Wingspan: Where are you from?
Lopez: “I am from El Paso, Texas.”
Wingspan: What are you most looking forward to about this year?
Lopez: “Helping students out. I’m a coach so I’m real big into sports, but I usually look forward to students growing and learning, and looking to me for advice, I’m hoping to help as many students as I can.”
Wingspan: What has been the most difficult thing to adjust to on campus?
Lopez: “I’d say block schedule because at my old school we didn’t have block schedule, so we would have 8 periods a day, so I’d have to teach the same thing 7 times a day. So adjusting to block schedule I only have 2 periods a day, which is awesome, so in the afternoons I’m usually off, but it’s been awesome.”
Wingspan: Is it difficult managing being a football coach and a teacher?
Lopez: “It is difficult, the way I coach out on the field is completely different to the way I teach here, so you have to approach it a different way. Especially dealing with guys out on the football field vs. girls and guys in the classroom. It is different but my approach stays the same, I like to be open minded to make everyone feel real comfortable around me, that way if they have any questions, they feel free to open up to me.”
Wingspan: What do you hope to achieve this year?
Lopez: “In the classroom I’m hoping to have 100 percent passer rating, and that’s for all of my classes. I’m hoping they can pass the nine weeks, I’m hoping they can pass their STAAR tests, I’m hoping that they learn. If there are any students that need help, I hope that I can lend a helping hand, and help them to pass.”