Both teacher and coach

Sports science is a growing field in virtually all athletic endeavors, but for new staff member Jill Bradshaw, it means something a little different as she teaches physics and coaches volleyball. Recently she sat down with Wingspan to help us learn more about her goals and interests.

Wingspan: How long have you been teaching?

Bradshaw: “This is going on, my fifth year teaching at the high school level.”

Wingspan: In that time what have you learned about the younger generations?

Bradshaw: “About the younger generation is that they are a lot of fun, they like to have fun. Whenever they need to be serious, they are normally pretty good about doing so. Like, they are just a lot of fun to teach.”

Wingspan: What was it like working with all of the players?

Bradshaw: “Busy! I got to meet all of the kids, which was a great opportunity for me. And I just realized how really big it was, how big Liberty is. I’m coming from a small, 2A school before this.”

Wingspan: What would make this first year here a success for you athletic-wise?

Bradshaw: “Athletic- wise would be, of course, to have a successful season both for volleyball, which we’ve already started- and having a very successful season, so far. So that’s exciting. For softball, would just be to keep working, make playoffs, of course would be the number one goal, and from there have a good postseason.”

Wingspan: What is the hardest thing about teaching physics?

Bradshaw: “The hardest thing about physics, maybe just because it’s a lot of math-based, and maybe because students don’t realize that it is so math-based when first coming in. So getting them on-board with that and getting them excited about doing math. That’s kinda hard for some students, but in the gist of it, it’s still like real-world experience. So it’s math, but it’s also ‘why is it acting that way’ in real life. Like you’ll see it happen.”

Wingspan: You transition nearly every day from coaching to teaching, does coaching help you teach or vice versa?

Bradshaw: “Yes, for sure. A lot of teaching and coaching is about energy, about the energy I bring to certain things. So, I love physics, I love volleyball, and I love softball. So I’m not having to worry about overcoming negative energy because, in my life that is all positive energy. I like to share that love, that passion I have. So it’s spread out though all of it.”

Wingspan: What are your favorite hobbies?

Bradshaw: “Well when I have time, usually I don’t have time for this stuff, but I love going to movies. I’m a big movie goer. I like to play golf. I don’t get to go very often at all, but I do have my own golf clubs and I like to play. I’m not very good, but I enjoy it. I like rock-climbing, again just really don’t have time. And it’s just the indoor rock-climbing, none of that outdoor stuff that could actually hurt me. Other than that, just watching sports, going to sports events. I’ll go watch the Rangers, go watch the Mavs, just whoever I can get to.”

Wingspan: What is your favorite song?

Bradshaw: “There’s a lot of them. My physics hasn’t gotten the privilege yet, but I listen to a lot of Disney music. A lot. Other than that, just anything that has a good beat, I guess. Probably something from the Pitch Perfect soundtrack.”