"As a kid, I was a loner who lacked self-confidence, and to this day, I struggle with reading comprehension.
"I gained a lot of confidence in graduate school when professors I really respected started asking my perspective on things. When they encouraged me to get a Ph.D., I started to believe I could actually do something worthwhile.
"I needed that push to go out there and find ways to make the world a better place through physical education.
"Now, I push my students to be the best they can be. What I do probably wouldn't work in a class of 100 students. Because I have small class sizes, I'm able to make those personal connections with my students. I've sent emails to students detailing potential I see in them that they didn't see in themselves."