Imagine this: we are at a basketball game against English High School. The clock is ticking, and it is the last chance for the Boston Latin School team to tie the game. A young player takes the shot … and misses! That player was Head of School Jason Gallagher, when he was a BLS student.
Gallagher reflects on missing that shot: “It was tough at the time, but luckily, I had good teammates, good friends and good coaches who helped me with that.” He comments that sports not only helped him develop a tight-knit group with some of his closest, lifelong friends, but also taught him about resilience and determination. It was overcoming moments like missing that final shot that kept him going in other challenging times.
Another faculty-athlete is BLS English teacher Mr. Kamissa Barry, who was first inspired to pursue martial arts after watching Bruce Lee movies as a kid. He started formally training in the Korean martial art of taekwondo with Grandmaster Jae H. Kim in Boston, earning his black belt after only seven years (so don’t mess with him)! Mr. Barry feels that studying multiple arts allows for a more complete understanding of one’s capabilities. Currently, he also practices aikido, a Japanese martial art.
When asked why he trains to fight, a role very different from his day job as an English teacher, Mr. Barry responds, “It’s less about fighting [and more about] all the beauty and tradition and discipline that comes […] with it.”
BLS history teacher Ms. Ashley Balbian started roller derby after she stumbled upon a flier at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. She decided to take a chance in order to get more exercise in a team sport that could be played outdoors. It turned into something more than just exercise and Ms. Balbian realized her knack for it. Her derby name is Rosie the Rivhitter, and she is currently a co-captain of the Brockton Bruisers, the first recreational derby league in Massachusetts.
Sports can be a fun hobby to connect with the classroom as well. BLS math teacher Mr. Ronald Ford has been playing pool his entire life, first picking up a cue as a child and continuing to play the game throughout high school, college and adulthood. He incorporates pool concepts into his geometry class as a fun way of illustrating mathematical concepts and showing students some pro strategies for hitting the perfect bank shot.
In addition to teaching chemistry and physics, Mr. Conor Fearon coaches the BLS crew team. As a child, he was deeply involved in basketball, skiing and baseball. In high school, he continued to play baseball and joined the crew team after watching his older sister excel in the sport throughout high school. He ultimately decided to commit to the sport and went on to row during college at Penn State University.
Mr. Fearon coaches to stay in touch with sports, something that he loves and which keeps his life grounded. He started coaching at his high school right after college and coached at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before joining the BLS program.
“The things you remember the most are just being in the boat with your best friends and really enjoying that time together,” Mr. Fearon reflects. “Even if you’re doing other clubs, there’s nothing quite like being on a sports team. It’s just a different animal, the camaraderie that you get from that.”
Basketball, martial arts, roller derby, pool and rowing … you name it! The BLS faculty embodies a diversity of athletics. Just as our teachers found their love for sports, Gallagher hopes students will find something that speaks to them: “Whether it’s athletics or arts, […] I think it’s so important that our students get involved in something that they’re passionate about.”
