Cedar Springs — It wasn’t until fairly recently that Derek Ash truly started to think of himself as an educator.
The Cedar Springs High School PE teacher started out as a substitute at the middle school in 2016 before getting a full-time placement as a behavior interventionist in 2018. But even then, he wasn’t sure his heart was in it.
“To be honest, I did not think I’d be here long,” Ash told SNN. “My dream job was not necessarily in public education.”
He was working as a performance coach in the private sector at the time, and that’s the path he thought he’d follow long term. But, when a PE teaching position opened up, he jumped at the opportunity to blend fitness and education.
“I knew I could make this place my home by turning it into a strength and conditioning-based PE program,” he said.
Since taking on the job, Ash has helped transform the district’s strength and conditioning classes by eliminating prerequisites and making the weight room available to all students, including middle-schoolers. He’s working to level up the district’s PE offerings, applying lessons he learned during a stint last summer as a guest with the Miami Dolphins’ strength staff.
“I learned a ton while being down there,” Ash said of his time in Florida. “The biggest thing I learned is that no matter what level, it is ultimately the same: If you can connect and build a positive rapport with the ones you serve, the rest takes care of itself.”
‘People can do hard things; they just need to be shown how and to have someone that believes in them. Once they see what they are capable of, they can accomplish anything.’
— Cedar Springs High School PE teacher Derek Ash
Ash spoke to SNN about what he loves most about his job, and what he gets from showing students the benefits of physical fitness.
Why do you teach? “This is something that has evolved throughout the years, but in short, my grandfather was a teacher/principal for 30-plus years and has always been an inspiration to me. That definitely opened the door to why I teach, but what keeps me in education is seeing my students find confidence in themselves through strength. To watch these kids from all backgrounds come together in one place, learning valuable lessons with grit and determination, is inspiring.”
What is the biggest motivator that keeps you excited about teaching? “I have known most of my kids since sixth/seventh grade and they stay with me until they graduate. Watching them grow into young adults, some of them completely turning their life around during that time. That is motivating. If, out of the thousands of kids I have had in my space, I can have an impact on just one of their lives in a positive way, that alone is worth it to me.”
Why PE and strength and conditioning? What’s the best or most interesting thing about teaching these classes? “The best part about teaching strength and condition is that everyone — and I mean everyone — possesses the ability to get stronger. You do not have to be gifted athletically or academically to give your best effort every day and see physical/mental progress.
“The weight room is for everyone. This may look different for each person, they may progress at different levels, but ultimately the weights do not lie and they reward consistency and hard work.”
What are some of the biggest challenges in your role and how do you strive to meet them? “With as many kids as I have, making sure I am available for all of them can sometimes be a challenge. I try to connect with them daily and make my space available and a place they want to be.”
“I think a great indicator for a good weight room culture is to have loiterers after school or after sessions. There is not a day throughout the year that I do not have five to 20 kids just hanging out in my room. If this changes, I need to do better at making sure they know I am available.”
What’s the most amazing thing about your students? “Their resilience. Some of my students come from very tough situations, but they do not let that define them. Some of my top kids are going through some real tough life circumstances. … You would not even know it based on the way they carry themselves. They do not take the victim mentality, they write their story not letting things they mostly can’t control affect them.”
What would you say to someone considering teaching as a profession? “I believe you are called to education. It will find those who need to be in the profession. If you’re someone who can selflessly serve students, and be passionate about your work, this space will reward you. We need more quality educators; if you’re called to it please consider it.”
What are some things you have learned from your students? “I have learned that they want to be pushed, they just need someone to believe in them. So often I hear, ‘Kids today are soft,’ ‘It’s not how it used to be,’ ‘This generation has no work ethic,’ etc. Although I do believe this on occasion, it is not the kids; it is the society around them. People will always rise to the bar you set for them, so instead of telling them what they can’t do, I show them what’s possible.
“People can do hard things; they just need to be shown how and to have someone that believes in them. Once they see what they are capable of, they can accomplish anything.”
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