Doing it for the students

It doesn't matter the sport, if there's a need for a school coach, the students at Smallwood Academy in Gambo know who to turn to - Gerard Doucette.

Since arriving in Gambo in 1991, Doucette has worn his coaching hat in numerous different sports, including track and field, badminton, volleyball and softball. Besides school sports, he's also been involved with cross-country skiing on a community level, and was an assistant coach of central's track and field team that attended the 2008 Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games in Corner Brook.

For his tireless efforts at Smallwood Academy, Doucette was recently given the School Sports Newfoundland and Labrador Regional Recognition Award in central - one of 10 winners to be named in the province.

Doucette, a Grade 6 teacher at Smallwood Academy, remembers a time earlier in his coaching career when he didn't need an alarm clock to get up for work - the students did a good job of waking him up.

"I was definitely honoured to win it. It was an honour to be recognized for all the time and hours I put in. I remember holding badminton practice when I first got here. The kids would call at 7 a.m. in the morning and say, 'Sir, we're leaving the house. It's time to go.' Class started at 8:30 a.m., so we would get a hour and a half practice in," said Doucette, who was given the award at SSNL's AGM earlier this month. "Saturday mornings, earlier in my career, the phone would be ringing at 8:30 or 9 a.m., 'Sir, let's go down to the gym and play some basketball.'

"I guess they recognized the time I put in, and that's time I more than enjoyed spending."

Sports have always played an integral part in Doucette's life. He participated in sports as a youth, and when he got a little older, worked a summer job as the recreation supervisor in his hometown of Port Au Port.

Doucette later received coaching certificates in five different sports - baseball, softball, badminton, hockey, and cross-country skiing.

"I've always enjoyed working with students. I got into teaching because I used to be a recreation supervisor back home in Port Au Port, and I used to coach baseball," he said. "Getting involved with the students through coaching made me realize that I really liked working with children and students, and it led me to my teaching field."

Before following his calling as a teacher, Doucette was involved in the field of business. However, it was his experience coaching that led him to where is today. Now that's he's able, Doucette said he'll continue coaching because of what the students get out of it - the same things he got out of sports when he was a youth.

"I keep coming back because I enjoy seeing the students succeed at a sport...I do it for them, the students," he said. "To me, sports and athletics are important. It helps build character and self-esteem, and it also helps build that group spirit - a co-operative nature."

info@ganderbeacon.ca