English teacher Brent Bockelman graduated from SHS in 2001, before which he played on 

Southport’s basketball, cross country, and baseball teams. He played all three his freshman year, cross country and baseball his sophomore year and only continued baseball through his senior year.

Memory that stands out: “One of my favorite memories was my freshman year on the cross country team. We had a really good team. We were at one point favored to win a state tournament, but we had some injuries, but that was a really fun season, even though I wasn’t even close to varsity, but just being around it was fun.” Bockelman says another one of his favorite memories was during the four years he played baseball, and getting to experience the comradery and play the sport he loved with his friends.  

The way sports have impacted you today: “I was really shy when I was growing up. (Sports) gave me a place where I could make friends and come out of my shell a little bit. This eventually translated to the classroom as well as a student. The idea of healthy competition, keeping it in perspective, that kind of helped me improve work ethic and desire.”

Science teacher John Davis graduated from Scecina Memorial High School in 2011. He was involved in many sports during his time there. Davis played basketball his freshman year, ran track his first three years of high school and played soccer during sophomore, junior and senior year.

Memory that stands out: “The big thing for me was when I played soccer. I had never played soccer before high school, but it worked for me.”

The way sports have impacted you today: “I think sports did teach you about a healthy lifestyle… Sports keep you in shape, it keeps you a little bit disciplined and focused and it shows you to try your best.”

Chelsea Hoffman is a math teacher at SHS and also the girls head volleyball coach. Before this, she was a four-year varsity basketball and volleyball player at SHS. She graduated in 2011 and went on to play volleyball at Kentucky Wesleyan College.

Memory that stands out: “My senior year in volleyball we won our Southport Invite. That year we went 20-10, and it’s the best record I’ve ever had in my volleyball career and it was a lot of fun… Another good memory was beating Perry in sectionals my senior year in basketball…We destroyed Perry. That’s one of my fun memories.”

The way sports have impacted you today: “Obviously I still coach, so there’s still a huge part of who I am…But I think it’s time management, responsibility, my leadership, I think all of that is because of my sports.”

Athletic Director Pete Hubert played football, basketball and baseball during his years at Eastern Hancock High School. He lettered all four years in baseball and three years in football and basketball. After he graduated in 1976, Hubert played one year of basketball at Marian 

University (Marian College at the time). He also has a 20-year coaching history.

Memory that stands out: “The comradery. The relationships that you built against the competition that you played… The teammates that I played with, I am still in touch with several. With one of them, we talk every week and still reminisce about the old days.”

The impact of sports today: “Building the relationships, the experience that I gained playing sports in high school and coaching…gave me the foundations to come a position such as the Athletic Director position here at Southport and (do) everything I can do to make that a special experience… I want (students at SHS) to walk away after high school with that positive experience through athletics…”

 Worthington Kilbourne High School 2009 graduate and SHS math teacher Michael Johnson played three sports in his high school career. For the first two years he participated in basketball and football and baseball all four years.

Memory that stands out: “My favorite memory is probably the first time I ever scored a touchdown in a varsity football game… It was the first game of the season my senior year.”

The impact sports has on you today: “To succeed in sports you have to put in a lot of time and effort and energy on your own outside of what you do in practice. I think that translates to everyday life, whether it’s your job, a hobby, or a skill, or whatever it is you want to do. If you just do the minimum requirements, you are going to be average. Through playing sports, i learned if you work out on your own, you run extra on your own you hit in the batting cages on your own time those are the things that make the difference.”

Sara Kohne played a variety of sports during her time at Belmont High School. She played volleyball her freshman year, basketball her freshman and sophomore year and softball through her junior year. During her senior year, Kohne focused on other things such as being the class Vice President and other academic tasks. 

Memory that stands out: “There’s something about being in the ballpark in the summer that really appealed to me, which is why I played softball so long.”

The impact of sports today: “My knees hurt…really bad,” Kohne said laughing. She also mentioned that she always had fun being a part of a team.

SHS English Teacher Brianna Kompara graduated from Northrop High School in 2006 where

 she played volleyball for four years and ran track her freshman year.

Memory that stands out: “My favorite memory was just being on the team, bonding and just being with my teammates, but also the year that we won regionals. We had a really hard schedule and a team that we had lost to, we ended up beating them in regionals.”

The way sports have impacted you today: “I think sports were a big factor in 

my character development and work ethic.”

Gene Lezon is a 1988 SHS graduate. He played football and was a part of the track and field team during his time at SHS. After high school, his athletic career continued as he played one year of football at Hanover College. He is also a football coach at SHS.

Memory that stands out: “Playing against my future roommates, because they went to Perry Meridian, and just playing and having those relationships”

The way sports have impacted you today: “It kind of gave me a career. I enjoy teaching and coaching and using coaching (to teach) kids how that helps you organize your life, time management.”

Today, Brian Murphy serves as SHS’s Assistant Athletic Director. Before this, he was a two-year varsity football, three-year varsity basketball and three-year varsity baseball player at Ritter High School. After graduating in 1986, Murphy played baseball at Hanover College.

Memory that stands out the most: “Winning the regional in football (1985).”

The impact of sports today: “Obviously it’s part of my job, but more than anything, it’s all the challenges that sports brings you and then figuring out how to work through them.”

Guidance counselor Lamont Rascoe attended North Central. He had played sports like baseball and soccer when he was younger, but in high school, he ended up running track and becoming a state qualifier in the 400 meter dash. After he graduated in 1989, Rascoe played baseball at Central State University in Ohio.

Memory that stands out: “I don’t know if it’s a good memory, but I broke my fifth grade

teacher’s ankle. We were playing soccer and I knife tackled him and he actually broke his ankle… so I never will forget that day.”

The way sports have impacted you today: Being in a sport kept Rascoe on the right path, allowing him to be the only one in his friend group to make it to college, while three of his close friends went to jail and one was killed. Being a part of a team has also rubbed off in his parenting. “I try to raise my kids as a group, as a unit. If one goes, we all go.”

Bishop Chatard High School 1992 graduate and SHS theater teacher Julie Roberts played multiple sports in high school. Her freshman year, she played basketball and for the remaining three years, she participated in golf.

Memory that stands out: “It was just a really fun team. I was a small team and we just had a blast together out in the heat playing golf in the fall.”

The way sports have impacted you today: “I think, like the arts, it’s one of those things that you’re working together with a group that you are cooperatively learning how to do things with, and I think that that translates into all different areas of your life. Anytime you can be involved in a production, a sports team, or whatever it is, that it sort of teaches you those skills.”

Aaron Strader attended SHS and graduated in 1986. During his time here, he played football, basketball and baseball. Strader lettered three years in football and two years in baseball and basketball. His success in football allowed him to play at the college level at Illinois State University. No

w, he coaches football at Roncalli High School.

Memory that stands out: “Being a part of a team. That was always the biggest part of any sport… I made a lot of good friends (and) good buddies. The team was always more important than any individual in any aspect.”

The impact sports has on you today: Strader has made long-lasting friendships and his time on a team has translated in ways that have helped him in his career now as he is still teaching and coaching high school.