Spend even a short amount of time with James “Coach Gonzo” Gonzales and you’re sure to leave the conversation inspired, motivated, and unsurprised that he has been named Teacher of the Year for La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools.

Coach Gonzo, a PE teacher at La Mesa Arts Academy (LMAAC) may be the only one surprised by the honor.

“I’m rarely speechless,” said Coach Gonzo, “and that was a huge feather in the cap to be recognized by my peers.”

Shaping minds With PE

“The ways in which PE enacts changes, we see students in a basic surrounding, communicating with each other. They’re encountering problem creation, problem-solving, and experiencing failure,” explained Coach Gonzo. “I mean, the number one thing that happens in sports is failure. And students need to understand that failure is a part of growing – you don’t learn from victory, you learn from failures. The interactions are really cool because you can see how students interact in small groups versus a solo endeavor, and it’s really cool to see how students navigate that.”

Coach Gonzo also sees students realize that their capabilities are greater than they expect, which builds confidence and resilience. “It’s huge. The realization that students can see their own physical capabilities with something like running the mile, they didn’t realize they could. They can push past certain limits and realize areas of skill that they didn’t know they had, and they start capitalizing on it.”

Appreciating colleagues

Coach Gonzo is quick to acknowledge and praise his teaching colleagues and discuss the ways he learns from them and continually improves his own skills as a teacher. “I work with a bunch of rock stars, and it’s really interesting to watch them do their thing. I steal stuff from them all the time,” he says with a smile. “Little sayings that Coach Dana would have or I look at our special ed department and look at our theater and art department – just amazing people that I don’t want to try and supersede – I’d rather run alongside them. It’s a beautiful thing. I’m very fortunate to be where I am doing what I do.”

To learn more about Coach Gonzo, listen to the LMSV Heart podcast on Spotify, Apple, or the LMSV Heart podcast page.

– This article and photo was provided by Dave Palmer, consultant to La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools.