It is no secret that sports can change people’s lives. From taking up every Saturday for a few months a year, to being a highly paid professional athlete who trains year-round, sports impact so many different people in so many different ways. For Lincoln Southeast High School (LSE) teacher Josh Severin, helping coach football back in high school got him hooked on the sport, which led to many more years of doing what he loves.

“When I graduated from here, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do after high school for a career,” Severin said. “So, I went to the university and started thinking about what a great experience I had in high school when I helped coach. I was a freshman in college when I decided that’s what I want to do.”

Severin began coaching when he was just 19 years old, and he’s been in love with it ever since. Despite the incredible time commitments it takes to manage teaching three different math classes, along with coaching football, shot put and discus, Severin says he never sees himself retiring from coaching. 

“It can [be difficult to balance], but I do what I need to do and come in early so I can fulfill what I need to do as a teacher,” he said. For Severin, being a teacher comes first and being a coach is second. He gets everything done that he needs to for his math classes so he has time to coach and spend time with his players. Even though it’s tough to balance everything on his busy schedule, the hardest part of teaching for Severin actually comes when his students aren’t doing as well as he hoped.

“It’s just disappointing because I want everyone to do well, and some people kind of make choices not to do well. It just stings a little bit,” he said.

Severin wants his students to remember him as someone who cares about them, no matter what. With all the time, effort and care he puts into LSE, he is showing them just how much he truly cares.