When the final bell rings, the halls grow quiet and the building empties. But for many teachers, the day is far from finished. Some stay late, grading papers or preparing lessons, while others head straight into their second shift: coaching.
Walking the tightrope between teaching, coaching, and home life brings both great joy and hard challenges. For Tyler VanAcker, head coach of Wilsonville’s girls basketball program, some of the toughest moments stem from the double life as coach and teacher.
“Being intentional means constantly picking and choosing,” he explains. “Having the ability to step away is important, because I always make time for my family, as well as the things I’m passionate about,” he continues.
VanAcker has taught at Wilsonville for nine years, covering subjects from Music History to AP Human Geography, Psychology, and Modern U.S. History. With such a full schedule, his plate already overflows (without the added layer of basketball season).
Yet for him, the rewards outweigh the demands. His greatest joy is watching students succeed—not only in the classroom or on the court, but also in their relationships and their own lives.
If balancing one sport sounds daunting, consider balancing two. Anna Raschko has taught nearly every subject except AP Calculus, while also serving as head coach for boys’ tennis and as assistant coach for wrestling. For her, the challenges aren’t just mental—they’re physical.
“I have ADHD, and with that comes a constant struggle with prioritizing and communication, not to mention time management and being deliberate,” she honestly shares. In her rare moments of free time, Raschko finds peace in nature or by baking cakes and cookies.
But beyond her hobbies, Raschko also holds a unique place on the sidelines: she is one of the few women leading a boys’ team, a role still rare in high school athletics.
“Many people have an image of women in education and in athletics. We need to hold ourselves to a higher standard,” she mentions. “It’s important to have women in leadership roles.”
Amid the chaos, Ian Reschke believes coaching is about sacrifice. “The fall is our busiest time of year, and it’s quite the juggle to make sacrifices on all three points. Putting less focus on the results, and more on the process, and putting time into things that players will remember,” says Reschke.
For all the long hours, late nights, and weekends spent away from home, these coaches’ dedication never wavers. It isn’t just about building strong athletes—it’s about shaping resilient young people who will carry those lessons far beyond the court or field.
As one coach put it: “The greatest joy is seeing my kids running off the field after a game. It’s worth the sacrifice.”