Driver’s Education and Physical Education (PE) II teacher Mr. Ingram has been teaching at our school for two years, after leaving Bayside High School. Ingram has quickly impacted our school atmosphere and it’s easy to see why students adore him. Head Coach of the Varsity boys’ tennis team, Ingram has ambitious goals for this spring and is ready to lead the team to success.
Q: What classes do you teach and how long have you been teaching?
A: “I’ve taught Health and PE II, and Driver’s Education for 22 years. This is my second year at Cox. I taught for ten years at Tallwood High School and ten years at Bayside High School.”
Q: What made you decide to teach this subject?
A: “I have a love for fitness and being active; that’s the main reason. I want to be in the gym every day. I’m not the sit-around type of person, as you probably know. I had a good PE teacher when I was in 10th grade who inspired me to teach as well.”
Q: How long have you been the tennis coach?
A: “Two years here at Cox and ten years at Bayside. I did not grow up playing tennis, however. I played football, which was my main sport, along with baseball and basketball in high school. I played football in college. I started playing tennis with buddies in my neighborhood and grew to love the sport. Bayside needed a coach, so I was willing to take that over.”
Q: What are some of your goals for the team going into the spring season?
“Win the state championship, which we can definitely do. We should win the region. Last year, we lost the regional final because one of our best players was injured, which hurt us there. We ended up beating that same team, Hickory, a week later for the second time to go to the state championship.”
Q: Can you describe your teaching/coaching style?
A: “Laid back and energetic. I have a lot of energy, which you need to be a PE teacher. There are a lot of PE teachers out there who lack energy and enthusiasm, but I like to lead by example in the gym and classroom. I am definitely more regimented in the classroom because driving is a serious topic that is life or death. It’s the most dangerous thing you do every day, whether you realize it or not, so I take that very seriously. I think there’s a good mix of playful and strict.”
Q: What has been your most fond memory so far while working at Cox?
A: “Just all the relationships with the kids. I really enjoy spending time with the kids here. In this community, I’m friends with all the parents of the kids going to school now. I love surfing with the kids that go here; that’s probably some of my fondest memories, just getting time out in the water and all the camaraderie in school. This is a big family-built school I have a lot of time with the community. My fondest memories are not in the classroom, really, but the outside of school events.”
Q: What do you want your students to take away from your class?
A: Drive safe and stay active. I want everyone to look back and they probably won’t remember everything I say in the classroom, but I want them to remember that exercising can be fun and you should do things that don’t suck. Be active have fun, and be good to other people.
