Many Stoughton High School students are current or former stars of the athletic world, but many don’t know that their teachers once ruled that world, too. Our teachers, from science to AP psychology used to dominate in their sports. Patrick Schneider, Rebecca
Murphy, Toni Fischer and Anna Schwerke all starred in sports back in the day.
Patrick Schneider, SHS social studies teacher and boys cross country coach, used to run track and cross country during his days at Verona High School and UW-Platteville. When asked about his biggest accomplishments, his answer showed his old love and dedication to his sports.
“In high school [track] I went to state in the four by four, [and] we got sixth in the state. […] On the cross country team, we got second in state, [and my senior year] we actually won a state title in Verona. So I’m a state champion,” Schneider says.
Being a state champion is something Schnieder is very proud of, and ironically, he ended up running by accident.
“I didn’t know I was going to be good at it. I
was in gym class and we did a ten-minute run, and I They were like ‘You should try cross country!’ and it just turned out I had a natural talent for it,” Schneider says.
Not only do sports teach us how to run or play, they also teach us strong life lessons.
“[Sports] just reinforced the idea that if you put in hard work, you’re gonna be successful,” Schneider says.
Rebecca Murphy, the ISTEM teacher used to bowl during her high school years and her time at UW-La Crosse.
In the world of bowling, Murphy was very successful, from winning numerous singles tournaments to going to nationals with her college bowling team when she was a sophomore.
Murphy is the definition of long-term commitment as she has been bowling for 43 years. That love for bowling came from too many Saturday cartoons.
“My parents decided when I was eight years old that I wasn’t going to sit around and watch cartoons all Saturday mornings, so they got me in a bowling league,” Murphy says.
This sport taught her more than how to bowl a 300 game or go to nationals.
“You learn [the] internal confidence that you can do it [and you start to] rely on yourself to believe this belief.,” Murphy says.
Toni Fisher, AP
psychology and student
senate adviser played intramural volleyball, coed volleyball, coed Softball, kickball and pickleball at UW-Whitewater.
Fischer had the chance to play at a D1 college but turned down the opportunity for something she found more important.
“I didn’t think I would have the time to be a student and an athlete and at a D1 school,” Fischer says.
And nothing says passion for a sport like knowing your rival by name.
English teacher Anna Schwerke played rugby at UW-Stevens Point. Schwerke’s achievements weren’t physical medals, instead they were bonds that lasted a lifetime.
“We were more of a club[…] affiliated with the university, so we won third at a tournament out in Eau Claire, but […] it was more of a family connection. We’d have house dinners together,” Schwerke says.
Nothing says fate more than when a sport literally chooses you—or rather, your sister chooses it for you.
“It was my freshman year, [and my] older sister was on the [rugby] team and she’s like ‘Why don’t you join rugby?’ [and I said] ‘Sweet, let’s go and join!” Schwerke says.
Rugby did not only teach Schwerke how to tackle but also provided her with lifelong bonds
“I still have rugby friends. We [hung out] just a couple of weeks ago. They brought their kids with them and we carved pumpkins,” Schwerke says.
Even though SHS staff members are amazing teachers, they also used to be astounding, dedicated athletes.
“A lot of students don’t really think about us as younger people, but some of us were really good [athletes]. It’s just a little harder to see this because we’re older,” Schneider says .