A Teacher Who Builds More Than Athletes

Dorrien King, dak118@uakron.edu

Photo Credit: Steven Harris

At Akron Early College High School, everyone knows Coach LeGrair. He is a teacher, a coach, and a mentor who cares about helping students grow both in class and in life.

Sports shaped the way he teaches. “Sports taught me structure and teamwork,” he says. “That is what I try to pass on to my students.” For him, lessons are not just about schoolwork. They are about preparing for the future.

What he enjoys most is when a student finally understands. “I love seeing that realization when the student understands,” he explains. “When they realize what they are learning is necessary, not just for school but for life, that is when I know I have done my job.”

Coach LeGrair is proud when his students move on to the military, business, or other careers. Many come back to thank him for the role he played in their success. “Seeing them succeed after they leave here is the best reward,” he says.

Outside of school, he trains athletes of all ages, from kids to seniors. He also announces games, using his own playing experience to explain the action in a way that everyone can follow. “It is fun to share what I know, to let people know what is happening, and make the game come alive,” he says.

What keeps him at AECHS is the students. He calls them “phenomenal” and loves watching them grow from freshmen into seniors. “This place is great,” he says. “I get to see students grow, and I love to see that.”