For many athletes and students, coaches and teachers are the most essential part of the learning process. Coach Henderson, a lacrosse, freshmen football and PE coach has been teaching at ANHS for four years now. His teaching and coaching methods have changed many students throughout their high school careers.
One key part of Coach Henderson’s job is introducing the freshmen to a variety of different sports at Aliso Niguel High School. Throughout the school year, the PE class covers many units. One fun part of the school year is the dance unit, where Mrs. Desiano finds time in her busy schedule to help out with the students.
However, the class is not all about touring the options for the students upcoming year. Their runs provide healthy exercise that keeps the students active, and they have other units like pickleball which are offered as part of the racket sports class. These sport introductions are very useful, making students feel less intimidated about potential sports they want to join. The class not only keeps the students active, but also ensures they have fun along the way.
An Aliso Alumni, Coach Henderson graduated from Aliso in 2010. He was a member of the lacrosse team and played every year in high school. After High School, he attended Cal State Fullerton, where he majored in Kinesiology and earned a Bachelor’s degree. He was an active member and even competed in other sports like hockey. He played with the Titan Ice Hockey Club during his time in college.
Before Coach Henderson started focusing mainly on lacrosse, he spent many years playing ice hockey, including two years of junior hockey in Bozeman, Montana. His background as a multi-sport athlete is important to what he does now, making him well-qualified to help students pick what direction they want to go in.
Under Henderson’s leadership, the Boys’ Lacrosse team has become a top-10 CIF division 2 team. Even though the sports he coaches can be challenging for his kids, he guides them along the way and makes sure they are playing their best.
Ben Linehan (10), a member of the Lacrosse team, says “Henderson has a really attentive coaching style, I feel like he really pushes all the players to their limits and shows them their full potential.”
Arguably one of the most important parts of coaching, Henderson also makes sure that the kids’ mental needs are met as well. His students state that he offers support and wants them to do what is best for them. When coaches don’t offer a positive attitude, it can be detrimental to how the students perform. This is why it is important why Coach Henderson puts so much care and effort into his individuals.
Coach Henderson says “I think that the most rewarding part of coaching is seeing how proud the kids are of themselves after. It’s really rewarding to feel that I was even a small part of what they achieved.”
His compassion for what he does shines through to everyone that experiences his coaching, whether it is Lacrosse, Football or Physical Education. Coaches like Henderson can not only change how students play in their sports, but also how they view their future lives. They use morals and qualities from their sport every day.
