Pasco County Schools is rolling out a new recognition program this school year with the Tampa Bay Lightning aimed at coaches who do more than coach. The initiative, called “Beyond the Game,” will spotlight school coaches across all sports who make an impact on students beyond what happens in competition.
The program builds on an already growing partnership between Pasco County Schools and the Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation. That collaboration has brought street hockey into schools and given students a path to earn official P.E. credits through hockey. “Beyond the Game” widens the reach by honoring coaches in any sport.
“An organization like the Tampa Bay Lightning pours into our students and our schools. It really speaks volumes, and I think it, it reminds families how important Pasco County Schools is in the community, and it reminds our kids how important they are to big organizations like the Tampa Bay Lightning,” said Toni Zetzsche, chief impact officer at Pasco County Schools.
The response has been strong already, with more than 300 nominations submitted. The first three coaches will be announced at Tuesday’s school board meeting.
“These are coaches who are not just worried about what's happening on the field, but they're worried about what's happening off the field too, right? They're encouraging students to perform at a really high level academically. They're asking them to, you know, model good citizenship, behave on campus, but when they don't, they're there to pick them up,” Zetzsche said.
Under the plan, three coaches will be honored at each of four school board meetings during the school year. Each winner will receive a hockey stick and may also be recognized at a Tampa Bay Lightning home game.
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