Coach AP interview

The day before the interview, James and I rushed to Coach Paddocks classroom to speak to him about our interviews. As we approached the classroom we did not hear his booming, calm voice. Instead we found his student assistant doing assistant activities. We questioned the student assistant asking where Coach Paddock is, having her only reply in murmurs. In the meantime we messed around and cracked jokes. I wrote on the white board Coach Paddocks favorite numbers, "420 ÷69=Dong". James was amazed by my cunning math skills and my Einstein sized brain. The student assistant left early, and not soon after, you could hear a faint noise of someone walking in flip flops outside the hall. Coach AP walked in apologizing for the wait, and he quickly noticed what I wrote on the board, only to laugh knowing it was me. I scheduled my interview with him for Friday, and made my way back to my favorite class Advanced World lit. & comp. taught by my favorite teacher Mrs.Cawlfield.    

The day of the interview I walked into Coaches classroom, only to be greeted with a warm smile from Coach and asking how I was. I aid for Coach 4^th period, so I patiently waited in my seat preparing for the interview until he was done teaching. As I keep restudying my poem, over and over again, I finally come up with a few questions. As soon as Coach finishes his lecture he approached me saying “So should we do this interview in the hall, or where would you like too?” To which I replied “The hall will work, its fine.” I followed Coaches footsteps to outside in the hall, handing him my computer and got ready to record the interview. “I got you coach here we go.” I pressed the record button and thought to myself what questions should I ask after he’s done analyzing the poem. Once he finishes he hands me back my laptop only to say “wow.” His face was not only surprised but was amazed by the poets writing. I put my interviewer face on and ask my first question of the session, “What is your opinion on the poem?” Coach Paddock pauses and thinks for a moment. “ I think there is some amazing advice in there, in terms of what the father is saying to his son about blind desire can lead to ultimate downfalls, uh because it will blind you from the truth and from the correct path that you would want.”

I thought hard to summon a new question to my mind, but thankfully beforehand I wrote some questions on a separate document. “In any part of the poem can you find relatable or identifying with yourself?” He shot a look to the ceiling to find inspiration in himself to answer the question, “Um, sometimes yes because as a coach your ultimate goal, you know in a competitive world is try to win the championship, but were also in the business of molding young people into showing them the right way to act upon things and act. So you’re constantly tested on ethical decisions on how you treat people and the way you approach your job, unbridled ambitions can be dangerous at times.” I managed to comprehend his words and thought about what he said, but swiftly changed my mind to another question to ask him. I paused for a moment as a couple walked in the hall laughing and talking so they did not interrupt out interview. Coach and I made eye contact again and we continued the setting we had.

“What do you notice most about the poem?” I inquired. Coach Paddock again then paused and glanced away down the vacant hallway and faced my eyes again. “I think that the language was pretty striking, you know when it makes references to slaves and their battered backs, the pus, I mean there is some very descriptive vocabulary that brings some tragic images to mind as you read. So it really kind of connects in terms of significance in the words the poet was using.” I desperately tried to think of more questions to ask him, for only I had three written down, and thought I could think of more on the spot. I finally asked one of my last questions. “Is there anything you find confusing in the poem?” Instead of pausing he answered fairly quickly, spewing words out of his mouth like Busta Rhymes would in any of his verses. “The only thing I’m not sure of is the author African American or not because the talk of black power and things like that. I do not know if that is negative that he is approaching to his son or a positive. I’m not really sure of whom the author is or if there is an attentive audience of this poem other than his son.”  The mood of the interview shifted to us both having the feeling it was over. I concluded our talk with one last thought to ask, due to the fact I did not come fully prepared with a full list of questions. I blurted out my dull-witted amateur question, “ So uhh is that the only part you’re confused about?” to which Coach replied “Yeah, I think so.”

“Alright!” I exclaimed in my inside hall appropriate voice. Coach then said, “Was that deep enough for ya’? You sure you don’t need more? This interview was only about five minutes!” He smiled brightly eagerly waiting my response, “Nah coach that’s it, thanks a lot!” We walked back into the somewhat mellow hard working math classroom, he patted me softly on my back. “Anytime ya need help buddy you can come to me!” I sat down in my seat to recap and think about the interview. I put in my music and let my mind wander. Not only was I glad to learn more about Coach Paddocks opinion, it helped me know him better as a person. Coach is not only an authoritative figure I can look up to, he is a deep passionate man I can learn from as a genuine human being. The only thing I regret not doing is asking better questions.