Josh Thurow

B.S. in Physical Education, Minors in Coaching and Health

What is your current job?
PE/Health Teacher at Minnehaha Academy. I teach 9th Graders mostly. I also coach 9th Grade Football, JV Baseball and Varsity Girls Basketball.

Are you using your degree in any other ways in your life?
I’m currently in a Master’s Program at the University of St. Thomas for Activities and Athletics Administration.

What do you like about your job?
I like the people I work with. The kids are a lot of fun. I’ve developed great relationships with them through coaching/teaching and it’s really not as difficult as manual labor!

What are your current challenges?
Balancing a full teaching/coaching career and having enough time left over for my wife and three children. It is important to me to be good at both family and career.

What’s a typical day for you?
I get to school at 8:00, teach two or three block periods per day, run intramurals two days a week, coach practice right after work—I get home around 7:00 on nights without games. If it is a game night, my family meets up with me after school and we eat together. I get home around 9:30 on game nights.

Do you have any recommendations for current students?
Start strong your freshman year; don’t dig yourself a hole academically. Listen and learn from your professors, they are outstanding. You are fortunate enough to go to a school where your instructors and coaches care about your personally—embrace that. Take what you like from each of them and use it; take what you don’t like and flush it! This is the best way to develop your own teaching/coaching philosophy.

What were some of your biggest surprises?
My biggest surprise was that when it came to getting in a job in my profession, it didn’t come down to my grades in Fundamental Skills, Biomechanics and Exercise Phys.; it came down to being able to interview well. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put in the work and do well in all of your classes, but really take the time to prepare yourself for the interview process. I recall the practice sessions that Kris Smith, Wally Parrish, etc., put us through. They had me ready on all levels. I owe all of my profs a huge thank you for all they did to help me; be sure to appreciate them for their professionalism and encouragement.