Gary Kaplan

I began volunteer basketball coaching as a high school senior in Chicago as a community service project, but I never fully realized that some day working with kids would be my life’s career path. From an early age, I was involved with helping others, as I felt fortunate to be adept in my schoolwork, athletics, and human relations. It all seemed so natural to me, including helping those who seemed to be less skilled or gifted. I got a great deal of satisfaction from what I did and it didn’t stem from getting paid or receiving accolades for what I did.

As I matured and matriculated through my secondary education and professional schooling, I seemed to have the feeling that something was missing, although my professional life took its course and I became a dedicated professional, working in the field of law, but, true to my instincts, also helping others. I also continued to participate in various sports as a player and coached athletics at the middle school level, coaching softball, baseball, basketball, and football. My coaching techniques mirrored my philosophy about life: Enjoy what you are doing, have fun, learn the right techniques, work with others to achieve a goal, share your knowledge and abilities with others, and learn from your mistakes or failures, (for they will occur!) Winning was a goal, but not the only goal, as success is not really measured at that age level by the total number of victories, personal statistics, or trophies, but by character development, confidence building, and personal skill development.
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I ultimately left the field of law and embarked upon a career in teaching, finding a niche at the middle school level teaching Humanities. I was a history major in college, and bringing to the forefront events of the past to students in a way that is gripping, enjoyable and worth remembering is my goal. The field of Humanities, which includes the study of history, current events, government, public speaking and a little bit of child psychology thrown in, is an all-encompassing field that we live each day. The human condition is not the same for everyone. That is why individual focus on each student is so important.

I still continue to coach athletics; it is satisfying and rewarding to see individual development and comradery among players. I have extended my focus on the middle school age group as I now also work privately with students individually on their personal growth, focusing on confidence building, public speaking, organizational skills and athletic improvement.