Teacher Appreciation Week: Coach Sabers

Few faces are more synonymous with City High School than that of PE teacher and football coach Dan Sabers. Coach Sabers has been the head football coach at City High since taking over for legendary coach Larry Brown in 2001. In that time he has won a state title and led the Little Hawks to numerous MVC and divisional titles.

Before taking over as head coach, Mr. Sabers was an assistant on Coach Brown’s staff that won three state titles. Together, the two forged City High into one of the state’s premier football powers of the last 25 years.

Mr. Sabers also teaches at City High as a P.E. and Health teacher. Known on and off the field as a no-nonsense operator, Sabers has been able to maintain the respect and admiration of the student body.

As a football player and frequent member of Coach Sabers’ strength training classes, I’ve developed great admiration for both his dedication to his work and his unquestionable moral character. Above all, Coach Sabers seems to value the development and well being of his students, as well as maintaining City High’s reputation as the school that leads.

One of my favorite things about Coach Sabers is his dedication to his students and athletes. In sports, Coach Sabers has always helped myself and others to develop as athletes and people. He isn’t afraid to push people to be their best, to yell at them when they deserve it and correct them when they make a mistake. But he stands by his people, and the athletes who end up being most successful under his coaching are the ones who understand that the reason he pushes people is that he truly wants to help them become the best they can be.

Beyond sports, Mr. Sabers cares about everyone he interacts with. In his room hangs a bulletin board with pictures of his students. One of the first assignments in his Health class is to bring in a copy of a picture of “a time you felt happy.” The result is a bulletin board overflowing with pictures of students past and present.

This simple gesture goes a long way. It shows his students that he cares about them as individuals, and forces them to think about their values and what makes them happy. His entire class is centered on the idea that every person is special and deserves the very best. It’s not a message we hear enough in society, and I think it’s fundamental to Coach Sabers’ world view.

Simply put, Coach Sabers is an East Side icon. His success as a coach and educator can’t be questioned, and beyond his well-earned reputation as a hard-nosed drill instructor is a man who cares deeply about his school, his community, and his pupils.