It’s Monday morning. She enters her classroom, plugs in the Anatomage table, and begins preparing for her anatomy lessons for the week. Once school ends, she puts on athletic clothes and sunscreen and heads towards the volleyball beach courts or the gymnasium for practice. As the weekend draws near, she plans her travels with her club team, Winks Volleyball, all while keeping on top of grading. If this seems tireless, it’s just another week in the life of anatomy/physiology teacher Suzanne Winkler.
Winkler grew up in Reading, Pa., a town just outside the outskirts of Philadelphia, and had an athletic childhood there.
“Growing up, I played multiple sports, and soccer was my primary sport,” Winkler said.
Although she was always athletic, she never played volleyball until her freshman year of high school. After completing elementary, middle, and high school in central Pennsylvania, she began college at Marymount University in Arlington, Va., just outside of Washington D.C. She then attended graduate school at Liberty University to get her master’s degree.
After spending all of her life in the Northeast, she soon moved to North Florida, where she began teaching and coaching volleyball. She notes how some of her first experiences on campus influenced her daily life.
“For indoor [volleyball], we have a varsity, JV, and a freshman team,” Winkler said. “For beach, we have a varsity and JV team. Basically, I am in charge of both programs, and there’s a lot that goes into it–scheduling, programs, games, fundraising, and trying to be the best team in the area, and keeping the ‘tradition of excellence.’ It was the motto when I got here–and that’s what it has always been.”
Being the head coach for the BK volleyball team, many noteworthy championship games have occurred. However, her memories of coaching during the COVID-19 pandemic remind her of the value of perseverance, making it one of the most memorable for her.
“That 2020 season was epic because we just came back from COVID that year, and that was the season that got delayed,” Winkler said. “We ran two teams in case one got quarantined. We even had to sanitize the balls! In the craziest of times, we had to persevere. In my 25 years of coaching, it was one of my most memorable experiences.”
Winkler notes how her favorite part about teaching is her junior and senior students.
“I just love teaching students about their bodies and giving them some insight into something that they will have for the duration of their life,” Winkler said.
Winkler also has advice for her students, players, and the community to incorporate into their daily routines.
“When you’re in the midst of high school, you feel like every small detail matters,” Winkler said. “Being proud of who you truly are and being confident in your own unique passions is what will lead you to your success in life.”
