OMAHA, Neb. — Years ago, during lunchtime at Don Juan Avila Middle School in Southern California, Paul Coppes and another teacher played basketball with a few of the best athletes in school, including Quinn Mathews.
Coppes was an avid runner in his late 30s, fit enough to eventually become an ultramarathoner. One day, when Mathews was in seventh or eighth grade, he challenged Coppes to a one-mile race.
Pride got the best of Coppes, and he accepted. Churning around the track, the special education teacher was consumed with one thought — he could not let a middle schooler beat him.
Coppes ran as fast as he could, and narrowly beat the ultracompetitive kid who'd go on to become Stanford's ace pitcher. Coppes didn't stop to gloat.
Related News