Speaker: Matt Hudak, Physical Education Teacher
Please introduce yourself and tell us what excites you most about joining the Good Shepherd community.
Matt Hudak: Hi, my name is Matt Hudak. I'm starting my first year as a coach at Good Shepherd. What most excites me about joining the community is having substitute taught in PE in the classroom of the last spring semester and getting to know the kids. I'm really excited to be able to continue journeying with them and really helping them realize their full potential.
What is an interesting fact about yourself or something people may not know about you?
Matt Hudak: An interesting fact about myself is I'm an avid student of history, both U.S. and the World. My most recent deep dive has been into the Napoleonic Wars.
What is the best advice you ever received and who was it from?
Matt Hudak: The best advice I ever received. I've seen it in different iterations in different places. But for me, it was from my grandfather whom I grew up playing golf. And he always used to tell me that, you don't compare yourself to others. You really are only in competition with yourself and your goal every day should just be the you of today should be better than the you of yesterday. And what kind of goes along with that is the idea of not focusing on the end result, but instead on the day-to-day process, staying focused, staying disciplined, staying on task, doing what you need to do to be the best you at every moment and then the end result will take care of itself. And I think that's really applicable, whether you're talking about athletics or life in general. It's really true that life is a journey, not a destination and it's not about winning or losing, but how you play the game.
What’s been the highlight of your summer?
Matt Hudak: The highlight of my summer has been spending quality time with my family. So coming from where I came from previously, which was the corporate world, specifically luxury retail. I was used to spending my summers working on advertising for the upcoming holiday season while my wife and daughter were out having fun kicking it by the pool. So it's definitely been really nice to be able to spend this time with them.
What brings you joy?
Matt Hudak: What brings me joy is, I think what ultimately brings joy to every parent and teacher and that is sharing knowledge, being a mentor, helping others to discover their own unique talents and make the most of them. I think it's really amazing to be able to see this wonderful student body and seeing these amazing kids and knowing that you played a part, no matter how small and the amazing people they grow up to be. I don't think there can be a more rewarding experience anywhere.
