The Fair Grove High School Assistant Football Coach and Track Coach, Michael Zanzie, continues to make an impact on the Eagle’s Nest.
Coach Zanzie has worked at Fair Grove High School for two years now, and has been influenced by many of his peers. Fair Grove High School Girls Track Coach and 8th Grade Science teacher, Lindsay Martin, stated, “Having a co-coach that is so supportive and someone who considers your ideas and thoughts is paramount to me.” Zanzie is well known around the track team for motivating athletes to push themselves with each event.
Zanzie expressed his favorite thing about Fair Grove by stating, “Being able to work in a district with so much support and camaraderie. Everyone here at Fair Grove seems to care about each other and what they are doing. Being in a place that celebrates the successes of others is very rare and I don’t take that for granted.”
There are many reasons on what got Zanzie to where he is now. Zanzie said, “After graduating high school the wrong things drove me to be a coach, success and winning. Something that was few and far between when I was an athlete. After several life events early on in my career, the real reason I became a coach was clear; people.”
Coach Martin believes it is important for both teachers and coaches to care about students. Martin stated, “We spend a lot of time together and we both care immensely about our program and kids, so it’s amazing to be able to communicate with ease and know we have each other’s back.”
Coach Martin believes Coach Zanzie is especially good at one very important thing. Martin said, “He’s great at taking the athlete that other coaches might have forgotten, or buried on the depth chart, and making them feel needed and known. Not only that, but taking the time to develop that kid in a meaningful way. He’s so great at that.”
Zanzie said, “The support I get at home is amazing. I have an incredible support network that helps me be able to do the things that I love. Those that I would like to give credit to would be my wife, Lacey, my daughter, McKenna, my sister, Angela, and my mom.”
Coach Michael Zanzie has made an impact on many of his athletes along with other students. Zanzie continues to share his passion throughout Fair Grove schools along with changing the lives of students and athletes.
