Coach Coker teaches life skills on and off court
Coach Warren Coker had two main goals in his life in the last couple of years; he knew he wanted to coach, and he knew he wanted to be closer to home. Imagine his excitement when given the opportunity to achieve both of those goals when offered the position here at West Florence. He teaches Academic Enrichment and also coaches the varsity girls volleyball team as well as the varsity boys tennis team. He graduated from the University of South Carolina and later got his masters degree from Coker College. He’s been able to travel and do several work studies across the country.
What some students might not be aware of is that Coker is a “floater." A floater is a teacher who is not directly assigned to one classroom. Instead, he has to move from mobile to mobile all day long. There is no one room that he stays for the whole day. Coker currently moves between three mobiles teaching Academic Enrichment the whole day.
Coker has been an educator for over 19 years and is well-adapted to change. He thinks that it can be necessary and it helps evolve and keep everything fresh and exciting. He is a firm believer in the term “student-athlete”. Coker stresses to his athletes that school should come before sports every time, and genuinely cares about each individual athletes and hopes to make a change in every one of them and help them later on in life.
“Things in volleyball relate to things in life. You’re going have those great moments and you’re going to have those moments that are a struggle. I try to teach them some life skills as well.” Coker said.
When Coker was offered the job, it gave him an amazing opportunity to be closer to home. Coker has lived in Florence for almost 17 years and has been driving back and forth in between towns for all that time. Now that Coker can work here in town, it’s been a huge time saver for him. It also was a good opportunity to be closer to his mother, who inspired him to coach and teach.
When you ask Coker what he might say is interesting about him, he might tell you he thinks he’s pretty boring. What most people don’t know is Coker actually used to dance on a country western professional dance team and competed nationally and internationally! He also is very into surfing and considers himself a little bit of a beach bum.
Coker loves teaching and he loves being able to make differences in young people’s lives. When teaching, Coker ’s doing what makes him happy and he is generally a very happy person.
Coker’s outlook on life is pretty unique, and he likes to project that outlook onto his student’s and athlete’s lives.
“Enjoy every moment of your high school and college life, because once it’s over, it’s time for the real world to slap you in the face. I want you to enjoy this part and pick the people that are good for you, and all in all, making the best possible decisions that you can when
it comes to college. Don’t do what everyone else wants you to do. Do what makes you happy,” he said.
