Weekends in the fall are typically filled with football for many collegiate and NFL fans. As the season ramps up, so does fantasy football- a popular activity for 60 million people all over the country- and Homewood High School teachers are no exception to this fun endeavor.
The league for teachers at the high school began about 20 years ago with Jason Kenna, HHS theatre teacher, as the first commissioner, and it has continued ever since.
The traditional fantasy structure consists of 12 teams, so 12 teachers participate each year with the commissioner role changing around. This season, HHS English teacher and baseball coach Keith Brown is acting as the league’s commissioner.
The teachers kicked off the fantasy season with the draft hosted at Brown’s house the Sunday before Labor Day (the last weekend before pro football kicks off).
Rather than a typical fantasy draft where participants take turns picking players in a set rotation, the teachers do an auction draft where each person receives a certain amount of fake money to bid on the NFL players they want on their team. The teacher with the highest bid on a certain player will get to add them to their roster.
AP Calculus teacher and math team coach Mark Hellmers prefers the auction draft over a typical snake draft with an order.
“It definitely takes longer, but it is way more fun that way,” Hellmers said.
In addition to hosting the draft, Brown has a few other tasks to fulfill and responsibilities as commissioner.
“If there is ever any issues or somebody is fussing about a trade, there is a committee of us who will make a decision on if it is fair or not,” Brown said.
As teachers have retired or moved away, the league took the opportunity to reach out to more teachers and expand their involvement in the school.
“We now usually have people say they want to join if there is an open spot,” Brown said.
The league naturally experiences some lighthearted competitiveness as they get deeper into the season.
“It can be pretty competitive, especially when it gets into the playoffs,” Brown said. “There is some trash talk, but it is ultimately about us all having a good time and having something to talk about during the week.”
Above all, the league is a way for teachers to interact with one another and stay connected with coworkers they don’t typically see around the building.
“For me, that’s the fun thing about it,” Hellmers said. “I get to see faces around the school I wouldn’t get to see if it wasn’t for the fantasy league.”
So the next time you see these teachers or coaches conversing in the hallways, chances are they are not discussing lesson plans but are instead scheming their next fantasy moves against each other.
