PMP522: Lessons from Coaching High School with Tony Bornhorst

A Quick Note to Listeners:

Before each week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is:

What do I do when I become aware of conversations in the teacher’s lounge – about my lack of support, for example – that filter their way back to my office?

Listen in to hear their response!

Meet Tony Bornhorst:

A veteran educator, coach, and athletic administrator with over three decades of hands-on experience, Tony Bornhorst has dedicated his career to shaping high school athletic and academic communities across multiple distinct school districts. After earning his undergraduate degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and his Master’s degree from Miami University, Tony spent seven years teaching and coaching at Riverside-Brookfield High School in Illinois, followed by five years at Jackson High School in Ohio, before settling in Dublin Ohio as a teacher, coach, and assistant athletic director for the past 21 years. Over the course of his career, he has coached a wide array of sports—including basketball, cross country, football, and tennis—and has channeled that extensive sideline wisdom into his essential guide, Thinking About Coaching High School? Read This First. Using basketball as a medium, his book pulls back the curtain on the profession to offer prospective coaches a realistic, story-driven glimpse into the daily responsibilities and complex dynamics of education today.

Lessons from Coaching High School:

In this episode of Principal Matters Podcast, Jen Schwanke sits down with Tony Bornhorst to discuss his what lead him to write his book. He reflects on how coaching serves as a perfect microcosm of school administration, emphasizing that both roles require immense dedication, endless communication, and the courage to navigate difficult conversations. Whether managing playing-time complaints from parents or supporting a struggling program, Tony explains how setting boundaries with empathy builds foundational trust. He challenges school administrators to prioritize hiring coaches who are also full-time teachers in the building, noting the immeasurable impact a coach has when they are accessible to students throughout the instructional day.

A Few Takeaways from the Episode:

• The Power of Parallel Leadership: Coaching and school administration are fundamentally parallel; a leader is only as good as their team, and maintaining the dignity of your staff or players is paramount.
• The Six Ps: Success in both the classroom and on the court relies on a core philosophy: proper, preparation, prevents, pathetically, poor, performance.
• Building-Based Coaching: Whenever possible, principals should hire coaches who also teach in the building. Having an educator-coach present during the school day allows for proactive mentoring and seamless support for student-athletes.
• Deflecting Blame, Sharing Credit: Exceptional leaders own the losses to protect their team from outside scrutiny, but step aside to give others full credit when celebrating a victory.
• The Impact of Affirmation: Small gestures from upper administration—like a supportive arm around the shoulder after a tough situation or an unannounced note of praise—can completely revitalize an educator’s morale.
• Defining Long-Term Success: The true reward of leadership is not found in the final score or a win-loss record, but in the lifelong relationships built with every student, parent, and player, long after they leave the school.

Tony wraps up the episode with a powerful reminder for all school leaders, teachers, and coaches to find value in their daily grind and remember the profound weight of their purpose. For school leaders looking to support their athletic staff or looking for an impactful gift for their coaches, Tony’s book is a highly practical, story-driven resource. You can purchase your copy of Thinking About Coaching High School? Read This First on Amazon.

Contact information: 

If you would like to contact Tony, you can email him at [email protected].

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