By: Allison Skinner (11)

After walking the halls of Helias Catholic High School as a student, Coach Tyler Sandbothe returned this year with a different role: teacher and coach. A 2022 Helias graduate, Sandbothe teaches Dual Credit and A.P. U.S. History and coaches the junior varsity football team as a quarterback and safety coach. For Sandbothe, returning to Helias was a way to give back to the school that had a major impact on his life. After attending public school before coming to Helias as a freshman, he said the school provided him with countless blessings through the teachers, coaches and mentors who helped shape him.

“I’d like to be the mentor that I had when I was in school,” Sandbothe said.

Although returning to his former school has been a little unusual, Sandbothe said the transition from student to teacher has gone smoothly. Some of his former teachers are now his coworkers, creating an interesting dynamic that took some time to adjust to.

“It’s weird. Some teachers are still here, but also the new people are great to see,” Sandbothe said.

His decision to teach history was also influenced by his time as a Helias student. One of his greatest inspirations was his former history teacher, Coach Victor Bell, who helped make history a subject Sandbothe genuinely enjoyed. He also appreciates the opportunity to debate and discuss different perspectives in the classroom.

Sandbothe's love for football brought him back to the field as well. After playing football at Helias, transitioning from player to coach has given him the opportunity to see the game from a completely different perspective. He has enjoyed learning the ins and outs of the game from the other side of the ball while working alongside the coaches who helped shape his own football experience. His time as a player has also influenced how he connects with his athletes. After suffering an ACL injury that required eight months of rehab, Sandbothe understands the physical and emotional challenges athletes can experience when dealing with injuries. 

“I’m not that far disconnected from the feeling,” Sandbothe said. “I can relate to how the students think and feel.”

Outside of the classroom and football field, Sandbothe's interest in history runs deep. If given the opportunity to talk for hours about one historical event, he would choose Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily during World War II. In college, Sandbothe completed a capstone research project on the invasion that required approximately 120 hours of research.

Now, Sandbothe hopes to use his experiences as a student, athlete and college graduate to make an impact on the next generation of Helias students. His biggest goal is to help students take ownership of their own learning throughout the school year.

“From day one to 180, I hope to see them take ownership of their own learning,” Sandbothe said.

After once walking the halls as a Crusader himself, Sandbothe now has the opportunity to help guide the students following in his footsteps. Through teaching and coaching, he hopes to become the kind of mentor that made a difference in his own Helias experience.