Due to Ron Litchfield (Head football coach and Physical Educator), leaving for a coaching job in Georgia, our football team had no coach, and classes were left with no teacher. Till they hired Jacob Waters as a long-term sub. Mr. Waters is a 22-year-old male born April 25th,2002, born and raised in Olathe, Kansas.
Waters attended Olathe Northwest and graduated in 2020. During his time at Olathe Northwest, he kept himself involved and busy, he was a part of Track, Basketball, and Soccer. He was in the National Honor Society and Northwest’s Spirit crew as well. After graduation, he continued his education at Northwest Missouri State. He was in the fraternity SIGMA TAU GAMMA and served as their recruitment director. He was nominated for Homecoming King and was in a couple of honor societies in college too.
He graduated with a degree in Physical Education and Health in the fall of 2024. The semester before he was at Olathe West student teaching, and Then South reached out for a long-term sub position for the following semester. After his subbing is done at South, he plans on getting a real teaching position where he can teach PE, and health, and continue coaching. He is working on his master’s to eventually become an athletic director. Waters also has been coaching the Olathe Northwest Freshman basketball team this year and they’ve had a pretty good season so far going 7-2.
Waters’ upbringing additionally contributed to his passion for connecting with students.
“I grew up in a household full of educators with both of my parents working in the Olathe school’s district. Watching them work made me want to become a teacher and help students. I don’t want to just teach students content, but to also make an impact on their lives by building relationships and making learning fun,” Waters said.
His mother, Dr. Waters, works as Assistant Superintendent for Middle School Education for Olathe Public Schools. His father, Mr. Waters, works at Misson Trail Middle School as a counselor and is the head coach for both girls’ and boys’ basketball teams.
Although he was doubtful about starting at the start of the semester, all the staff and students have treated him with open arms, and he has gained popularity throughout the semester.
said freshman Colton Walters.
Sophomore Parker Sonner agrees that Mr. Waters is an interactive and fun teacher. “I think Mr Waters is a great PE teacher because he really is good with students and he plays with us and is super chill,” Sonner said.
Mr. Waters feels like the South is one big community and we are happy that he has joined it. Throughout the day you can see Mr. Waters interacting with students in a way that is different than other subs. Waters has had long conversations with his students as well as short interactions that show he is welcoming, and with him being young he has an idea of what the kids like and know about. He can also understand the students more since he not too long ago was in their position.
Mr Waters has spent his time here mainly in the gym, weight room, and room 1202. He has all the classes that Litchfield had except for some that were changed, one of those classes is a Sophomore advisory. Students have noticed Mr Waters around the school and some have thought he had been a new student.
Students are excited to have a new, young sub that they can talk to, even if Waters does not continue his career at South and even goes to another Olathe school.
