After the injury derailed the football career, the former Niu lineman Drew Hoth finds a new appointment in primary school lessons – Shaw Local

Dekalb – When August 2024 rolled around, Drew Hoth was in an unknown position.

For the first time when he could remember, he didn't play football.

Fortunately, he found something else for the Cedar Falls, Iowa, native and former Niu -Office -LineMan, which fulfilled something else in his student lessons at Jefferson Elementary.

“It helped to mitigate the blow because I know that I really enjoy what I will do next,” said Hoth. “I never really had a different passion outside of football, so I really had no idea what I wanted to do. I was not interested in business or sellers. The medical field was not interested.”

He was always interested in education. He said it started when he would help his mother, Lynn Hoths, in the daycare center, at home. That helped him find out how much he enjoyed working with children.

When he came to Niu, he studied education and worked on his degree when he also played for the huskies. After not playing in 2021 and 2022, he played in nine games in 2023 and started four for the huskies.

Before the 2023 season, he tore his Labrum and played injured during the season. He came back to summer training in time, but stuck the injury again.

“I learned that I can bring a little differently to the table than many other teachers on my way. Not many men go into primary school.”

– Drew Hoth

At that time he decided to retire medically. He focused on earning his conclusion, which he is on the right track in May. He knew that Mitchell Elementary should be opened in autumn, and there were employment opportunities for him in Dekalb.

“I was at the point where I was academically a senior and I knew that football would be over at some point anyway,” said Hoth. “I was ready to handle the next side of life. I knew that Dekalb opened a new primary school. So I knew that there would be a lot of job offers.”

Many athletes who go into training tend to go the way of physical education, and there are not exactly a large number of male primary school teachers. Hoth said he was considering concentrating on physical education, but decided against it.

He said that he was more about building a solid relationship with students in his class.

“I definitely thought about it because a lot of things with gym were more natural,” said Hoth. “I have sports all my life and played football, basketball and baseball. I thought about it, but I liked the idea of ​​working with the class, the 20, 25 children you have in your classroom and build these relationships in this way.”

When District 428 returned to school after the winter break, Hoth said that he usually did everything with his class of fourth graders at Jefferson.

He also interviewed a job at Mitchell and got it. He will be a fifth grade teacher when the school is opened in autumn.

Hoth said he hoped to be a positive role model.

“The children have many questions about it,” said Hoth. “I have learned that I can bring a little differently to the table than many other teachers on my way. Not many men go into primary school formation. I think I am the first in a very long time that enters primary school.”

Maurice McDavid, headmistress at Mitchell, said that a male primary school teacher, especially one as well as Hoth, was a great thing.

“I recognize as a male primary school manager and I was a main subject for primary school formation, that's something that is rare,” said McDavid. “If we get the opportunity to work with a male educator, especially one of his quality, they are happy about it.”

McDavid said another positive element he puts on the table, was a former athlete of the NCAA Division I. Hoth is 6-foot-4 and £ 318 in his game weight.

“He enters the room with 6-5 or whatever,” said McDavid. “I spoke to some of the boys that will be fifth graders next year, and they are very excited to speak to a former Di athlete and see what they can learn.”

Hoth said he missed playing football this year. He said he was not quite sure when he started playing on the lower levels, but football has been part of his life since fifth grade.

He said he was looking forward to the next chapter.

“I wanted to be a good role model for the children,” said Hoth. “Not every child has a positive male role model at home. I wanted to make it available for them.”