It was his freshman year of college. He was sitting in his film class at Malone University with an intended sports broadcast major. He was learning how to create and edit videos, when it hit him. He needed a change. That student was Etowah new teacher, Will Szpor. 

“I was not interested in this, nor was I very good at it. It was at this point that I thought about changing my major and if this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” Szpor said. 

That decision ultimately led to Szpor joining Etowah’s faculty as a Physical Education coach.  

“I believe that I was always meant to coach,” Szpor said. 

Growing up with hopes of becoming a sports broadcaster, Szpor came to the realization in college that it was not the right fit for him. He reflected on what he enjoyed doing and who he enjoyed being around, and he realized that he truly loved teaching kids. 

“I landed in PE and coaching, and that’s just kind of how I got here,” Szpor said. 

Szpor worked at two other school districts prior to Cherokee County. The first school district he worked in was Jenkins County, a small district with approximately 300 students. He was an ISS/ALT school teacher, and served as a football, baseball, and middle school basketball coach. 

After that, he coached football and boys’ lacrosse in Cobb County at Campbell High School for two years. While Szpor was a coach there, the football team was able to go to the football playoffs for the first time in ten years, and the lacrosse team made the lacrosse playoffs for the first time in program history.  

“This was a very interesting job. Many people think that Campbell is not a place you would want to work, but my experience there was not bad,” Szpor said. 

While balancing the duties of his job, Szpor is also a husband and a father. Being a father has changed the way he performs at his job.  

“I’ve learned to become more responsible, for not only my son, but for all the students I care for on a daily basis. The same responsibilities needed for this job are the same as the responsibilities needed for being a father,” Szpor said.  

Szpor’s his favorite part of his job is being with his students.  

“As a teacher, if you don’t enjoy being around kids, you’re in the wrong profession,” Szpor said.  

In his spare time, Szpor enjoys spending time with his wife and four-month-old son, reading his bible, watching football, playing video games, and relaxing. 

Everyone’s path to success is not set in stone. Anyone can change plans at anytime, and that could lead to a completely different chapter of life. Szpor experienced the same life-changing moment, and that led him right to the top of Eagle Mountain.