Jacob Ferguson

• Positions: Class support and head wrestling coach
• Bachelors/Degrees & from where: Degree is in exercise and science, UNC Pembroke
• School Activities: Wrestling 
• Years at Caney Creek: 9 
• Years Teaching: 9

How would other people describe you?

I’d like to think I’m passionate, and understanding. I would say that because whatever im working at or whatever im doing i try to be passionate about, like wrestling. I try to better our kids every day and work with them and then, like, the understanding part, like everybody’s got stuff going on, so we kind of got to work around that, of course, and take that into consideration first, but we just got to continue to do what we can.

Was there a career you wanted to pursue OR pursued before teaching.

Yeah, there were a few. I worked in construction management for a few years. That was a lot of fun. It was just, it was a lot of time away from my family, and I got into teaching because it was a lot more family friendly. Coaching takes a lot of time, but I also am able to make my own schedule so it works out. Then I’m also able to bring my kids up here when I can, when I have practice and stuff so it works out. 

Tell us about how you got into teaching. 

So my father was a football coach, wrestling coach  for 35 years. I think it was so I grew up around it. I was one of his athletes for years, and he coached me for years. Once construction got a little crazy. I just decided to go into teaching and coaching, because I’ve always loved the sport of wrestling and coaching it and teaching it.

What do you do outside of school for fun? Why? 

I try to stay busy with my kids, going to parks. I have one daughter that’s on a drill team, dance team, one daughter that’s in soccer, or they both have wrestling. I mean, we just go to the park. Try to stay outside quite a bit. They keep me pretty busy. So we try to, we try to, we try to just find stuff for them to do.

When people get to know you, what are they most surprised to learn about you? 

I think they’re a little surprised that I am able to take criticism from selective people.

Tell us the story about what you are most proud of yourself for.

The day my first daughter was born was probably what I’m most proud of, being a dad.

Who is someone you are thankful for and why?

Oh, my parents for sure. You know, since I’ve been in teaching and coaching,  I really realized how awesome they were and how much they did for me, and I really didn’t have too many worries when I was growing up. They always made sure everything was taken care of. They always, like,  I didn’t know anything different, you know, I see kids here, they’re taking care of their siblings and stuff like that. Or they got 100 other things going on too. You know, my parents made sure that I was able to participate in sports when I wanted to. They were able to make sure I had everything I needed academically. So that’s just something I’m very grateful for.

What advice would you give to someone pursuing a career similar to yours?

Just make sure you’re open minded, just make sure that you are okay with constructive criticism. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with, you know, fixing stuff day to day. I mean, I can tell you right now, from when I first got here and now, it’s completely different, like, it’s just you learn how to work with kids better, you learn how to do everything better, like it’s and that’s what we need to do, is just continue to get better at what we’re doing.

What do you hope to be remembered for? 

I hope to be remembered as somebody that was understanding, somebody that, you know, put the kid first rather than put other things first. Like, it’s just like,  to be remembered as somebody that always put what was in the best interest of the kid first rather than others like, rather than be wrestling or anything else. Because we can’t get what we want out of you guys unless we get, you know, academically and all that stuff is very important. But if you guys don’t have, if you guys aren’t comfortable here, if you’re not want to, you know, we got to create relationships, and then we can get the most out of you guys.

What’s on your bucket list? 

I’d like to visit every MLB stadium. Also, when I retire, probably the other thing I would really like to do is visit the NCAA Wrestling Championships, but I would like to go every year, for sure when I get the time, because now it’s, like, right outside wrestling season. So it doesn’t really work out that well.

Favorites

• Food: Mother lasagna.
• Song/Artist/Music: Kanye West.
• TV Show: “The Sopranos”
• Book: “Jeter Unfiltered” by Derek Jeter