Nick Colobro, a teacher from Gate City, has taken the spot of physical education teacher and taken charge of the basketball team this year.

Colobro grew up in Gate City, Virginia.

“It was a very tight-knit, family oriented community and I had a lot of support from a lot of people,” Colobro said. “It was just a very positive influence on my life.”

As a middle school student, Colobro tried to be a model student.

“I never got in trouble,” he said. “I listened and followed the directions of what my teachers and coaches told me. I played football, basketball and ran track.”

He said he wanted to become a teacher because both his mother and his father were teachers.

“They were highly influential on me,” Colobro said.

He decided to coach basketball because he’s always loved it.

“I’ve always had a passion for basketball,” he said. “Since I was in grade school. I just love the game. I love the camaraderie. I love the teamwork that comes from being a part of a basketball team. And it’s just something that I have lots of passion for.”

He’s also coached just about any sport imaginable.

“I’ve been coaching since I graduated college” he said. “I’ve coached high school basketball. I’ve coached football, golf, I’ve coached track, I’ve coached soccer. I’ve coached a lot of different sports. And all those coaching experiences have helped me develop into the coach that I am today.”

To Colobro, sports are more than just games.

“Sports in middle school teach life lessons, they reveal character,” he said. “You’re going to go through ups and downs in life. You’re going to go through ups and downs in sports. Sports will teach you that you have to treat every day, every practice, just as if you’ve lost and you’ve got to regain that competitive edge.”

Naturally, Colobro works his team hard.

“Practice is demanding,” he said. “It’s hard. I expect a lot of the boys basketball players. But I also want them to know that I care about them, and I love them.”

Colobro also has gotten lots of support from his physical education colleagues.

“I get a lot of help from Coach McQueen and Coach Earles,” Colobro said. “They’ve been great mentors to me. A lot of credit goes to Coach McQueen and Coach Earles.”

He also takes the time to collaborate with the girls basketball coach, Stephen Baker.

“Myself and coach Baker have a lot of conversations about our teams,” he said. “I seek a lot of advice from Coach Baker. He’s got a wealth of experience. And he’s been very generous in lending me that wealth of experience. And we also work together with our facilities to ensure that both teams get ample amounts of practice time.”

And once P.E is over, and it’s time for practice, the players have to go and work their hardest.

As the basketball season comes to an end, Colobro hopes to continue pushing his players to another successful season.

“I expect a lot out of my players,” he said. “I understand what it’s like to be a player and play the game. You have to bring a good attitude and a good positive team effort every day.”