Will Becker delivered this triubte to the Rollers at All School assembly. Below is his speech and a video that was shown:
The Rollers have affected everyone in this room and every one of you has a story you could tell about them as a coach, a teacher, a college counselor or a mentor. It is a huge honor to me that I was asked to speak about them, and the best way I can do that is to tell you what they mean to me.
I like the definition of leadership that Mr. Millette brought to the school during our first Leadership Symposium: “Leadership is making those around you better and more productive.” I think of the Roller’s every time I hear that quote.
When I came to Tabor 24 years ago, the Rollers had already been here for 22 years. They were already established as pillars in the community and outstanding in their fields. Mrs. Roller was among the best teachers in the school, had started the girls’ basketball team and was a great college counselor. Mr. Roller was recognized throughout New England as an outstanding basketball coach and was already the Head of College Counseling. Their youngest child Emily was a sophomore at Tabor then and already a star athlete and student.
I had no experience teaching or coaching and did not have any idea how to do either. There were no teaching fellows back then and there wasn’t a training program for new teachers. I was handed two math textbooks at the opening faculty meetings that fall and Mr. Muther informed me that I would be the head coach of the girl’s basketball team. I was literally terrified.
Roller Tribute from Tabor Academy on Vimeo.
During the first week of school Mrs. Roller invited me to sit in on her class. She invited me every day until I realized I should be going as often as possible. I sat in on many of her classes that fall and gradually learned how to prepare for a class. More importantly she shared her tests and quizzes with me as well. There is no greater gift for a new faculty member—it can take hours to write a good test for a new teacher. I know that you have all taken tests that were too long for the allotted time or too hard or even too easy. Mrs. Roller patiently worked with me.She taught me about pacing, and where to place the easier and harder questions, about grading and writing a test that would have the appropriate average.
One of my proudest moments as a teacher came when we were teaching a course together. I handed her a draft of the midterm that January and she patiently spent several hours with me re-writing the whole exam. That mid-term did not need to be scaled and my classes felt it had been very fair. When I handed her the final exam that spring, she read through it and said “Good test—no changes!” Mrs. Roller knows more about teaching and assessing than anyone I have ever worked with. Her praise that day is something I will never forget, and what she has taught affects every class I teach and every test I write. I still go to her for advice on boarding school life and teaching and always come away from our conversations a better educator.
My first basketball season here was probably one of the greatest challenges I have ever faced. I was a head varsity coach but had never planned a practice, taught an offense, scouted an opponent, or coached a game. I was going to be coaching a very talented player named Emily Roller. I did not want to let her down, and I did not want to let the Roller’s down. Fortunately Mr. Roller recognized that I would need help—or he wanted his daughter to have a good season— or probably both. He encouraged me to come to his basketball practices, spent hours with me in his office discussing and diagramming drills and plays, and any time I asked he came in to my practice and taught things I did not feel I could explain effectively.
That season was Rich’s last as the boys' coach. He wanted to be at all of Emily’s games and could not if he were coaching too. He used a lot of the free time he now had teaching me how to coach. He came to every game and at every half time, when I asked for advice, he was always there to help. Even now if you come to a home game you will see me and Mr. Conley turn to Mr. Roller at half time and ask for guidance. His suggestions are always spot on and usually a big part of what we talk about in the locker room. Whenever Mr. Roller comes to a practice to help teach something I tell the girls that this man has forgotten more about basketball than I will ever know. When he is in the gym—no matter who else is there--he is the best coach in the room.
My proudest moment as a coach did not come during a championship game or while watching a player sign a scholarship. It came in Mr. Roller’s office after I had come in to ask a quick basketball question. I was about to walk out when he looked up and said “Becker, you’ve become a pretty good coach.” He looked back down and went back to work. I don’t think he had any idea how much that meant to me.
Rich and Joan, you have spent a lifetime making students and faculty members better and more productive. Your leadership cannot be replaced. I cannot ever repay you for all that you have done for me, and I can only hope to pay it forward.
At some point each winter early in the season before a game Mr. Roller will smile, slap me on the back and say “Becker, don’t screw it up!” I can not tell you how many times I have been writing a test or planning a class and thought, what would Joan do? Before each tough moment during the season, I think what would Rich do? Joan, Rich if I don’t screw it up, it is because of your guidance. I am very glad you are not moving far—I still have questions. Thank you very much.
