PCA Updates
PCA is proud to recognize Coach Kaleb Lane as October’s Game Changer of the Month!
Content and account provided by Cesley Frost, Principal at BayTech Charter School and member of PCA's Oakland Sports Equity Task Force.
Coach Kaleb Lane leads the way for athletic coaching in the classroom and on the field, where he coaches volleyball, basketball, and baseball at BayTech Charter School in Oakland, CA.
As a young athlete, Kaleb Lane began playing organized sports at eight and has been involved in organized sports ever since. He recalls his first transformative coaching experience when his dad coached him while playing hockey. Kaleb was working to become a starter at 14 in the 16-18-year-old division. Being undersized, he felt like it was hopeless to become a starter. Halfway through the season, his father pulled him aside and asked, "Why are you doubting yourself? Weren't you already selected to move up into this division? Never doubt what you can do; think your possibilities are endless if you are willing to do the work to get there. You can't always be the best, but you can be your best."
Coach Lane’s commitment to equitable access and physical fitness for all can be witnessed during his PE classes at BayTech. Lane is patient, encouraging, and dedicated to assisting each student so that they can reach their fullest potential. Lane’s coaching extends from the field or court to the classroom with seamless expectations. Lane says his method is very simple, he encourages all students to try their best. During the pandemic, Coach Lane also provided daily virtual workouts to the BayTech community. According to Coach Lane, all students have a right to an opportunity for equitable access to quality physical education and sports programs.
The recent school shooting at the King Estates campus posed a threat to the opportunity for students to practice and continue to compete during the Volleyball season. Coach Lane describes the last couple of weeks as very uncertain for the players and the team. In many ways, the athletes found comfort and predictability with their teammates and, most prominently, with Coach Lane. After meeting with the team and supporting the emotional well-being of the players, the team rallied around each other and requested access to the school gymnasium to continue to practice and prepare for their upcoming game. Coach Lane feels strongly about the opportunity that organized sports afford to students who experience high levels of trauma on a regular basis. For the many students he coaches, organized athletics provide the basic necessities that students need to thrive and succeed during very unpredictable outside conditions.
Thank you Coach Lane for being a true game changer for kids and in your community!
