SJ Sports: From Field to Street

Life is filled with difficult decisions but not many are tougher than the one that Sean McKinney had to make. McKinney had been a physical education teacher and assistant football coach at Gloucester High before choosing to pursue a career in law enforcement.

“It was one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make in my life,” McKinney explained. “Just the thought of leaving the students was so hard to grasp; leaving the other coaches and the faculty at Gloucester High who have been so supportive of me.”

McKinney said it was more than just a job at Gloucester.

“One of the toughest things was leaving Leon (Harris) who has been a mentor and role model to me for so long,” he said.

Harris, head football coach and athletic director at Gloucester High School, coached McKinney, who was a standout athlete in football, basketball, and baseball at Gloucester High from 1986 to 1990. When McKinney came back to teach at the school in 1996, Harris immediately hired him as an assistant football coach.

According to Harris, McKinney was much more than just a coach.

“He put in an incredible amount of time with the athletes and students,” Harris said. “He has a great gift of making things fun for them while working hard.”

When the topic of conversation is McKinney, a smile always seems to light up the face of the speaker.

Senior wide receiver-defensive back Ian James, an all-conference wide receiver, said McKinney was a true role model.

“Knowing that he was always there for me meant a lot to me,” James said. “He was such a great coach and person, someone I really looked up to a lot. He made each day so much fun.” William James, Ian’s father, felt the same way about McKinney as his son.

“In today’s society, where parents are constantly on edge over who their children associate with and who they are being influenced by, it was a genuine comfort to know that Sean was always there for my son, giving him sound advice and at the same time setting a healthy example that will surely assist my son in his future,” Mr. James said.

McKinney’s co-workers had similar stories to share. Teachers and administration comically commented about his Saturday morning game-day rituals. They recalled his focus before games and the resultant difficulty he had eating and sleeping for days. They spoke of his dedication to the Toys for Tots program. Those who know him best say McKinney was all about dedication to the students.

“He was a young man who demanded the most of himself,” Gloucester principal Jack Don said. “This trait led to his desire to reach each and every student he came in contact with both in the classroom and on the athletic fields.”

Deciding to leave Gloucester was something that McKinney deliberated about a long time.

“Leaving the students and players was definitely the hardest part for me,” he said. “Seeing them on my last day at the school was one of the roughest times in my life. They were always my number one reason for being there, and that will be the greatest memory.”

In a bit of wishful thinking, Don had one final thought about McKinney. “I’d like to one day add to my remembrances of Sean by hearing from him the words, ‘I’m back.’”

Content provided by South Jersey Sports Club.

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Author: SJ Sports Club-Sean Gorman