Teaching and coaching go hand in hand. The two professions complement one another in the classroom and on the playing field. As Malibu High celebrates its 20th year as an academic institution, one member of its faculty has been a stalwart of the community for 19 of them.
Andy Meyer has served the school as both a teacher and coach, positively influencing the lives of many students. In the classroom, Meyer currently teaches Government/Economics and Psychology/Sociology, while on the hardwood he recently completed his fifth season as the girls’ varsity basketball head coach. He also is the advisor for the school’s Associated Student Body (ASB) student council.
After working for 10 years as a police officer in the Santa Monica Police Department and two years as a sheriff for the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department, Meyer transitioned into his new career as an educator 21 years ago at Santa Monica High School. When the opportunity to teach and coach at MHS came up, Meyer didn’t hesitate to join despite the 25-mile commute to and from Culver City he still makes to this day.
Meyer earned his social science degree and teaching credential from Cal State Northridge. He has coached for 14 years at all levels at Malibu, including boys’ basketball head coach for six years and softball for two years. During the summer, Meyer is actively involved with the City of Malibu’s summer youth basketball camps.
Father to son Justin (MHS ’07) and daughter Kelcie (’10), Meyer will celebrate his 27th anniversary with wife Valerie on April 14. Valerie has taught at Leuzinger High School in Lawndale for more than 20 years.
The Malibu Times caught up with Meyer as he reflected upon his career at Malibu High School.
Why did you become a teacher?
I guess teaching kind of runs in my blood. I am married to a teacher. I have one sister who just retired after 30 years of teaching and have another sister who is a teacher’s aide. My mom was a teacher’s aide and my nephew is a teacher. So I think I was kind of meant to be a teacher. I just enjoy being around the high school atmosphere. I like teaching students what’s important not just about a subject but what’s important about life.
What is one thing that means a lot to you as a teacher?
One of my biggest pleasures of teaching is having somebody who has graduated come back and just say hi or even send me an email. If somebody can say they got something out of my class, it means a lot whether they received an “A” or “D.” I enjoy that just as much. My biggest joy of teaching is somebody coming back and saying, “I enjoyed doing this. I learned from this. Thank you for helping me become a better person.”
How does coaching relate to teaching?
I love coaching for a couple of reasons. One is that you teach the players how to perform on the court and how to react after the game is over. You can win a game or lose a game but more importantly is how do you react to it? How do you deal with life when things go wrong? How do you learn to realize you are not the most important person but that there is a team you have to worry about? Maybe you have to sacrifice for the team sometimes.
Those are lessons I hope they remember on the court but also long after basketball is over. John Wooden said the greatest compliment a coach can get is being called a teacher.
What has working for Malibu High School meant to you after 19 years?
The faculty is great, the students are great and the community is nice to deal with here. It’s like a small town within itself. I wouldn’t mind running across these people in my daily life because they are such nice people. I don’t mind the drive each day. Malibu is a great place to work.