Mr. Derek Dibling, an eighth grade math teacher and basketball coach, is someone the Fredericktown Community truly appreciates.
Dibling attended The Ohio State University after playing basketball a year prior for a Ohio State branch basketball team. Before his decision to play basketball there, he knew in high school he wanted to be a high school teacher and a coach for athletes.
Dibling’s major when attending OSU was Middle School education with a focus in math and science of grades 4th-9th. He has been teaching for a total of 19 years, and has spent 12 of those as a Freddie.
Most of his hobbies come in the summer, which include playing basketball, fishing, kayaking, and water skiing. To add to his summer activities, he likes to spend time with his family outdoors and at lakes or the pool. When he isn’t coaching in the winter, people can find him downhill skiing.
If teaching and coaching had not been a part of his life, Mr. D would had liked to have worked as an environmental engineer because of his love and passion for the outdoors. This job would have consisted in relating reports for the environment and helping design systems to protect life in ecosystems.
Dibling says one of his favorite memories as a head coach would be cutting down nets during playoffs, as well as his 4 KMAC championships in the last 5 years. On top of this, he has 2 coach of the year awards.
Along with Mr. Dibling coaching and teaching as a Freddie, his 5 year old daughter will be attending Kindergarten FLS next year.
His final advice to teachers and students is “Be a difference maker!”
Thank you, Mr. Dibling for all that you have done for both students and athletes throughout your career!
