JASON KING HAS THE STORY
OF A TRULY INSPIRATIONAL
EDUCATOR.
♪
>> AT FOUR FEET SIX INCHES,
LAUREN IS PROBABLY NOT WHAT YOU
WOULD EXPECT TO SEE AND THE
FOOTBALL SIDELINE.
BUT SINCE SHE WAS BORN, SHE HAS
BEEN DEFYING EXPECTATIONS.
NOW 29, NASHUA NATIVE IS AN
ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH AT
LONDONDERRY HIGH SCHOOL AND
LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
>> TO ME, IT'S COMMUNICATING AND
INTERACTING WITH THE PLAYERS ON
A DAILY BASIS.
A LOT OF GUYS ARE REALLY, REALLY
GOOD AND FUN TO BE AROUND.
I LIKE THE DAILY INTERACTIONS.
A LOT OF THEM ARE REALLY FUNNY.
>> THE ROAD TO THE SIDELINE WAS
ANYTHING BUT EASY.
SHE WAS BORN WITH SEVERAL
MEDICAL ISSUES, INCLUDING SPINA
BIFIDA AND BILATERAL CLUBBED
FEET.
SHE DEVELOPED SEVERAL OTHER
ISSUES, LIKE TO HIT DISORDERS.
-- TWO HIP DISORDERS.
>> THEY TOLD ME THAT IF SHE
SURVIVED, SHE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY
KIND OF NORMAL LIFE.
THEY SAID THAT WOULD BE IT.
THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, SHE WILL
NEVER WALL OR CRAWL.
>> LAURA HAS UNDERGONE NEARLY 20
MAJOR SURGERIES, AND WILL LIKELY
NEED MORE PROCEDURES DOWN THE
ROAD.
THOUGH SHE RECOGNIZES HOW FAR
SHE HAS COME, SHE REFUSES TO
DWELL ON IT -- THANKS IN PART TO
HER MOM.
>> I ALWAYS JUST SAID,
EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.
IT'S WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT
HAPPENS THAT IS HOW YOU BECOME
WHO YOU ARE.
YOU CAN SIT AND SAY, ALL, WOE M
E.
>> I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE.
THIS IS ALL I HAVE EVER
EXPERIENCED.
I LOVE WHAT I DO.
I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED ANYTHING
DIFFERENT.
YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD I FEEL
ANYTHING TOWARDS IT?
IT'S ALL LIKE KNOWN.
>> LAUREN'S LOVE OF SPORTS BEGAN
WHEN SHE WAS EIGHT, COMPETING
FOR THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS.
SHE GRADUATED FROM NASHUA SOUTH
IN 2007.
WHILE STILL IN SCHOOL, SHE
THROUGH THE JAVELIN AND DISCUS.
SHE ALSO BECAME MANAGER OF THE
FOOTBALL TEAM.
IT WAS HEAD COACH SCOTT KNIGHT
WHO GAVE LAUREN HER FIRST SHOT
AT COACHING THE GAME.
SHE WORKED WITH RECEIVERS,
RUNNING BACKS.
SHE DID A GREAT JOB OVER THE
PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH THE
OFFENSIVE LINE.
AND SHE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY HAD
NEVER PLAYED THE GAME.
BUT AS FAR AS TECHNIQUE GOES,
SHE WAS PHENOMENAL.
SHE REALLY HAD THE RESPECT OF
ALL OF OUR PLAYERS.
SHE WAS A GREAT KID TO BE
AROUND.
>> LAUREN WAS ACTUALLY A
VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT NOT ONLY FOR
FOOTBALL, BUT FOR BASKETBALL AND
TRACK AS WELL.
SHE WENT ON TO NASHUA COMMUNITY
COLLEGE TO EARN TWO ASSOCIATES
DEGREES -- ONE IN LIBERAL ARTS,
AND ONE IN LENGTH WHICH AND
SPEECH CAP ALGAE.
WHEN SHE IS NOT COACHING, SHE IS
WORKING IN LONDONDERRY.
-- IN SPEECH PATHOLOGY.
>> I WORK WITH KIDS WITH
DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS.
IT IS A FUN JOB.
I REALLY ENJOY DOING THAT.
>> LAUREN WORKS AS AN AIDE IN
TYPICAL FIRST-GRADE CLASSROOMS,
AS WELL, BUT SHE SAYS WORKING IN
THE SPECIAL ED DEPARTMENT IS
WHAT SHE REALLY LOVES TO DO.
>> I THINK SOME KIDS UNDERSTAND
THAT IF YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH
SOMETHING SIMILAR, THEY KNOW.
I LOVE COMING TO WORK AND
WORKING WITH THOSE KIDS.
>> TO BE CLOSER TO HER JOB,
LAUREN MADE AT COACHING MOVE
FROM NASHUA TO LONDONDERRY.
FIRST WITH BASKETBALL LAST YEAR,
AND THEN WITH FOOTBALL THIS
FALL.
>> HE TOLD ME ABOUT HER.
I ASKED HOW SHE WAS DOING.
HE SAID, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THE
BEST ASSISTANT COACH I'VE EVER
HAD.
SHE HAD TALKED TO ME BRIEFLY
ABOUT MAYBE COACHING OVER HERE.
SO I SENT HER AN EMAIL AND SAID,
WHY DON'T YOU COME IN HERE FOR
AN INTERVIEW.
SHE CAME IN AND BLEW ME AWAY
WITH THE INTERVIEW.
SHE TALKED BETTER X'S AN O'S
THEN PEOPLE I KNOW WHO COACH.
SO IT WAS A NO-BRAINER.
>> FOR THE VARSITY SQUAD, LAUREN
COACHED OFFENSE OF AND DEFENSE
OF.
SHE ALSO HAD A VARIETY OF
RESPONSIBILITIES.
SHE SERVED IF THE OFFENSE OF
COORDINATOR FOR THE JUNIOR
VARSITY GAME.
--SHE SERVED AS THE OFFENS
IVE
COORDINATOR FOR THE JUNIOR
VARSITY GAME.
>> THE FACT THAT SHE NEVER
COMPLAINS AND IS ALWAYS HERE.
I WAS INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THE
GUYS WOULD REACT TO HER, BUT I
THINK THEY ENJOY IT.
SHE IS OVER THERE MAKING
CORRECTIONS AND THEY SAY, YES
COACH.
THEY LISTEN TO HER.
SHE DOES A GREAT PASS.
-- SHE THROWS A GREAT PASS.
♪
>> LAUREN HAS PLANS TO PURSUE
HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN SPORTS
PSYCHOLOGY, AND HER ULTIMATE
GOAL IS TO COACH COLLEGE
FOOTBALL.
PHYSICALLY SHE DOES NOT KNOW
WHAT THE ROAD AHEAD WILL BRING.
SHE SAYS AT SOME POINT SHE COULD
LOSE HER HEARING ALTOGETHER, AND
MIGHT LOSE HER ABILITY TO WALK
SOMEDAY.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S SOMEDAY -- NOT
TODAY.
>> I'M ALWAYS ABOUT THE NOW.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S HOW WE HAVE TO LIVE LIFE.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE RESULTS, BUT
THE PROCESS.
♪