With one hire this summer, FCHS gained a new gym teacher, a field hockey coach, and a soccer coach. 

New gym teacher Karen Sible was born and grew up in Arlington, Virginia. She attended high school at Yorktown High School where she participated in field hockey, soccer, basketball, diving, and track. “Field hockey was probably my favorite because of the team atmosphere and what it brought. It just made everyone feel good,” said Sible.

Coming out of high school, Sible did not automatically think of becoming a gym teacher. “I just knew that I was going to college. I did not pick my major until the end of freshman year because I had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to work with kids and I knew I loved exercise,” said Sible. 

Sible attended Radford University located in Radford, Virginia. While attending, Sible played field hockey on a club team. She majored in exercise, sports, and health medication, with a concentration in P.E. teaching. “I did like the school part of college and the classes that I took because it was something that I was interested in: bodies, anatomy, and exercise,” she said. However, she also appreciated the  independence and freedom that comes with being a co-ed. “I liked meeting new people and developing all of the new friendships. I also enjoyed learning how to be on my own and be my own person. I really enjoyed learning how to do adult stuff,” she said.

As for her new role as a gym teacher, Sible says, “Sometimes it’s fun and easy, and then it’s just like any other teaching position in that it can be challenging due to behavior or other day-to-day things.” Just  coming out of college, Sible did not know where she would end up teaching. “I did not know about Fluvanna. I was moving to Charlottesville because my family and boyfriend lives down here. But I was originally trying to get a job at Albemarle when my boyfriend told me about Fluvanna, so I saw that they had a job opening. It was perfect,” she explained. 

Sible has also taken on the role of assistant coach for the brand-new field hockey team. While the team has not won any games so far in their first season, Sible said, “I think we are doing well. Even though the scores do not reflect that well, we are growing as a team.”

Overall, she has worked very hard to implement a family focus when it comes to the field hockey team. One of the main goals of the team is to work together and make each other look good. “I love the relationships that I build with the players and the coaches, and having that family bond,” Sible said. The next few years of the field hockey program are something that both the JV and varsity teams are looking forward to. “I just hope that they improve. I hope that we get in shape, sharpen up our skills, and evolve as a team,” she added.