Mourners remember teacher Zant

Thank you for covering this story. A quick story about Coach Zant:; I was the class of 1982. Myself, along with most of my friends played football. We were lousy did not win a single game. In fact most of our losses were by a very large margin. We played next year also. We had a new coach. He name was Coach Zant. He tried hard to get us ready for the season. We were doing better, in fact, other teams would praise us for our toughness and tenacity. We were usually smaller and less funded than others teams. Well, towards the end of the season, one of our last games the score was tied 0-0 or 7-7 I forget. We were on the cusp of our first victory. We were clueless on what it took mentally or phisically to get our first victory. But I remember, as clear as if it was yesterday, Coach Zant gave us a halftime speach. After all the words, after all the motivating, after all the attempts to fire us up, Coach Zant, in frustration, in eagerness or in desire for us to win took off his glasses and crushed them in his hand. We all looked at him and each other in bewilderment. After that speach, amazingly, we went on to win our first and only win in two seasons. A feeling and moment that never goes away.
Most of us didn't play our next year. However we did play ou senior year. And if you look south when you are driving down Lower Azusa, painted on the gym wall, there is a something that tells you how we "The Class of 1982" the guys who didn't win a single game our freshman year, the guys who only won one game our sophmore year, the guys who didn't have enough players to feild two full teams senior year won the Mission Valley League Championship.
And by the way, our coach was Mr. Zant. So thank you Coach for not quitting on us like most everybody else did. Thank you for believing in us when most didn't. But most inportant to me, thank you for the life lessons of giving everybody a chance and second chance. Thank you for never giving up on us and for believing in us thank you for our time in the sun as Mission Valley League Champions.

Well written and a great tribute to whom I beleive was a GREAT educator.

TCS wrote:

Thank you for covering this story. A quick story about Coach Zant:; I was the class of 1982. Myself, along with most of my friends played football. We were lousy did not win a single game. In fact most of our losses were by a very large margin. We played next year also. We had a new coach. He name was Coach Zant. He tried hard to get us ready for the season. We were doing better, in fact, other teams would praise us for our toughness and tenacity. We were usually smaller and less funded than others teams. Well, towards the end of the season, one of our last games the score was tied 0-0 or 7-7 I forget. We were on the cusp of our first victory. We were clueless on what it took mentally or phisically to get our first victory. But I remember, as clear as if it was yesterday, Coach Zant gave us a halftime speach. After all the words, after all the motivating, after all the attempts to fire us up, Coach Zant, in frustration, in eagerness or in desire for us to win took off his glasses and crushed them in his hand. We all looked at him and each other in bewilderment. After that speach, amazingly, we went on to win our first and only win in two seasons. A feeling and moment that never goes away.
Most of us didn't play our next year. However we did play ou senior year. And if you look south when you are driving down Lower Azusa, painted on the gym wall, there is a something that tells you how we "The Class of 1982" the guys who didn't win a single game our freshman year, the guys who only won one game our sophmore year, the guys who didn't have enough players to feild two full teams senior year won the Mission Valley League Championship.
And by the way, our coach was Mr. Zant. So thank you Coach for not quitting on us like most everybody else did. Thank you for believing in us when most didn't. But most inportant to me, thank you for the life lessons of giving everybody a chance and second chance. Thank you for never giving up on us and for believing in us thank you for our time in the sun as Mission Valley League Champions.

Mr. Zant was more than just a teacher and coach. He was a friend to all his students. No one had anything against him. Even the ones he failed could never hold a grudge towards him. Mr. Zant was more than inspirational to us. He pushed us and helped us reach our highest potential. Even those who had him only for a few weeks for summer school called him their favorite teacher. Mr. Zant is one of those people that you meet and can never forget. He liked to tease his students. The more he teased you or laughed at you, the more he likes you. We will all miss Mr. Zant. The world really did lose a great man.

Well written story for a very GREAT man! I knew him as a Coach, a Teacher and very much so as a man who would help any person who would ask. He was a no-nonsense guy who pushed you, on and off, the field or classroom. In class he made learning fun and on the field he would run you till you were exhausted. I can only thank the heavens for having the pleasure of knowing such a man. For being fortunate to have learned from him as a Coach, a Teacher and as a man! He will be sorely missed!