No matter what age I started, that's where I was going to end up.

It was just my grandmother's role-modeling and my goal of always wanting to be working with kids. I always liked teachers and I figured that somewhere along the line that's where I needed to be. No matter what age I started, that's where I was going to end up.

She didn't have anybody going to her alma mater and she was kind of upset about that.

She taught for 49 years and subbed for eight years after that. I thought through most of my life that's where I'd be heading, but in my early 20s I thought that maybe it wasn't right for me.

I knew what I wanted to do. I just had to reach my goal and stay with it.

I remember it like it was yesterday. Nine years of age, Chattanooga, Tennessee. We were entered to the National Boys Championship, and we could not get into the tournament.