This story originally appeared in the Fall/Winter 2019 issue of Harker Magazine. 

Lower school P.E. department chair Jim McGovern is a sports guy. If you ask him about his favorite memories, meaningful moments or what famous person he’d like to dine with, he’ll reveal his sports obsession (and for the record, that’s the 1980 gold medal U.S. hockey team/Dwight Clark’s “The Catch”/S.F. Giants 2010 World Series win; playing on a team that beat Alexi Lalas’ indoor soccer team; and Bill Walton). McGovern’s Harker family also includes some real family – teachers Michelle Anderson and Pete Anderson are his sister and brother-in-law. Harker Magazine learned some other fun facts about this San Jose native; though raised in California and Oregon, he now lives less than a mile from where he was born. Read on!

What one piece of advice would you offer anyone who asks?
Laugh often – seek out opportunities for it.

What are you obsessed with?
Sports movies of all kinds: “Field of Dreams,” “Major League,” “A League of Their Own,” “American Flyers,” “The Winning Season,” “Hoosiers,” “The Endless Summer,” “Rocky,” “Necessary Roughness,” “The Hammer” – I could go on and on.

What helps you persevere when you feel like giving up?
The feeling of being so content when the job is done and done well.

What are you doing when you feel most alive?
Riding a breaking wave that keeps going and going, while on a bodyboard or a longboard.

For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
Not giving up playing soccer and baseball after I was cut from each of those sports in high school. I went on and played for the better part of 32 years after graduating (and am still playing softball).

What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?
Ranking pretty high up there is getting my master’s degree in education.