TOWAMENCIN- Who doesn’t love walking into a class and seeing the teacher missing? However, this “sub” is different than most. North Penn graduate Brandon Billetz does all he can to make a day off from regular teaching more than a snooze day.

“I was the building sub last year, spending a lot of time in the physical education department. This year I switched it up, doing a long term stint with an emotional support math class and also a long term position for English and theatre class. This was interesting because theatre is not necessarily my forte. Right now I have settled in as a special education assistant. My goal is to become a full time history teacher here,” Billetz commented.

Not afraid to get his head in the door, Billetz does everything he can to be involved with North Penn education. Although his goal is to be a history teacher at North Penn, Billetz is willing to take any sub position to get his name known. 

“You learn to be flexible. It keeps me on my toes, which I enjoy. I like to come into a position in the high school where I don’t exactly know where I am going to be because I get to meet many new people. I get to have a connection with staff and students; it’s a good job to open up the everyday life of other people’s lives,” Billetz remarked.

While he might not know where he will be teaching each day, during the spring Billetz is the coach of the JV North Penn Knights baseball team. Following one year of being an assistant coach, Billetz was named head coach of the JV team. Learning the everyday life of North Penn teaching and coaching has opened Billetz’s eyes to the many amazing things about being involved at North Penn.

“Being able to be a part of the baseball team, especially as prestigious as North Penn, is a blessing. I played here for three years when I was in high school and always helped with the summer camps. After I graduated college, I knew it was something I wanted – to go back and come with coaching a North Penn team. The players are a bunch of knuckle heads but they’re salt to the Earth, great people and at the end of the day, I appreciate everything they do. The hard work and dedication to becoming the best people they can be does not go unnoticed. That goes for the coaches and players and couldn’t ask for a better group of people to be with,” Billetz said.

Being involved at North Penn does not stop at the end of the school year for Billetz, as he is the local Nor-Gwyn Summer Legion Baseball head coach. Being a 2013 state baseball champion from North Penn, Billetz coaches summer legion with a group of other former North Penn graduates. The Nor-Gwyn team is comprised of North Penn and LC students with North Penn alumni as coaches, creating a fun mix of current and alumni Knights. 

“The difference over the summer is that I have a strict mindset, but as long as we are on the same page and winning, it’s a great time. They can get away with a little more at Nor Gwyn then they can at North Penn, so they love to poke fun at Coach Billetz whenever they can – but I can’t complain, it’s ebb and flow,” commented Billetz.

Being the youngest coach on either team adds another layer of comfortability for the players. Many players like how easy it is to talk sports with Billetz and enjoy his ability to jump in a drill during practice. With many years to come and hopefully a permanent job in sight, Billetz hopes to have an impact on North Penn for the future Knights to come. 

“I see myself in the front of the classroom teaching American History in ten years. Anything that involves the core system of history, I would love to do. Anything I can do to help at the baseball program, I will do and would love to be there for years,” remarked Billetz.

Emphasizing teamwork and the idea of one for all is certainly Billetz’s way of living. Having been on a state championship team, Billetz knows how to work together for a bigger purpose, and he will be able to pass down his wisdom to younger Knights. 

“When I played baseball here, I wasn’t a starter. Not everyone can start, not everyone can play all nine innings, but everyone has a voice and impact on a team. [A] funny story we have at baseball [happened during] my senior year following a spree of losses in the season. We had a lot of tension… one of our captains in the locker room, Eddie Posavec, started getting upset about losing. I spoke up and tried to get Eddie to get the anger out and resolve the issue. I said to Eddie, ‘I know you do not like me.” In the heat of the moment, Billetz told Manero, “what are you going to do to me, bench me?”

“End of the story – you need to have a really good sense of humor and have fun,” Billetz remarked.