Becoming a physical education teacher was not a part of the plan when Lacey Sovacool was looking to major in Spanish during college. However, after experiencing a fateful injury during her college soccer career, her pathway was changed irrevocably.
Starting this school year, Sovacool is teaching full-time at the school and teaches a variety of PE classes: Weight Training, Dance PE and Year One PE/Health classes.
“I feel like I’m getting a really good, well-rounded experience so far,” Sovacool said.
Prior to her arrival, Sovacool taught Independent Study PE and Year One PE at San Dieguito Academy during the 2023-24 school year. During the same year, she also taught ISPE at the school and Canyon Crest Academy.
Sovacool has an undergraduate degree in Athletic Training from Point Loma Nazarene University and a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Sciences from San Diego State University. She encountered a turning point after suffering an injury while playing soccer at PLNU.
“I didn’t have a trainer when I was in high school so I had no idea what [sports medicine and training] was all about,” Sovacool said. “It kind of opened up my eyes … I loved sports, I’ve always been involved in sports, and that’s how I ended up becoming an athletic trainer.”
After being an athletic trainer for 15 years, Sovacool worked with active duty marines and sailors at Marine Corps base Camp Pendleton from 2014-2019. There, she focused on sports performance, injury prevention, strength and conditioning and rehabilitation as an athletic trainer at the School of Infantry Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Team Clinic. The experience ultimately led to her pursuit of PE as a teacher.
“I saw there was this lack of education,” Sovacool said. “I guess, as far as physical literacy [went in the camp], so many students have never really had a great PE experience.”
Hoping to mend this negative relationship that students may have with PE, Sovacool emphasizes the value in maintaining good health.
“I feel like so many students have … this negative experience [with PE] and health is so important for your physical health or mental health,” Sovacool said. “I think it’s really important to show that … finding ways you can improve your overall health will benefit you, not only in high school, but for the rest of your life.”
Just as Sovacool’s injury inspired her to be involved in athletic training, rehabilitation and in the long-run PE, she hopes her class inspires students to carry her teachings outside of the classroom.
“My big thing is I just want students to find something, some form of physical activity, that they enjoy … so I just encourage students [to have] something to do, whether it’s getting out, riding the bike or going for a walk,” Sovacool said.
Sovacool also foregrounds the idea that students should find a physical activity that they simply enjoy and acknowledge that not all physical activities are for everyone.
Outside of teaching, Sovacool enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, running and spending time with her family. She is coaching her son’s soccer team of five-year-olds, something she feels is “very difficult” yet “so much fun.”
Sovacool is determined to make this school year one to foster growth in herself as a teacher, a course in life that not so long ago might have seemed unlikely.
“I am looking forward to just growing as a teacher,” Sovacool said. “I feel like I’ve grown so much already in just my short time here at Torrey, and I feel like I am always wanting to improve and learn, and so as much as I want to teach my students, I hope I just learn as much from them.”
