Burnet coaches take a break from the field, get behind the wheel
Several proud BCISD coaches pose with souvenirs from the transportation team after successfully completing “Hell Week” and receiving their CDLs. Photos courtesy of BCSID Director of Transportation Jennifer Stevens
Nine Burnet Consolidated Independent School District coaches have made strides off the field to earn their commercial driver’s licenses with the help of the district’s dedicated transportation staff.
After tackling a rigorous training process, coaches Marci Clanin, Brandon Cunningham, Andrew Baker, Connor McBurnett, Travis Meadows, Sonny Wilson, Mark Zeigler, Treasure Ellerbe, and Kendal Connolly all received their CDLs within the last few months.
According to BCISD Director of Transportation Jennifer Stevens, coaches in the district are required to earn their CDLs so they can drive their own buses to ease the strain on transportation staff during athletic events.
Coaches go through an intense training process, earning their learner’s permits throughout the school year, reviewing a series of safety videos, and participating in a week of summertime lessons that the transportation department has dubbed “Hell Week.”
“We started it first last year,” Stevens told DailyTrib. “We call it Hell Week because it’s hot and intense. We go from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for five days, bring in a few trainers from other districts, give coaches drive time, and instruct them on what to do.”
Once the coaches cross the goal line of Hell Week, it’s off to take their tests, which are completed in-house.
Stevens told DailyTrib that the transportation team began offering its CDL training program as an option for coaches who are bogged down with regular work during the school year. By hosting training sessions in the summer, coaches are able to focus more, ask questions, and build a comfortable relationship with their instructors.
“A lot of (coaches) like it,” Stevens said. “We have lunch and can talk about things with them while eating. And we build that rapport with them to be able to give them their expectations.”
As a congratulations, the transportation team also made a tradition of giving coaches a souvenir based on their experience at Hell Week once they pass their exams.
“At the end of the week, we give them something that reminds us of them,” Stevens said. “When coach Clanin got into the bus, she was just saying ‘don’t die, don’t die.’ So we gave her a paper sack that said ‘don’t die’ as a joke.”
In response, Clanin came back later to poke fun at the transportation team, wearing a Michael Meyers outfit that she apparently bought for Halloween.