Editor's note:
“Outside the Huddle” showcases the often unsung, off-the-field supporters who make high school football special in Akron. Follow us for 10 weeks as we showcase the city’s most influential public and private programs.
They call her “Coach Mom.”
But Stephanie Morek, 52, does more than provide team snacks and pep talks at Garfield Community Learning Center — she offers support, tutoring and community to each student-athlete she encounters.
As the academic coach for Garfield’s football program, Morek runs the study table, a space where teenagers complete schoolwork and receive tutoring to maintain their playing eligibility and find balance between athletics and academics.
Each week, Morek checks players’ academic progress, coordinates homework help and encourages those who have fallen behind. To serve the more than 50 teenagers across Garfield’s football rosters, she works with an extensive network of school tutors in subjects ranging from math to European history.
Even athletes with passing grades can utilize her assistance to connect with tutors, maintain the best GPAs possible and prepare for their academic futures.
Though helping struggling athletes can be a challenge, Morek finds great reward in her work. She recalled, eyes shining, the first thank-you message she received after helping a player raise his grades and navigate a personal crisis:
“It’s not just a study table. It’s not just your cookies. It’s not just you being there. It’s just everything.”
She knew in that moment this is where she had to stay.
“Every year, you just see kids change,” Morek said. “You see the differences made.”
Her dedication to the role has a meaningful impact on many of Garfield’s football players — including senior receiver Calvin Bibbs, a team captain who leads his fellow teammates with fiery spirit.
Two years ago, Bibbs’ grades had fallen so low that he was deemed ineligible to participate in his sophomore season. Only after working closely with Morek was he able to regain his spot on the field the following season.
Now, back on the turf, his grades are better than ever.
“She does a lot for us, not even just here at the school, but in our personal life,” Bibbs said. “We can always call on her if we ever need something.”
Garfield football coach: ‘She’s doing life with our young men’
On top of monitoring schoolwork, Morek connects the football team with a strong community throughout the season. She coordinates with local businesses, churches and families to provide team dinners before each game.
Whenever an athlete needs extra support, she makes sure they know they can turn to her.
“She’s doing life with our young men,” football coach Kemp Boyd explained. “They call her, they talk to her. She shows up to parties and get-togethers.”
During the holiday seasons, Morek even delivers Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets to the families of players.
Morek has worked with the team for four years, ever since her son became Garfield’s offensive coordinator and asked his parents to help with the program. She and her husband, Jesse, hesitated to get involved. Now she enjoys nothing more than supporting Garfield’s athletes.
“It’s about being in their lives and making a difference,” Morek said. “They know we’re not going anywhere. This isn’t just football. We’re there for life.”
With all that she does for the team, it’s no wonder that Garfield’s players have built strong relationships with Morek over the years.
“She always has great energy,” said junior safety Ziiyahn Blair. “She’s also really supportive. She makes sure everything around here is well established.”
Coach ‘Mom’: ‘We are a family’
Morek’s husband, Jesse, who works as Garfield’s equipment manager and hydration specialist, emphasized his wife’s incredible commitment to the players.
“My wife is more than willing to do anything for the team,” he said. “She’s there, thick or thin, when they’re in the trenches or if they’re up in the clouds.”
The couple volunteers much of their spare time to help out the team and its players. When not at the school or field, they enjoy doing projects around their house and backyard to make their home a welcoming space for athletes, coaches and other community members.
“We like to have a place where people can come, and be safe, and share time together,” Jesse Morek said.
Given the connections she has already built, Stephanie Morek does not plan to stop working with Garfield’s athletes anytime soon. In true “Coach Mom” style, her loyalty to the team and its players continues to drive her work.
“We are a family,” she said. “And no kid falls through our cracks.”
