I asked Larry Ummel what he does, he told me he’s a PE teacher.

He’s been at it for 27 years, guiding Ottawa’s elementary students through physical education, coaching sports, and helping kids build confidence, one gym class at a time.

But if you ask the students he’s worked with, they might say something else.

They might tell you he’s the teacher who remembers their favorite sport or asks how their weekend soccer game went. They might say he’s the one who cracks jokes at lunch and makes PE a place where every student feels valued. They might talk about how he shows up, listens, and makes them feel seen—even if he doesn’t always remember every name in a school of 700 kids. Because to Larry, teaching isn’t just about exercise and sports. It’s about connection.

Larry never set out to be a PE teacher. Growing up in Normal, Illinois, he originally wanted to be a sports broadcaster. But when he realized that most broadcasters were former athletes or coaches, he figured coaching might be a good path to get his foot in the door.

That led him to Illinois State University, where he met Dr. Diana Jones, a professor who changed his life. “She told me, ‘Larry, you were made for this,’” he remembers. “She just had this way of seeing what you were meant to do before you even realized it yourself.”

Taking her advice, he dove into teaching and coaching, finding joy in working with kids and helping them grow. In 1998, he was hired in Ottawa, and since then, he’s taught in every school except Shepherd.

Over nearly three decades, Larry has seen a lot of change—not just in education but in students themselves. “One of the biggest things I’ve noticed, especially after the pandemic, is that kids crave connection more than ever,” he says. “They want to talk to you. They need that social interaction they missed out on.”

For Larry, every interaction counts. He might not be able to remember 700 names, but he can remember details that make students feel special. “Hey, how’d that softball game go?” he’ll ask. Or, “How’s your cat?” for the student who tells him daily updates about her pet. “They love that you remember,” he says. “Even if I forget a name, that little moment makes them feel valued.”

That philosophy extends to the gym. “My goal is simple,” he says. “I want kids to look forward to PE. If they don’t enjoy coming to class, I’m not doing my job.” To Larry, PE is more than just dodgeball or jumping jacks. It’s a break from the pressures of school, a place to laugh, move, and learn about taking care of themselves. “I wish we had PE more than once a week,” he admits. “Because when they walk through those doors, I have 40 minutes to make a difference.”

Larry knows firsthand the impact a good teacher can have—because he sees it in his own son. As a father to a 14-year-old eighth grader, he’s experienced the pride of watching great teachers shape his child’s confidence and future. It’s made him even more committed to making every student feel supported. “When you see a teacher take your own kid under their wing, it changes everything,” he says. “It makes you think, I need to be that for my students, too.”

That’s what drives him every day—the knowledge that kids remember their PE teacher long after they leave school. “I’ve had students come back years later and say, ‘Mr. Ummel, you were my favorite teacher,’” he says. “And it always blows me away, because I think, I was just doing my job.”

But the truth is, it’s more than a job. It’s a legacy of encouragement, built one conversation, one joke, and one small moment of connection at a time.