Rodgers on the field for Lafayette.

By Henry Brost

KJ Rodgers (’19), a Cub football coach and Middle School apprentice math teacher in Collegiate’s new Fellows’ Program, attended Collegiate 10th through 12th Grade. Rodgers then went to Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, where he ran track and played football, a relatively rare combination of Division I sports.

In an interview, Rodgers explained how his love for math came from an early age: “Math was the subject I understood as a kid, and it was something that clicked with me from a young age.” In the future, Rodgers would like to continue to teach math and coach football at Collegiate or maybe another high school, fueling a passion he has for helping kids.

Rodgers playing for Collegiate.

Rodgers talked about what it was like to be a student-athlete and life as a Division I football player. He said, “Being a Division I football player meant a hard and challenging lifestyle. We worked out early every morning, working as much as possible. Next were classes, which were frequently stressful due to the need to balance sports and academics. Game days brought excitement and nerves and made it feel that the work we were putting in was worth it. The best part of the student-athlete life was how it shaped me as a person.” 

When asked about advice for student-athletes, Rodgers emphasized asking for help in all ways, on the field and in the classroom. Rodgers said, “Having to deal with school and sports takes a toll on your mental health, so you need to be able to get all the help you can get.” Rodgers loves football more than track, saying, “Football is a team game, and there’s nothing that beats being on the field with your best friends.” 

When asked about his favorite moments during his time in the Upper School, Rodgers spoke about a game-winning touchdown versus Woodberry Forest School. It was a Friday game with a large and loud student section, and it was an atmosphere that he misses. Rodgers then talked about how much that game meant to him and his dad. Rodgers said, “My dad was my main driver, the one who always pushed me to be the best athlete and person I can be.” Rodgers then went on and talked about winning the 2016 VISAA football State Championship, saying, “That moment made me so grateful for what I had, and I wouldn’t take back anything in my high school career.” 

My brother Michael Brost (‘19) played on the varsity football team with Rodgers and attended Christopher Newport University, where he played five years of lacrosse and is now coaching. Brost said, “Rodgers was a very quiet person off the field, but when he was on the field, something switched in him, where he would lead the team and was a guy everyone could look up to.” Brost talked about how much of a leader and a strong teammate Rodgers was, “and that season we would go on to beat St. Chris in our Homecoming game.” 

Rodgers said, “Being a busy person isn’t a bad thing, it creates memories that never go away.” Being a student-athlete or having to manage school with something else can impact your life, but it can make you the best person you can be. A final thought Rodgers shared was, “Don’t live life having to choose what activity not to do. Better yourself as a person by trying everything, gaining different experiences, and expanding your horizons.”

Photos courtesy of KJ Rodgers.