LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jeff Staus was nominated by an anonymous student, Austin Mueller.

"In high school, I participated in various sports and activities," said the student. "Throughout all these activities, I have met different people who have been good leaders and mentors, specifically Coach Staus. He has inspired me to stay active, taught me how to be a good leader, and helped me find a team."

"Coach Staus was a part of Arrowhead's youth soccer camp, which I attended," said the student. "I remember being eight years old and hearing Coach Staus's voice booming from the field. I remember wanting a hustle band, a rubber band. The only way to get one was by performing the best in a drill for that day. This experience was the first time I remember being competitive and caring about how I did. Little did I know, Coach Staus would continue to push me to be great."

Later on, Coach Staus held a position as a gym teacher. He never sat out a single game, whether basketball, ultimate frisbee, or badminton. His competitive side allowed him to compete with his students. Mr. Staus bragged all semester about how good he was at badminton and how a student had never beaten him. The anticipation this brought to many of his students was tremendous. His ability to interact with students was fantastic and made students look forward to his class.

"A few months later, I got cut from the volleyball team," said Mueller. "I went into my car and emailed Coach Staus to see if they needed goalies. Luckily, they did, and within 15 minutes, I was the goalie for the varsity reserve and JV soccer teams."

Coach Staus is willing to give opportunities to those who seek out more. He always finds a place for everyone. 

"During that same school year, I had Coach Staus as a teacher again," Mueller said. "This time, he was teaching Coaching and Officiating. This class pushed me to look at sports through a lens I never saw by analyzing famous coaches' coaching styles and philosophies and learning how to apply those styles to our own teams. This class inspired me to coach a youth basketball team and pursue a sports performance degree with minors in sports psychology and coaching. Coach Staus inspired me to find my path and career beyond high school."