Westinghouse Athletic Director Phyllis Jones Has Been Inspiring Students Since 1987
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Phyllis Jones, athletic director, health and physical education instructor and girls basketball coach, has been inspiring thousands of Westinghouse students since 1987.
"Just an asset when you have somebody that's been here as long as she has," said Westinghouse principal Stephan Sereda.
Some would say Jones has made her mark, given there's an actual mural of her displayed in the high school hallway.
"I had come into the building this summer and nobody told me this was up on the wall and I was walking down the hall looking and was like, 'who is that,'" said Jones about the surprise mural.
During her career, the coach has led her girls basketball team to 27 consecutive City League Championship appearances, which the squad most recently won this past season.
She has many accomplishments but said her most rewarding include, "Just trying to keep the kids on task. Keeping them interested in school and coming to school." She added, "Just to see a lot of our kids go onto college and become coaches, become teachers."
Her career has been a slam dunk. And while she does look forward to retirement in the future, Jones is not hanging up her whistle just yet.
"When you come here, you really wanna be here. You really have to wanna be here because Westinghouse is special," Jones said.
And as activities director, Jones will spend Teacher Appreciation Week on her biggest task this year: planning graduation.
All week long KDKA is featuring a teacher from around the area for Teacher Appreciation Week.
