Justin Heieck, a varsity football assistant coach and a science teacher at CHS, has had a significant impact on and off the field. Heieck helps students stay focused on both their school work and their responsibilities off and on the football field.
Heieck has made many sacrifices to help out his football players. But he also has big time success in the classroom, doing his best to make it easy for all his students to succeed in his class.
“Hard work, discipline, and toughness are the pillars of the program, we always expect that,” Heieck said. “I absolutely expect my guys to be aggressive and physical as well with my position group, that’s a critical part of our success”
Although Coach Heieck continues to be known as a “coach” in the classroom where he works very hard for the success of his students. Heieck enjoys teaching his sophomores and juniors, even though it can be challenging at times being both a teacher and a coach.
“I teach both biology and earthspace,” Heieck said. “It always comes down to the amount of time that you’re dedicating to everything that you do but this is also the life that I chose.”
For him, being a coach means showing up for his players in ways that go far beyond the scoreboard. He does not mind putting his personal time aside to help his players and students.
“I restructured my whole life to make this my life,” Heieck said. “You don’t mind putting in the hours when that’s the situation.”
Heieck’s schedule fills up quickly during this part of the season. Between practices, film sessions and Friday Night Lights, Heieck is always on the move.
“Work for me is usually seven days a week, especially around this time, but it’s only for a short period of time during the year that we get the privilege of playing football and coaching football,” Heieck said. “So I’m more happy to dedicate my time to it.”
CHS students and faculty have shown nothing but love for Coach Heieck. This school is unlike anything he has ever experienced before and only hopes for it to stay like this for years on end.
“I think we have one of the most spirited schools I’ve ever seen,” Heieck said. “You kind of get that mid west vibe here at Carlsbad in terms of how into the sports the school is and all of the spirit the students and staff show.”
Heieck knows how important the sports at CHS are and believes sports is a critical part of the school that helps give the school that ‘lancer pride’. He believes the football team is a good representation of what a Lancer truly is.
“What we do with football helps fund a lot of other student programs on campus, so we try to put the best product on the field that we can at all times,” Heieck said. “We’re all incredibly dedicated, from the coaching staff, to the players, to the scout guys, everybody in the program is dedicated.”
As Heieck continues his Lancer tenure, he believes that the football team will have even more success for years to come and only sees Carlsbad improving and getting better. Heieck has had many great memories, but there is one that really sticks out to him more than the others.
“My favorite memory from my time at CHS would be being able to spend senior night with my daughter as a cheerleader and me as a coach, walking out on the field, all that,” Heieck said. “That was the LCC game, so that was a tough night, but everything leading up to that was pretty amazing.”
