Athlete, coach, sports analyst, and storyteller Yogi Roth speaking in Tunkhannock on July 2
From a press release:
On Thursday, July 2, former Lackawanna Trail/University of Pittsburgh student-athlete/USC football coach and current media personality Yogi Roth will be in attendance as Tunkhannock Area English teacher Katie Wisnosky presents “A Conversation with Storyteller Yogi Roth” at 7 p.m. in the Tunkhannock Area High School auditorium (135 Tiger St., Tunkhannock).
Roth, who has transitioned to a career in media, will be interviewed by various students about their interests, his story, and more. For the last several years, many students in Wisnosky’s classes have selected Roth’s second book, “From PA to LA,” as an independent reading novel for their outside reading projects. The students and Roth have been in communication regarding storytelling and the power behind developing a creative voice each semester.
“To be a part of Katie Watkins Wisnosky’s class is an honor. When she told me that some of her students selected ‘From PA to LA’ and enjoyed it, a huge smile came across my face, as a large part of that book is dedicated to the Northeastern Pennsylvania community and its massive impact on my life. When she asked me to be a guest of her students, I didn’t flinch, and I may be more excited to be there than them,” said Roth, who is returning from Spain where he was promoting his most recent film, “Life in a Walk.”
Roth is currently a college football analyst for Pac-12 Networks and previously worked with Fox and ESPN. He has written two books, including New York Times best-seller “Win Forever: Live, Work, and Play Like a Champion,” with current Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, as well as “From PA to LA.” He has produced 13 documentary films and recently made his directorial debut with the film “Life in a Walk,” which earned “Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking” honors at the Newport Beach Film Festival. He spent four years on the USC football staff, where he earned a master’s degree after completing his playing career at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a two-time Academic All Big-East performer as a wide receiver. He was a two-time All State defensive back at Lackawanna Trail, where he played football, basketball, baseball, and track.
“We are encouraging all local sports teams to attend and share in this special evening as a team builder,” Wisnosky explains.
“I think what I appreciate most about Yogi is that he is the same man I went to high school with. Despite his fame and accomplishments, he never hesitates to respond to my messages and interact with my students. He has not forgotten his roots and inspires my students to create. Yogi’s book is always the text which students ask if they can ‘maybe keep’ at the end of the year. And thanks to Jimmy Kowatch and KMD publishing, my classroom is always stocked with donated copies that students can have.”
The event is open the public. For details on attending, visit the Facebook event page or e-mail kwisnosky@frontiernet.net. There will be a small donation asked at the door to cover travel expenses for Roth.
Wisnosky’s students involved in the Breaking Ground Poets are also competing in the upcoming Brave New Voices international poetry slam and festival in Atlanta, Georgia this summer, so they are raising money to cover registration fees, flight costs, and hotel rooms for 12 through a GoFundMe campaign. To donate, click here.
