SMHS teacher focuses on family and empowerment

Kristal Haralson splits her time between three families every day at San Marcos High School.

Mornings are with her first family—students with special needs in a self-contained classroom. With the same students all day, she views them as family. “I have always been drawn to this population of students,” said Haralson. “When I was a little girl in elementary school in South Texas, I used to help students in the self-contained classroom. I realized at that time that I had to be an advocate for kids with learning disabilities.”

Haralson teaches science and English language arts to special needs students.

“I take a very handson approach to their learning. In addition to teaching academic subjects, I include real-life assignments that focus on money management, time management, and functional literacy, such as reading household bills, prescriptions, and identifying important information.”

“I’m in constant communication with parents,” Haralson said of her weekly afternoon texts to parents. “That is one thing that I pride myself on. I’m a parent now, and I want to know what my kid eats at school every day, when he slept, what he did. Being a parent has opened my eyes more to the special needs self-contained population and their parents. I want my students’ parents to know what their kids are doing, how they’re doing, if there are any problems. At the beginning of the year, I tell parents that our job is to work together so that their students succeed. Keeping the lines of communication open has always been important to me.”

For her last period, Haralson crosses campus to the weight room where she works with her second family—the 30 athletes on the SMHS Powerlifting Team.

“Lifting weights is my other passion,” Haralson said. “I love being in the weight room. Teaching other people how to lift weights is my way of empowering women and men.”

“Being a head female coach has been awesome,” Haralson says of her job as one of the few female co-ed head powerlifting coaches in Texas. “It’s very empowering breaking those boundaries for female coaches. I’m small in stature, and it has been amazing as a woman working with athletes who have 600 pounds on their backs. I’m convinced that women can do anything.”

Haralson earned her Level 1 CrossFit Certification as a college student.

“Before I started teaching, I coached CrossFit and competed with Cross-Fit Groundbreakers.”

The powerlifting season runs from December to March.

“I can have athletes from numerous sports, but they are often off-season football and track runners,” Haralson says.

Eden Mendez, a junior who plays cornerback on the football team, joined the powerlifting team three years ago. “I saw how much my older brother and sister enjoyed the team and working with Coach K,” Students address her as Coach K (for Coach Kristal).

Kenneth Pease, a junior, says the strength training improved his performance in football and track.

“After I joined, I realized that the powerlifting world is like having a family. Going to the meets is great because everyone is so supportive. Although it’s a competition, people are genuinely nice to other powerlifters. I really enjoy the networking...'

“When we train, we practice our squat, bench press, and deadlift,” Pease continued. “We also incorporate other exercises to strengthen our balance or stabilization. People are weaker in different areas and must work on those areas.”

The team travels to invitational meets on Saturdays and competes in the largest division in the region against teams from Hays, Lehman, Johnson, Lockhart, Del Valle and New Braunfels.

During meets, powerlifters compete in one of 12 weight classifications ranging from 114 pounds to the super heavy weight class that exceeds 308 pounds. There are approximately 15 to 20 athletes in each weight classification in a region.

Mendez competes in the 123-pound weight class. He placed first in his weight class at the Rattler Invitational Meet in February by lifting 950 pounds total. The weights from the three lifts are added together to determine the weight class winner.

Pease competes in the 220-weight class and placed ninth at the regional meet held in Abilene in March when he lifted 1405 pounds.

Haralson has high expectations for her athletes.

“Coach K gets results because of the discipline she requires of students,” according to Ricardo Mendez, father of Eden. “She understands that they must do well in school before they can compete at high levels in powerlifting. She holds them accountable—accountable for what they do, accountable for doing the workouts correctly, accountable for seeing progress. Coach K is all about the kids.”

The team’s family atmosphere is a benefit. Mendez’s oldest son, who graduated several years ago, still volunteers and assists with the practices.

John Walsh, SMCISD Athletic Director, views Haralson as an impactful coach.

“She is the type of person that kids want to work for. She is a leader in the weight room who focuses on details. She is constantly researching and figuring out ways to help individual students succeed both in the weight room and the classroom.”

Success in powerlifting has translated to success in the classroom.

“Coach K is great because she is always there for us. She has taught me how to focus and stay on task,” Eden Mendez said. He now knows how to concentrate his thoughts when studying.

“Coach K goes above and beyond for us. She teaches us how to make sure our minds are right,” Pease added. “If your mind is not right when you lift, then you will be nervous, and you won’t perform well. The mental training is important.”

Haralson’s work with the powerlifting team involves her third family— her husband and 3-yearold son.

“We’re a sports family,” said Haralson. “My husband Cooper is a football coach and social studies teacher at the school.”

Their young son Stetson often accompanies them to after-school practices.

“Our son lives in the gym with us and loves everything about Rattler Nation,” Haralson said, adding that Stetson has his own barbell and “powerlifts” just like her athletes.

Kristal Haralson has three families at San Marcos High School— her students with special needs, her powerlifters, and her husband and son. “I am one of the lucky people who can combine the special education world and the powerlifting world with my own family. Being able to do all at the same time has been a blessing.”

Nathan Bond is an education professor at Texas State University. Elizabeth Hudson is a retired educator and journalist in Central Texas.