Physical education teacher William Termine is an “All-Star” with his students who will be honored at the Mid-Summer Classic.
The Middle Village resident was selected as the Yankees’ All-Star Teacher and will be recognized in a ceremony before Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Target Field in Minneapolis.
The 40-year-old Queens native has loved the Bronx Bombers since he was a child.
“I became a Yankees fan because my older brother and father were Mets fans,” he said. “Being the younger son, I felt I had to be independent and go my own way.”
Termine was one of three Yankees fans who were selected as All-Star Teacher finalists, after one of his students sent in an essay nominating him and he penned his own essay, explaining how he’s helped out his school and community.
He started his education career as a paraprofessional in 1996, and since 2000 has been a physical education teacher at P.S. / I.S. 87 in Middle Village, teaching fourth through eighth-grade.
Termine’s passion for getting children to be active goes beyond gym class.
He also teaches kids fitness classes at Vigorous Fitness Clubs on Metropolitan Avenue, and coaches soccer and softball for his 8-year-old daughter’s teams at Our Lady of Hope on Eliot Avenue.
Termine is additionally involved with CHAMPS (Cooperative, Healthy, Active, Motivated and Positive Students). He started working with the program, which brings fitness activities and sports to students outside of middle school hours, after he pledged to bring it to his own school.
“Exercise is something kids should want to do, not something they should have to do. That is my goal,” he said.
Despite all the hard work Termine has done trying to achieve that goal, he still said he was “shocked” when he was selected, through online voting, as an All-Star Teacher.
“I looked at some of the other teachers’ resumes and some of the fantastic things they were doing and felt honored to be part of that group,” he said.
Before Tuesday’s ceremony he was honored with the other two finalists at Yankee Stadium on June 17.
Termine (second from right) with Yankees manager Joe Girardi when the team honored the Yankees’ All-Star Teacher finalist at the stadium.
“It was a dream come true to meet all these players. I’ve been a Yankee fan all my life so to actually get to stand on the field, it was surreal,” he said.
As a kid he was a fan of Don Mattingly, then in the 90s it was Paul O’Neill, and today it’s Derek Jeter.
“It makes it that more special,” Termine said of being able to attend his first All-Star Game, which will be the Yankee captain’s 14th and final one.
“I’m looking forward to the whole experience,” he said. “This is a once in a lifetime thing.”
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