For 24 years, Tim and Marcella Haupt have been teachers and coaches at Willowcreek Middle School in Portage, Indiana.
The couple met through mutual friends while attending Ball State University. Now, they are working at the same school with each having their own roles within the Portage Township School Corporation.
Tim and Marcella Haupt experienced similar upbringings, as each had a father who was both an educator and a coach. Being around this lifestyle for their childhood inspired them to be who they are today.
Tim Haupt is a health teacher, head coach of the middle school football team, and coach of the Girls and Boys Basketball teams. He was always around teaching and coaching while growing up and was even able to be part of his father's football team in high school. He quickly found a passion for sports through his dad and wanted to continue following in his footsteps.
“My dad was a teacher and a coach. He was my role model, so I wanted to get into teaching and coaching,” Tim Haupt said.
In addition to his father’s influence, Tim Haupt became involved in a specialized teaching program while in high school that gave him a greater appreciation for his future career.
“I got into teaching when I was a senior in high school. There was a cadet teaching program I really enjoyed being a part of,” Tim Haupt said. “I just kept building on my love for teaching and coaching.”
Marcella Haupt admires her husband's football coaching achievements and enjoys bringing up his successes when she can.
“Tim’s been a conference champion at Willowcreek 10 times in his career. He's very successful in his coaching. I'm proud of him,” Marcella Haupt said.
As a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) teacher and track and volleyball coach, Marcella Haupt also considers her father to be an inspiration for her career choice.
“My dad was a physical education teacher, and he was my coach,” Marcella Haupt said. “My love of sports and my love of being around kids led me into education itself.”
She even played softball with her father as her coach.
“Softball was our main father-daughter sport over the years,” Marcella Haupt said.
As a couple, Tim and Marcella Haupt have been involved in many programs and accomplished a lot throughout their careers. They’ve worked on the Disney YES Program, Builders Club, blood drives, coat drives, and Angel Tree, among other things.
Though the Haupts have been a Willowcreek power couple for over two decades, they have not always worked at the same school. Prior to his time at the middle school, Tim Haupt worked in another school district, and it just so happened that he was asked to be the football coach at the same school his wife was teaching at.
“Tim was teaching in Crown Point and was recruited to Willowcreek to be on the football staff,” Marcella Haupt said. “We ended up in the same building together, and we enjoyed doing that.”
Working at the same school has been beneficial for the Haupts as they know they can each understand what the other is going through on a deeper level. The couple enjoys being able to share stories about their day and get each other's opinions on any struggles they may have.
“Being teachers — especially in the same building and knowing the same kids — really allows us to be that shoulder for each other,” Marcella Haupt said.
When not working, Tim and Marcella Haupt can typically be found traveling together while enjoying each other’s company. One of their favorite places they’ve visited is just south of the United States, where they always love to spend time on the beach.
“A favorite place we always come back to is Cabo San Lucas,” Marcella Haupt said. “We've taken a couple trips there with our kids when they were younger, and we've always said we'd like to go back. We really liked the views at the beach we were at. It was just a great location downtown, and we were able to do a lot within the resort.”