{"id":551,"date":"2022-10-28T16:28:55","date_gmt":"2022-10-28T20:28:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/?p=551"},"modified":"2023-12-22T13:40:52","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T17:40:52","slug":"kevinmcnuttspotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/2022\/10\/28\/kevinmcnuttspotlight\/","title":{"rendered":"Mentor, Coach, Educator, Author: What Can\u2019t He Do?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A spotlight on Kevin McNutt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n

James Libresco<\/p>\nStaff Writer<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

For hundreds of students at the Minnie Howard campus of ACHS, Student Support Services Coordinator Kevin McNutt is a friendly face they see daily. Greeting them at the entrance with a smile, McNutt asks them about their days. What they, along with most teachers and administrators, might not know is that McNutt is a published author of two books and has lived around the world. They might have never guessed that he was the star player of George Mason University\u2019s basketball team or that he refereed the likes of Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant <\/strong>in a lengthy officiating career. The list goes on. As much as there is to know about Kevin McNutt, there is even more to learn from him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a child, McNutt\u2019s father was in the military, so his family often traveled. After living around the globe, including in Japan and Holland, McNutt\u2019s family settled in Southeast D.C. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve lived around the world,\u201d he said, \u201c[but] I call myself a \u2018DC guy.’\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was there that McNutt fell in love with basketball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt turned out to be my favorite sport which I was talented in,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While attending St. Anthony\u2019s Catholic School in Northeast D.C., he played as a point guard under coach and basketball Hall of Famer John Thompson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kevin
McNutt (right) with his high school teammate, Joe Rivers.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

McNutt continued to play basketball at George Mason University as a walk-on. After a monster junior season where he led the team in scoring and assists, McNutt earned a scholarship for his senior year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although he \u201cwasn\u2019t good enough to go pro,\u201d McNutt graduated college on time in 1978. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was the big thing,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, he continued his love for the game after college by becoming a referee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t going to be able to play pro or make money playing basketball, so I thought, \u2018Why don\u2019t I try refereeing?\u2019,\u201d McNutt said. \u201cI like staying in touch with the game, I like staying in shape, I like working with young people, so I started being a referee.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout 35 years of refereeing, McNutt has mostly officiated high school and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) games alongside occasional college matches. He\u2019s also refereed a Team USA Olympics practice and a charity match featuring a plethora of NBA players. Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Allen Iverson, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe are just a few of the all-time greats McNutt has officiated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a great experience . . . I\u2019ve been on the court with a lot of great players,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a very rewarding career in a lot of different ways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McNutt also stays connected to basketball through writing, and has authored two books that \u201ctry to educate people on youth sports.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first book, Hooked on Hoops: Understanding Black Youths’ Blind Devotion to Basketball<\/em><\/a>, \u201cchallenges athletes, parents, educators, the media, and the larger society to examine [black youths\u2019] passion with basketball.\u201d Playing Time: Tough Truths about AAU Basketball, Youth Sports, Parents, and Athletes<\/em><\/a> was McNutt\u2019s second book, and \u201cinvestigates the abuse of black basketball players by coaches, the AAU, sports companies, and even parents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBoth books came out of my refereeing opportunities,\u201d he said. \u201cRefereeing is a very interesting seat to have. You see a lot of different things from interactions with players, coaches, [and] fans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While being a referee, McNutt also pursued a career in sales, selling commercial office furniture for various companies. His experience as an athlete fueled his success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just like playing a sport,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to always try to improve, always try to reach a goal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McNutt stayed in the industry for over 30 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt can be a roller coaster ride. You always have to be looking for new business, replenishing the pipeline . . . And then the economy swings, and it can be tough,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not always about how good you are. Sometimes, you have to be in the right place at the right time. When the ball comes to you, you gotta take that shot and knock it down.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kevin
McNutt (left) with his friend and first workplace supervisor, Joe Bross.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overall, McNutt enjoyed working in sales. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was motivated,\u201d he said. \u201cYou set your own schedule, and you just chase a number . . . It\u2019s like stepping up to the free throw line to make the game-winning shot. You gotta do what you gotta do . . . It\u2019s very rewarding when you make a big sale.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2018, McNutt \u201cburned out\u201d from being in the sales industry for so long. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a tough industry to be in,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After leaving sales, he started substitute teaching at the ACHS King Street campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy wife was a teacher at ACPS, and she said, \u2018you should try subbing.'”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McNutt became a long-term substitute that year and thoroughly enjoyed it. His efforts in the classroom were noticed by his students, and at the end of the school-year they presented him with a trophy for being one of their best mentors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was very touching,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a special memory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After being a long-term substitute for a year, McNutt applied to be the in-school suspension coordinator at Minnie Howard. He got the job. Fast forward to 2022, when ACPS is shifting towards restorative justice, and McNutt is now Minnie Howard\u2019s Student Support Services Coordinator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With his position, McNutt says he\u2019s \u201ctrying to help the young people make better decisions . . . [and] help them understand the importance of their education . . . [and] opportunity they have now.\u201d Sometimes that can be difficult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStudents\u2019 days are hectic and move really fast,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s always a challenge to make them understand and see the bigger picture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McNutt also coaches basketball at ACHS, and he will be coaching the freshman team in the upcoming season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBasketball is another source of education,\u201d he said. \u201cI can teach a lot . . . I value the opportunity to teach young people how to play the game the right way, how to respect the game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a coach, McNutt also cherishes helping players take the next step in their athletic careers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving been a player that earned a scholarship and had my daughter go to college on a scholarship, I can tell you: there’s nothing better for a young athlete than to continue their athletic career in college via a scholarship without their parents having to write a check to the school,\u201d he said. \u201cThat’s a beautiful experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kevin
Kevin (left) and his daughter, Monica McNutt<\/em>, who is a prominent sports journalist at ESPN.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Altogether, McNutt loves his job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been fantastic to work with and help young people,\u201d he said. \u201dWith the small groups and discussions we have, I learn from the students just as much as I hope they learn from me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for future plans, McNutt said he has no intentions to stop working with youth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love working with the young people. I feel good; my health is good . . . As long as I bounce up every morning, [if] I feel like I’m making progress, health-willing, I\u2019ll be around for a little bit.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Portions of this interview have been edited for clarity.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For hundreds of students at the Minnie Howard campus of ACHS, Student Support Services Coordinator Kevin McNutt is a friendly face they see every day. Greeting them at the entrance with a smile, McNutt asks them about their days. What they, along with most teachers and administrators, might not know is that McNutt is a published author of two books and has lived around the world. They might have never guessed that he was the star player of George Mason University\u2019s basketball team or that he refereed the likes of Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant in a lengthy officiating career. The list goes on. As much as there is to know about Kevin McNutt, there is even more to learn from him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":555,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[23,174,177,172,176,171,173,175],"class_list":["post-551","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spotlight","tag-achs","tag-basketball","tag-educator","tag-kevin-mcnutt","tag-mentor","tag-minnie-howard","tag-school","tag-teacher"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/McNutt-2.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=551"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2219,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551\/revisions\/2219"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}