As a teenager, Sam Proudfoot was a rebel with a cause. And his cause was this: don't follow his parents into teaching.
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But like a youngster who rails against his parents' conservatism, only to turn into them as an adult, Proudfoot is now a teacher.
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"Classic sort of teenage rebellion, I suppose: pushed against it [teaching] for a little while," he said, "but, ironically, the genetics came out in me." (Proudfoot did an undergraduate degree in genetics at ANU, before obtaining a master's degree in teaching at UNE.)
In the end, he was pulled towards the profession like a German to sauerkraut. "Love my job," said the Gunnedah Bulldogs ruckman and Bulldogs women co-coach.
After arriving in Gunnedah in 2017 with his then girlfriend Grace, who is now his wife, Proudfoot taught at Gunnedah High.
The high school-trained science teacher is now based at Tamworth South Public School.
"I think people who know me would say teaching was my end goal ... I did do a little bit [of work] with genetics, but, yeah, no, labs and stuff weren't really for me."
Proudfoot debuted for the Bulldogs in 2018, after starting his AFL career in the Northern Territory. He has been sidelined since injuring his ankle against the Kangaroos in round three but has been kept busy with the coaching role, which he shares with Louise Kestles.
Gunnedah's men and women lead their competitions - and play the Roos and the Suns, respectively, at Wolseley Oval on Saturday.
