For 30 years, math teacher Doyle O’Regan has been mentoring students within the Piedmont community, from writing statistic equations on a chalkboard to coaching students on track.

Two years after he began teaching at Piedmont, O’Regan became the school’s head cross country and track coach and continued for more than two decades.

“When I was offered the job as the head coach I didn’t have much experience but I agreed anyways” O’Regan said. “I got into it on a lark.”

O’Regan said the first two years of coaching were a lot of work but he progressively began to pick it up.

“I’ve always been a competitive guy, so I definitely wanted to take on the task of competing against other schools,” O’Regan said. “I was pretty hardcore.”

Although his coaching career ended 22 years later, his passion for teaching never stopped.

“Teaching is the show, you’re up there on the stage orchestrating things,” O’Regan said. “There is nothing better then when kids start to figure things out and the light goes on.”

O’Regan said he loves to teach because when something starts to click for students, it’s the most satisfying feeling.

“It doesn’t happen everyday, but when it does it’s a rush,” O’Regan said. “It’s the reason I come to work everyday.”

O’Regan said he feels Piedmont is a great place to teach because many other schools have issues to deal with that get in the way of teaching and learning.

“At Piedmont students really value education and it makes teaching much more enjoyable,” O’Regan said.

As a tribute to former math teacher Jack Lay, O’Regan began to wear Hawaiian shirts to school every Friday.

“When [Lay] retired, he gave me some of his shirts as a way to continue on the tradition of Hawaiian Friday,” O’Regan said.

Soon O’Regan found himself wearing Hawaiian shirts everyday of the week. Other staff members began to pick up on the tradition as well.

“[Science teacher Glen Melnik, math Teacher Edmund Mahoney, and math teacher Bill Marthinsen] are also a part of the Hawaiian shirt group,” O’Regan said. “It’s kind of a guy thing.”

When O’Regan coached for Piedmont, he considered it his main hobby. Since then, he has more time on his hands and now he likes to read or watch sporting events.

“I’m a big baseball fan so I’m either watching the A’s every night on TV or going to their games,” O’Regan said.

Junior Maddie Baum said she likes the fact that O’Regan has been teaching at Piedmont High School for such a long time.

“He is much more experienced than other Piedmont High staff members and it definitely shows a difference in his teaching styles,” Baum said.

Baum said she enjoys going to her math classes because O’Regan never fails to make them interesting.

“His enthusiasm to teach almost helps students understand the criteria better,” Baum said. “He also always tells hilarious stories in class that are always fun to look forward to.”

Sophomore Jimmy Roach agrees with Baum that O’Regan has an amazing teaching style and his experience really helps students grasp the material.

“I like how he lets us do our homework during the period and always seems to keep the class life exciting,” Roach said.

Roach said that he thinks O’Regan’s Hawaiian shirts are amazing.

“He comes to class everyday wearing a different one,” Roach said. “He has to have one of the biggest collections in the Bay.”

Baum said that she thinks O’Regan’s Hawaiian shirts express his goofy personality.

“I couldn’t imagine him without one,” Baum said.