Name: Russ Kelemen
Age: 43
Status: Married with two kids
What we heard about him: “He is super cute and charming and gets all the screams at the school functions.”
Reaction to being nominated: “You’re kidding, right? Did [Advocate publisher Rick] Wamre put you up to this? Oh, that is funny.”
Coaching gig: J.L. Long Middle School baseball coach and former basketball coach
Day job: “I teach health; that’s my big passion actually. I coach because it helps make me a better teacher. It gives me a chance to be with kids outside of the classroom.”
Upping the hotness factor: During the interview, Kelemen was making seven-layer dip and doing laundry because, he says, for his wife to have to do it all is “just not right.”
Have you always known you were a hottie or is this news to you? (Laughs) “I was going to ask what a ‘hottie’ was, but I think I know.”
Any indications as such? “When I was younger as a teacher, there would be the odd girl who was half blind and have a crush on me. My wife thinks I’m cute, my daughters think I’m cute, and my mom probably thinks I’m cute.”
So have you ever received catcalls? Longing stares? “Oh my gosh — not now, that’s for sure. If they do, I’m oblivious to it, and I probably think they’re talking about someone else.”
But yet … The J.L. Long faculty voted Kelemen “most charming” for this year’s awards ceremony. “I’m not really that charming,” he demures. “I’ve got everybody snowed.”
So how do you keep that bod in shape? “I’m very active — I play hockey on a team called the Tornados once a week, and I usually play basketball two or three times a week as well. I’ve never been one of those people who loves to work out, but I do love to exercise.”
Turn ons? “People who show kindness to other people. That’s huge. That’s what I love about my wife — she’s a very caring person. Our looks, our bodies are breaking down so fast that no matter whether someone thinks you’re cute or not, you’re just going to get old and wrinkly. But caring for others? That’s lasting beauty.”
Turn offs? “People who are selfish.”
Boxers or briefs? “Boxer briefs.”
***
Name: Greg Goodin
Age: 28
Status: In a serious relationship
Coaching gig: Lakewood Country Club tennis instructor
Reaction to being nominated: “Oh my goodness. And you tell me not to be nervous? It’s all fair in love and tennis, so this is OK.”
What we heard about him: “He’s very personable, sweet, adorable. He’s also very involved in his church and volunteer coaches a tennis team at Woodrow.”
Have you always known you were a hottie, or is this news to you? Definitely news to me. I am not the typical vain guy. Things like that don’t faze me.”
Any indications as such? “I mean, I have a girlfriend, so I hope that says something for me. When you spend a lot of single months, you think that it’s got to be the looks, but it’s coming around.”
So do any of your students sign up for lessons with ulterior motives? “I like to think they’re coming for my coaching. It’s an expensive hour of their time.”
So how do you keep that bod in shape? “Running around on this tennis court doing what I do all day long keeps me what I like to think of as ‘in shape.’ I’m not a big workout guy. I was gifted with aerodynamics, meaning the lord made me a toothpick.”
Turn ons? “Definitely a woman’s heart for the Lord. I’m a big fan of a beautiful smile. I love to see people happy, somebody who’s really glowing from the inside out.”
Turn offs? “Smokers. And I don’t like selfishness.”
Boxers or briefs? “Briefs when I work; boxers when I’m at my leisure.”
***
Name: Blake Chandler
Age: 28
Status: Married with a baby on the way
Coaching gig: Lakewood Stallions second-grade basketball team
Day job: Systems analyst for AT&T
What we heard about him: “He’s a hottie, yes, and even though Blake doesn’t have kids, he stepped up to coach. The kids love him and learn a lot.”
Reaction to being nominated: “I feel strangely awkward right now.”
Upping the hotness factor: The kindergarten team lost their coach a week before the start of the season, and Chandler volunteered to assume the responsibility. This next season will be his third to coach the boys, now second graders. “Some of the things they say are just priceless,” Chandler says. “Once I asked them who their favorite basketball players were, and I was expecting Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki. One of them said, ‘My dad,’ and one said, ‘You’re my favorite player.’”
Have you always known you were a hottie, or is this news to you? Complete news, although my wife will tell you differently. She’ll tell you that this is going to affect my head. I can’t wait to tell her.”
So how do you keep that bod in shape? I play basketball every day. There’s a gym downtown that offers it, and lawyers and professionals down here play together every day. I also used to teach martial arts before I started coaching.”
Turn ons? “I like blue eyes and blonde hair. Always have.”
Turn offs? “I don’t like ‘I’ people — I did this, I did that.”
Boxers or briefs? “Commando — that’s my preference.”
***
Name: Chris Kimbrough
Age: 33
Status: Married (to another martial arts instructor, so back off, ladies)
Coaching gig: Private martial arts instructor, or sensei
What we heard about him: “Handsome, sweet and super with the kids.”
Reaction: “That’s almost embarrassing. I don’t know how to take that. I guess it’s a compliment.”
Have you always known you were a hottie, or is this news to you? “I mean, I don’t consider myself an unattractive person, but I never thought of it in those terms. I’m married now, and I figure I’ve gotten worse if anything because I’m not in the game as much.”
Any indications as such? “No, I’m just a normal person, but apparently people are more into it than I am.”
So how do you keep that bod in shape? “Well, actually it’s pretty much just martial arts. I try to do a lot with my students, so if they’re doing push ups, I’ll do push ups, too. That way they can’t get stronger than me. Especially if I’m their partner, they’re beating me up. It’s not as much painful as it just wears you out, but that’s part of what keeps me conditioned, too. So I like that.”
Turn ons? “I haven’t had to think about that for so long. One of the things I liked about my wife was her being open to trying new things — a little bit adventurous.”
Turn offs? “That would definitely be a bad attitude or any sort of negativity. That just brings me down. Keeping it positive translates to a lot of things in life.”
Boxers or briefs? “Oh, boxers definitely.”
***
Name: Jimmy and Jane Heath
Age: 42 and 44
Coaching gigs: Jimmy coaches the St. Thomas Aquinas Parochial League football and basketball (his 12- and 13-year-old sons’ teams) and Dallas Little League 8- and 9-year-old baseball; Jane coaches White Rock YMCA first- and second-grade girls basketball
Day jobs: Jane is a prosecutor at the Dallas County District Attorney’s office. Jimmy’s a Fort Worth fire fighter (“I’ve tried to get him to pose for the calendar, but he won’t,” Jane says. Responds Jimmy: “Because I’d never live it down. I’d get too hard a time at work.”)
Status: They met through a friend in the St. Thomas Aquinas Church singles group and married almost three years ago. As Jane tells it: “This is our second marriage, and I was interested in marrying for money, and I told him, ‘You’re just a fireman. I don’t know about that.’ And he said, ‘Hey, I haven’t even asked you out,’ and I said, ‘Yeah, but I know you want to go out with me.’”
What we heard about Jimmy: “He’s a Harry Connick Jr. look-alike.”
Is he really? “Yes, yes, yes!” Jane enthuses. “I really don’t see the resemblance myself,” Jimmy says, “but I’ve heard it way more than once.”
Have you always known you were a hottie, or is this news to you? “I’ve always known that Jimmy’s a hottie,” Jane says. “She’s a hottie, too,” Jimmy adds.
Any indications as such? “I don’t know because I never notice any other women except for my wife,” Jimmy says. Responds Jane: “He’s sweet, but once a woman handed him a card and said if he was ever interested in modeling to call her.” Jimmy fesses up: “I was at a concert at Billy Bob’s, and it was a legitimate deal, but I didn’t think it was. I thought it was a friend or a fireman or something who put her up to it. It’s not something I’m interested in. Some of me still thinks it was a joke.”
So how do you keep that bod in shape? Jimmy’s a certified trainer for the fire department, and Jane walks a lot. “I’ve kind-of been a little lethargic for the past few years,” she admits. “I used to work out all the time — but I’m not a couch potato.”
Turn ons? Jimmy: “Whatever my wife does is a turn on. She’s got great long legs and a great smile and really nice teeth.” Jane: “He’s blushing. For me, I’d say it’s his biceps. Oh, and his little butt.”
Turn offs? “Smoking. And I like women that look fit,” Jimmy says. “They don’t have to be supermodel thin, but women who are active and like to do things, so women who are lethargic and sit on the couch, that’s my turn off. [Jane] runs me into the ground. I can’t keep up with her.” “Closed-minded and negative men,” Jane says. “People who think they know it all, and they don’t.”
On adding “heat” to the marriage: Jane: “We were playing the other St. Thomas team, and I really wanted to win, and we lost by six points. [Jimmy] was in charge of substitutions, and I felt — and I still think — we lost because of substitutions. He looked at me and said, ‘My God, Jane, they’re second graders,’ and I said, ‘I don’t care. I wanted to win.” Jimmy: “She is the most intense coach I’ve ever seen. And she’s good with the kids. They love her — all the kids call her ‘Coach’ and they just call me ‘Hey guy.’ Some women will go to a game, and they’re not really that into it. She’s the loudest parent whether she’s coaching or not coaching. It’s fun to watch her because she’s really competitive and wants to win.”
Boxers or briefs? “Briefs, without a doubt.”
Bikinis or thongs? “Thongs.”
