Health teacher Broderick Faler has taken an unusual path to the classroom, one that has seen the wrestling mat, the counselor’s office and even the courtroom.
He has been in education for more than a decade, crediting his teachers and coaches with inspiring him to follow in their footsteps.
“I come from humble beginnings,” Faler said. “My teachers and coaches were very influential and inspirational. I knew right away I wanted to do the same for others.”
Before entering the classroom, however, Faler spent several years practicing law. After earning his law degree in 2018, he worked as a trial attorney and tried roughly 45 cases. His experience in law continues to impact his teaching style.
“Just like in front of a judge, students don’t want nonsense,” Faler said. “They want you to be informed and organized, and they want to be educated. I prepare for my students the same way I prepared for court.”
In addition to teaching, Faler also oversees the men’s, women’s, and middle school wrestling programs at WHHS.
Raised in the small town of Camas, Wash., Faler started wrestling at the age of five, following in the footsteps of his three older brothers.
He went on to become an all-state wrestler and later competed collegiately. His passion for the sport led him into coaching, which he has now been doing for more than 15 years.
“We had a club team at Eastern Washington University that I took part in,” Faler said. “I was an all state wrestler in Washington state, nd so I started coaching high school.”
After teaching and coaching in Tennessee, including a stint at Ravenwood High School near Nashville, Tenn., Faler moved to Cincinnati.
“Nashville was… a melting pot of young professionals, and I enjoyed my time there for a bit,” Faler said. “The quality of life in Cincinnati is far superior.”
This year, Faler has big goals for the wrestling program. Last season, the team had 75 members, and he hopes to surpass 100 this year. Beyond the physical aspect of the sport, he emphasizes the life lessons wrestling provides.
“It teaches resilience like no other activity in high school,” Faler said. “It also gives you self-defense skills that will last a lifetime. I encourage everyone to give it a try.”
At WHHS, Faler is channeling the lessons he’s learned into both the classroom and the wrestling mat — preparing students not just for tests and tournaments, but for life.
“I feel like the students at Walnut Hills are [all] very, very similar,” Faler said. “They are very eager to learn, and very reasonable people. So, I feel like I need to bring it every day… for them.”