Mitchell's unlikely journey from gridiron to classroom

The American football field, or gridiron, was once his sanctuary—a place where Mitchell Bradford, tall and strong beyond his years, could escape the chaos of his troubled home.

At 12 years old, Mitchell was already towering over his peers, more interested in tackling opponents than textbooks. “Grades just didn’t matter,” he recalls with a wry smile. For a long time, it seemed that football would be his only ticket out of a life mired in uncertainty.

But life has a way of surprising us, and for Mitchell, the surprise came in the form of Mrs. Hogue, his high school Spanish teacher. When he first walked into her class, he had already failed Spanish twice, and academic success seemed as distant as the horizon. Yet Mrs. Hogue saw something in him that he hadn’t yet seen in himself. “She didn’t give up on me,” Mitchell said. “She made sure I did my work, even when I didn’t care.”

Mrs. Hogue’s belief in Mitchell was unyielding. She spent her lunch breaks tutoring him, not just to help him pass, but to help him excel. Slowly, the boy who once cared only for football began to see the value in academics. He became fluent in Spanish, and more than that, he began to enjoy the process of learning. “She would ask me for teaching ideas, and it made me think about things differently,” he says. What began as reluctant participation blossomed into genuine passion. Inspired by her dedication, Mitchell decided to follow in her footsteps, enrolling in the same university she had attended and studying under the same professors.

Mitchell’s new journey took him from Arkansas to Guatemala, where he volunteered teaching English in challenging conditions. “At the orphanage in Guatemala, I had a whiteboard that was like the size of a book, and it was broken and chipped,” he recalled, contrasting it with teachers who complained about the lack of advanced equipment. Teaching, he discovered, was more than a career; it was a calling, a way to pay forward the care and attention that had saved him.

Mitchell’s journey took him far from his humble beginnings—all the way to Hangzhou, China, where he now teaches English at a university. Here in China, he has found not just a career, but a community. Mitchell’s life in Hangzhou is a far cry from the tumultuous childhood he endured.
His work extends beyond the classroom. He signed up for the “Daddy-Long-Legs” program, volunteering to mentor children who, like him, face significant challenges. “I guess I want to be the change,” he says. At the same time, he is working towards completing his doctorate, determined to continue his education as he teaches others.
Due to his tall figure and gentle heart, he adopted the Chinese name “Da Bai” (Big White), the name of Baymax from Big Hero 6, which his students of all ages throughout China believe is a perfect fit for him.

Mitchell’s students speak of him with admiration, noting his rigor tempered by a deep sense of fairness. “Because my English is actually not good, Da Bai was a bit impatient at first, and I felt really upset. After he noticed, he immediately apologized and comforted me. He also connected me with other teachers to help me, providing a lot of extra support, which greatly helped me catch up with the course and adjust my mindset,” one student says. Another reflects, “Da Bai has a unique charm and attraction. It might not be so apparent to notice from the outside, but once you interact with him, you immediately feel his distinct appeal.”
“I do expect a lot from my students and place a great deal of pressure on them”, Mitchell explained. “How do you make diamonds? With heat and pressure. That’s what good teachers do, we make the most of our students, push them to excel while guiding and supporting them”.

As Mitchell reflects on his journey—from the boy who once sought refuge in football to the man who now finds purpose in teaching—he pauses, choosing his words carefully. “Education was my escape. It can be yours too. Don’t give up. It’s okay not to have a clear goal, but you can’t stay still. Keep going, keep trying. Don’t panic, just keep working!”
In Mitchell’s story, the twists and turns have led him to a place of purpose and peace, far from the chaos of his youth. It’s a story of transformation—of how one person’s belief can spark a change that reverberates across continents and generations. And in Hangzhou, surrounded by the students he inspires, Mitchell is still writing his next chapter.
Source: Hangzhoufeel