Born: Kansas City, Mo.

Family: Wife, Sue, daughters Madee (19) and Tressa (17).

Occupation: Library media teacher at Tonganoxie High School.

Dream job as a child: Walker always wanted to be a veterinarian when he was younger.

Interesting fact: The teacher works at Peruvian Connection during the summer months doing gardening and landscaping.

Digging deeper: Walker grew up in Independence, Mo., graduating from Fort Osage High School in 1986.

He graduated in 1990 from Ottawa University with a degree in biology.

Walker taught physical science, biology, anatomy, chemistry and physics at both Williamsburg High School and Pomona High School. Those schools since have consolidated. The new school is known as West Franklin High School.

Walker came to Tonganoxie in 1999 and currently is an assistant coach for the THS girls basketball team. He formerly was the head coach for the THS boys basketball team and continues to be a THS assistant coach for the golf team.

He earned a master’s degree in technology from Pittsburg State University in 2006 and has been the high school’s library media teacher since 2007.

Walker was a guard on the OU basketball team and later was a coach. He was recruiting a player from Central Heights High School near Garnett when he met his wife for the first time — she was coaching at CHHS at the time.

Walker’s life has evolved through a connection to basketball.

“I’ve gotten to travel a lot and meet all kinds of wonderful people, including my wife,” Walker said with a laugh.

The game also has allowed him to spend a lot of time with his daughters in coaching or watching them play.

When he’s not involved in basketball, Walker likes to play golf and work on projects around the house.