The stories in Ordinary Heroes are drawn from his experiences as a teacher and coach, and all deal with students who have overcome odds. A tall but awkward girl barely makes the basketball team, works hard and ends up a tough, skilled player. A boy perseveres even though his mother is a prostitute and his father is in prison. A teen becomes pregnant and decides to raise the child alone, and years later, he finds a well-cared-for child and a mother taking college courses.

The stories in Ordinary Heroes are drawn from his experiences as a teacher and coach, and all deal with students who have overcome odds. A tall but awkward girl barely makes the basketball team, works hard and ends up a tough, skilled player. A boy perseveres even though his mother is a prostitute and his father is in prison. A teen becomes pregnant and decides to raise the child alone, and years later, he finds a well-cared-for child and a mother taking college courses.