Waterford — The public's primary frame of reference toward the high school coach, not surprisingly, is as the high school coach. Nothing more, nothing less. It is understandable, sure. But tells the full story no more than a look at the steering wheel explains the whole Ferrari.

Coaches are regular people, too, paying the bills often as teachers and educators whose vocations and ideas extend beyond the wonders of the 2-3 zone.

Latest example: Kaitlyn Sullivan, the girls' basketball coach at Waterford High, but more importantly a special education teacher at Clark Lane Middle School.

Sullivan hatched the idea of the "Explorer Café" a few years ago, this breakfast bistro inside the school, where special education students work with their peers to serve the most important meal of the day to teachers, administrators and some members of the public. Put it this way: In the pantheon of home runs, this idea goes upper tank, as Dennis Eckersley likes to say.

"Four or five years ago, a co-worker showed me that another school was doing a coffee cart," Sullivan said Wednesday morning, after the breakfast rush. "I had a student, Lucas Turner, and I made this his project. He sent out donation letters. It started with a cart and teachers ordering coffee. I thought maybe we could do bagels and muffins. Now we're working with the culinary class, making sure we know how to cook and do dishes. It's a full blown production."

And quite enjoyable. I was part of an all-star cast at one of the tables Wednesday, joined by Clark Lane math teacher Kelly Barnes (mad props to her for reaching out and alerting us to the program), first selectman Rob Brule and Filomena's owner Mike Buscetto.

The menu offers coffee, tea, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches and bagels. The kids come over to the table, take the orders, bring the food, interact with the patrons, take their payments and make change.

We even made one new friend, Toppy Tenzin, a Clark Lane student, who makes his own toys and came by to sell them. (Tenzin even told Buscetto each toy sold for $100 apiece at Brule's suggestion.) A fun time was had by all.

Now for the really good part. Lest we dismiss such a program with a cursory, "gee, isn't that nice," as we do with many endeavors tethered to special education, be advised: This was inclusive, practical and people-oriented, otherwise known as education at its pinnacle. It is exactly what any kid (and the occasional adult we encounter now sadly) needs more than a lung.

"For so many of our kids, the practical part is the most important part," Sullivan said. "They're learning how to cook, how to count money. People skills, talking to customers and asking them about their day. It's a mix of all students, not just special education. It's life skills. A lot of these kids will probably transition into a job and need to know how to do these things — or just how to live independently."

Service to special education is a byproduct of Sullivan's family.

"I love this," Sullivan said. "My mom grew up at Seaside (a former center for the developmentally disabled). When I was born, I was living at Seaside. My grandparents worked there. Everyone in my family, that was their summer job. I have a lot of family working in special ed. Even my parents ... my dad I'm sure will be in here within the next hour. It's always about helping other people."

Sullivan did a wonderful job in her first year coaching the Lancers, making the semifinals of the conference tournament and the second round of the state tournament. But this program offers plenty of evidence she is so much more than one who paces the sidelines and bemoans missed layups.

"I applied for a state grant before COVID that allowed us to buy the cash register and supplies," Sullivan said. "We've had a lot of local businesses donate. Caffe NV, Flanders Fish, DJ's Campus Kitchen, When Pigs Fly, Flanders Donuts and BJ's. We've invited parents and people to come in. Sometimes the police department, which the kids love. It's a lot of fun."

Sullivan said donations can be made through contacting her at ksullivan@waterfordschools.org. Highly recommended.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro