Jacques Christophe Kusseling #65

Jacques Christophe Kusseling (Chris) was born at the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC to Jacques and Geraldine Kusseling. Chris grew up in the Rosemont and Cameron Station areas of Alexandria. He attended St. Mary’s (Olde Towne), Patrick Henry and Stonewall Jackson elementary schools in Alexandria. After elementary, John Adams Middle School, Francis C. Hammond and T.C. Williams High Schools. He graduated from T.C. in the spring of 1972.

Despite a severe hearing impairment, Chris participated in freshman, junior varsity, and varsity football at Hammond and T.C. In 1970 Chris was the “Outstanding Defensive Lineman of the Year” while at Hammond, where he was the defensive middle guard. Also at Hammond, he was on the 1971 Northern Virginia Regional Track Championship team. In the fall of 1971, Chris was a starting linebacker on the T.C. Williams State Championship football team.

After graduation from T.C. Williams, Coach Harold (Tubby) Raymond recruited Chris to play football at the University of Delaware. While at Delaware, Tubby Raymond converted Chris to a defensive back, but Chris saw limited playing time. In the fall of 1973, Chris decided to concentrate on his academic studies and pursue a career in physical education. He graduated in 1976 with a degree in this discipline. While at Delaware, Chris did his student teaching at Sterck School for the Deaf and Ogletown Middle School in Newark, DE.

After returning to Alexandria, Chris decided to teach physical education in his hometown. Because of economic times, Chris was unable to find full-time employment in his field. He became a substitute teacher and worked for the Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax County school systems. During this period, he worked alongside some of his former coaches: Herman Boone, Bill Yoast, Glen Furman, and Paul Hines.

During the fall of 1977, Chris was offered a position as a Field Agent with the U.S. Department of Commerce. As a Field Agent, he worked on the 1977 Census of Governments, collecting financial data for the non-respondent governments. In 1983 he was promoted to Senior Municipal Finance Specialist. In this position, he was responsible for collecting, compilation, and processing financial data for all 50 States. He has traveled to all of the 50 States in connection with his work. In 1987 he was promoted to Social Science Analyst. As an Analyst, he has received Outstanding Awards for his job performance and his outstanding knowledge of state and local governments’ finance and government structure.

If asked who were the most influential people in your life, Chris would say, “First would be my mother. If it weren’t for her, I would probably have been sent to the State School for the Deaf in Staunton, VA. That is where T.C. Williams, the former Superintendent of the Alexandria School System, wanted to send me after learning that I was severely hearing impaired. My mother forced Mr. Williams into mainstreaming me into the Alexandria City Schools. Second, would be my father. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t even know if I would have ever played football. He devised a method of using sponge foam padding in my helmet. By using the padding in my helmet, I was able to keep the feedback from hearing aid from whistling, and it helped provide protection when the helmet was hit. Third, I would have to say Tubby Raymond. Tubby was always honest with me. He taught me that there were only three important things at Delaware; they were family, academics, and football. Last, but not least, was Coach Bill Yoast. If it were not for Coach Yoast, I probably never would have succeeded in football and learned the discipline and hard work necessary to get an education and make a success of my life."