Tyrone High School students will have their first all-school assembly in the newly renovated auditorium tomorrow afternoon when Hollidaysburg native and MMA fighter turned motivational speaker Charlie “The Spaniard” Brenneman brings his positive message of hard work and resiliency to TASD students and community.
Brenneman will speak to Tyrone middle and high school students at 1:30 pm and to interested members of the community at 6:30 pm in the Tyrone Area High School auditorium.
Brenneman was a successful high school wrestler at Hollidaysburg in the late 1990s. He was a two-time state runner-up in 1998 and 1999. After high school, he wrestled collegiately for Lock Haven University where he earned his teaching degree in secondary Spanish.
After teaching Spanish for several years, Brenneman competed in a reality show called Pros vs. Joes in 2006, winning first place. Brenneman then decided to pursue a career in mixed martial arts.
After leaving the classroom to train full time, Brenneman was 5-0 as an amateur and turned pro in 2007, taking his nickname “The Spaniard” from his previous career as a high school Spanish teacher.
After a promising start, Brenneman suffered a major injury in 2008 during a sparring session, leaving his left orbital shattered, and causing him to temporarily lose his sight in one eye.
But Brenneman was able to overcome the injury and returned to the UFC, where he competed until 2014, earning a career record of 27-19 and rising as high as 11th in the national rankings.
Post-UFC, Brenneman has built his career around helping others, particularly young people.
As a speaker, author, and podcaster he engages students and parents with lessons of perseverance, resilience, adversity, choices, and kindness.
“As a way to teach these lessons after my career concluded, I turned to speaking, writing, and podcasting. I highlight and teach from my past experiences while also documenting and teaching my current ones,” said Brenneman on his website.
He is the author of three books and the host of two podcasts, where he highlights and teaches from his past experiences while also documenting and teaching about his current ones.
Brenneman uses his story to teach a variety of life lessons as they apply to students’ lives. According to his website, he focuses on lessons on perseverance, resilience, adversity, choices, and kindness, leading the way in a relatable and relevant presentation.
Brenneman’s evening presentation on Thursday, January 18 is part of TASD’s Parent Awareness Series. The presentation is free to the public and begins at 6:30 pm.
