A POPULAR PE teacher and rugby coach is swapping Filey for Chicago this summer to take up a dream job in the United States.

Simon Smith, 53, has taught hundreds of children at Filey School over a 24-year career.

Now the opportunity has come up to cross the Atlantic to coach rugby sevens over 4,000 miles away.

Mr Smith, who has played for both Scarborough and Bridlington Rugby Clubs, will take charge of the Chicago Blaze rugby club’s seven-a-side programme after accepting a once-in-a-lifetime offer from a friend who lives out there.

He said: “I’ve kept in touch with Jonty Tinsley since he emigrated. Just before Christmas he messaged me via Facebook to ask if I’d be interested in a potential job coordinating their sevens programme.

“It’s always been a dream to do something like this and with rugby sevens now being an Olympic event.

“It’s a format of the game that is growing world-wide. I’ve spoken with my children and family and they are really excited for me. I consider myself very lucky. I don’t know where it will lead, I’ll just take it as it comes.”

Mr Smith has been teaching for 30 years and for most of that time has been at Filey, which changes its name to Ebor Academy Filey soon.