Gladwin Athletics

We are the Flying G's!
     
 

 

 

  

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
Superintendent
   Rick Seebeck
Principal
   Pat Dillon
Assistant Principal
   Linda Stodolak
Athletic Director
   Ruth Ann Joslin
Athletic Assistant
   Kathy Pratt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             
        Phone:               989-426-5491

   Home of the Flying G's

Gladwin High School

1400 N. Spring

Gladwin, Michigan 48624

          FAX:                  989-426-6044

  
             

Text Box: Welcome to the Gladwin Athletics site for Sports       Click here to see the current Gladwin Coaching Staff.     Baseball The Varsity Baseball Team has an excited new coach.  This next season promises to be a fun one for the players and fans.   We expect it to be exciting to watch as the team should be aggressive and very competitive.  Head Coach Brian Henry takes over the squad of improving players and will work very hard developing talent, improving their game sense, and maintaining and intense effort.  NEEDS:  Wilmot Field has been a wonderful addition to our sports complex, but time has taken a toll on it.  It needs major work to have it up to standard.  Our backstop needs to be moved back.   The dug-outs need to be removed, so that there can be more room on the field of play, at the sidelines.  New dug-outs would then need to be built.  The warning track needs a lot of work, replacing the surface and getting rid of weeds.  Once all of these projects are done, the field needs to be re-seeded and the underground watering system repaired.  Basketball Basketball 2008 was a good one for the Flying G's.  They were an exciting team to watch, small but with lots of hustle and fight.  They pressed and hustled for 48 minutes.   Chris Smalley led the offensive attack, breaking two school records in the process.  His three point shooting was always a threat to any opponent.   The tenacious pressing defense kept most offenses to low scoring contests.  A highlight of the season was hosting the first Holiday Hoops basketball tournament.  With three teams competing, all of which were bigger and more experienced ... Grayling, Ogemaw Heights, and Allen Park St. Francis Cabrini ... Gladwin was definitely the underdog.   However, with two outstanding performances, the G's won the tournament, and the admiration of many.  Our girls program was also young and inexperienced.  They, too, were small, but they are highly structured.  They press and hustle from whistle to buzzer, but  have trouble over-coming their lack of experience and skills.  They have been working hard during the off-season to improve their game, and their appearance ... purchasing new white uniforms for the upcoming season.  NEEDS:  The basketball programs have been running camps and running money makers to try to outfit the athletes in appropriate uniforms.  Some of the teams have been wearing the same uniforms for 13+ seasons.  The teams haven't had any new equipment for years. Cheerleading This is a transition year for our cheerleading program.  We are gradually going from sideline cheering to Competitive Cheer.  It is not an easy transition.  The Competitive Cheer teams require highly organized and specific skills to be done with complete precision.  In addition, Competitive Cheer requires more tumbling skills, so our girls are trying to learn many new things all at once.  Cross Country The boys Cross Country team has some returning talent and more enthusiasm.  They had an increase in numbers and in talent.  The Flying G's ran to a sixth place conference finish. With Kernie Gilliam being hired as the High School Principal, the Girls' Cross Country team has a new coach.  Alumni Flying G runner, Meagan Strohkirch, who also competed for Saginaw Valley State University, starts her inaugural season as the leader of the girls' program.   The girls' team finished their first season under the tutelage of Coach Strohkirch as third best team in the JackPine.   They are young and excited about their sport, and looking forward to next season.  NEEDS:  Currently, the CC team runs in track gear, as they have no uniforms or team warm-ups.  Football The 2008 fall sports season promises to bring an exciting football program into prominence.  Under the direction of second year Head Coach Aaron Seiser, the team will bring their great desire, high levels of skill,  outstanding discipline, and increased enthusiasm to the field every night.   A strong nucleus of returning players, and an eager group of underclassmen, promise to be competitive in every contest, and will be striving to make the play-offs again this season.  NEEDS:  The G's face two big challenges now.  The first is to crown and add an underground watering system to the football field.  The field is in bad shape.  It is bumpy and grass quality is poor.   We are currently in the process of re-creating the field that hasn't been changed since the early '60's.   We will get it ready in the fall, with hopes that the winter will be kind to us.  If all goes as planned, with lots of water, and good luck with the weather, we will have a great surface for our athletes to play on next season.   The second major need, is to build a simple facility at the football field, where players  put on gear, have their pre-game and half-time meetings, and get out of bad weather.  It would need to have rest rooms for the players, and will house rest rooms for the spectators attending the games.  Golf The 2008 Golf Team was young and inexperienced, but excited about golf and improving their game.   There was steady improvement with individual play throughout the season.  Though it was a major adjustment to play in the spring instead of the fall, and therefore a very long time in between seasons, the golfers initiated the new schedule with enthusiasm and dedication to their game. NEEDS:  With the change of seasons, there will be less time available to be on the golf course, so there are needs for some practice aids that we have not been needed prior to this.  Also, because weather can be prohibitive for the first several weeks of practice, we need to have ways to get into "game shape" prior to getting out on the course. Hockey The Mid-Michigan STORM is a cooperative of only three teams this year, as West Branch/Ogemaw Heights did not have any athletes who wanted to participate.  In addition, they have added a new coach.  The STORM is enjoying a successful season, being competitive in every game.  Pom Pon A new concept for the Pom Pon squad began this fall, as the Pom Pon squad performed at half-time of the home Soccer games.  It was a different experience for the girls to perform outside on grass.  The Soccer fans enjoyed their performances immensely.  It was a good experience for all involved. The Pom Pon squad competed at regional competition, and for the first time, qualified to go on to the State competition in Ypsilanti.  They are energetic and excited to compete at a new level.  In addition, they are enjoying their performances for the hometown crowd even more, because of the new sound system (GAA) in the gym. NEEDS:  Uniforms and poms have been used for several years, and will need to be replaced.  Soccer The Boys' Soccer team is building on experience and love for the game.   With an All-State player returning, along with a couple of All Conference and All Area players, the G's are going to put more of an emphasis on the offensive end of the field.  Experience will be a team strength, but there are holes to fill that will determine our overall success.   The speed of the team and their understanding of the game will make them fun to watch, and a constant threat to score.   Currently, in 2008, the Soccer team is undefeated, playing consistently and intensely. We are scoring more, and the defense has tightened up, holding numerous opponents scoreless. The Girl's Soccer team had to fight off a string of early injuries.  They lost several games by one goal, usually losing in the last few minutes of seconds of the game.  Later in the season, our confidence came back, players returned, and so did the wins.   Angela Little led the team as an all conference stand out, as well as all district.  She return with a team that only lost two to graduation, and looking forward to a great season. NEEDS:  Both soccer fields are in bad shape.  The football field must be crowned, re-seeded, and have water added.  The soccer field inside the track also needs water desperately, and new seeding.  Softball Pitching led the Flying G's this season, as the G's improved their record and their performance.  Showing a new enthusiasm for the sport and excitement on the field, the G's were competitive in every contest. Though it was deemed impossible, the team actually played on their new surface.  It still is not a good field for softball, and needs a lot of work, but it is better than it was.  NEEDS:  The softball field desperately needs to be resurfaced.  The driveway needs to be scraped, and gravel added.  The dug-outs need to be torn down, and replaced.  Once these desperate needs are addressed, the field needs to be seeded, and an underground watering system added.  Track and Field Track and Field is always big at Gladwin, and this past season was no exception. The Boys Team finished strong, winning a share of the Conference Title. It was a great accomplishment, especially with two their top runners injured. The Team had over 50 runners, and a lot of talent. It was a great season for them.  We have added a new computerized timing program, with tons of capabilities and precision. The Girls Team put in another quality performance, also winning the Conference Title.  Though there was a lot of youth, the kids improved continuously, and came together at the end of the season to dominate the league.  Leading the G's were the two senior stand-outs, returning from their 2007 trip to the State Meet.   This time, Laura Lindsey finished 4th in the state in the Shot Put event.  What a great accomplishment!  Laura will be continuing her shot-putting efforts at Lake Superior State University next year.   Perhaps, even more spectacular was the performance of Elizabeth Willford.   Elizabeth set the school record for the Pole Vault, and qualified for the state meet by finishing first at the regional.   At the state meet, Gladwin accomplished a first by having Elizabeth Willford get first place in the Pole Vault.   What a fantastic finish to her illustrious high school career.   Elizabeth will be attending, and vaulting, at Central Michigan University next year.  NEEDS:  Warm-ups are needed for both teams.  They need both warmth and something to keep them dry.  The track program is functioning at a bare-bones level, needing new shot puts, discuses, batons, and pole-vaulting poles. Volleyball The volleyball team lost a lot to graduation last year, but still has a strong nucleus of returning players.  Good serving and good hitting will keep the G's in all contests.   The defense will have to get used to taking on more responsibility and new leadership will have to emerge.   The team is always in good condition and well skilled.   If the intangibles fall into place, this will be a powerful team. NEEDS:   Our poles and net support system are weakened and need to be replaced on all courts.   We need new warm-ups.  With a junior high program added, our basic equipment, volleyballs are stretched thin.   Currently, we do not have enough volleyballs for each team to practice. Wrestling The 2008 season brought our wrestling coach his 100th win, and several individual best performances.  The G's are again in the hunt for the Conference Championship.  The wrestling alumni and the Youth Wrestling program purchased a new mat for the program, so we now can host tournaments with two new mats, designed specifically for our Flying G's.  NEEDS:  Our wrestlers need new singlets and they need team warm-ups.