Tag: Tristan Jackson

From Floyd to Jeff: Brian Glesing’s Road to the Red Devils

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Brian Glesing was hired as the head coach of Jeffersonville on May 1. Before JHS, Glesing was the head coach of rival Floyd Central for 11 seasons, posting a 70-51 overall record.

story by Tristan Jackson
submitted photo / Brian Glesing

Jeffersonville versus Floyd Central is one of the most heated sports rivalries in Southern Indiana.

Next year, however, fans may see a whole new level of intensity on the football field.

Brian Glesing, who has been the head coach at Floyd Central for the past 11 seasons, was hired on May 1 to fill the head coach vacancy for the Red Devils. He replaced Alfonzo Browning, who posted a 8-13 record in his two seasons as head coach.

“When it came down to it, with his understanding of the community and his understanding of Indiana football, (Glesing) was the logical choice,” Jeffersonville athletic director Todd Satterly said.

Despite his recent success at the helm of FC, though, Glesing is leaving the Highlanders to take a job he has hoped to get since he first came to Southern Indiana.

“I think this is just a great opportunity,” Glesing said. “I think there is so much potential and everyone I’ve talked to has told me this is a great place to be, and I believe ‘em.

“It’s gonna be tough to leave (Floyd Central),” Glesing continued. “But it was time for a change and I’m excited about being here (at Jeff).”

THE PATH TO JEFF

While Glesing has made a name for himself in Southern Indiana as a coach during the last decade, he was also a successful athlete in his own right growing up. From 1989 to 1993, Glesing lit up the football and baseball fields at Hanover College.

During his four-year career, Glesing racked up 5,914 total all-purpose yards and 282 total points, which are both still all-time records at the college. It could be argued that his baseball career was even more impressive, as he holds the school record in career hits (266), runs scored (213) and stolen bases (150).

Glesing’s first head coaching position came in 2001 at LaVille High School in Lakeville, Ind. He would eventually make his way to Clarksville High School five years later, his first head coaching gig in Southern Indiana.

After two seasons coaching the Generals, Glesing took over a Floyd Central team that was reeling. He inherited a team that had a combined record of 3-17 in the previous two years, including a culture that wasn’t used to winning close games.

“I think this is just a great opportunity. I think there is so much potential and everyone I’ve talked to has told me this is a great place to be, and I believe ‘em. It’s gonna be tough to leave (Floyd Central). But it was time for a change and I’m excited about being here (at Jeff).”

– Brian Glesing, JHS football head coach

However Glesing turned the program around during his 11 seasons, propelling them to a 70-51 record, and a Sectional title in 2009 at Floyd Central.

In 2017, a Glesing-led Floyd Central managed a 9-3 record. He guided them to a 6-1 record in the Hoosier Hills Conference, including a perfect 5-0 record at home, before losing to powerhouse Columbus East in the Sectional championship.

BATTLES BEYOND THE FIELD

While his success as a coach is undeniable, boasting a 111-81 record in 18 seasons, last season was a memorable one for an entirely different reason: Gelsing had another battle, this one being off the field.

In March 2017, Glesing was diagnosed Hodgkin’s Lymphoma for the second time. Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is a relatively rare form of cancer that affects the immune system. Glesing’s second bout with the disease came 23 years after his first in 1994, just after he graduated from Hanover College.

Regardless, Glesing managed to coach the whole season while doing chemotherapy, and he concluded his treatment in October of 2017.  

“No,” said Todd Satterly when asked if Glesing’s battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma played a part in the decision to hire him. “During the interview, he volunteered all that information. So as long as he feels up to the task of what it takes to run a 6A program, (his health) had nothing to do with the decision.”

GLESING ON THE MOVE

Now, Glesing has a clean bill of health, and a fresh start, at Jeffersonville. He understands that there is work to do, but he has proven that he has the tools to turn a team around, something Jeff High is looking for.

“We need to be the best team in Southern Indiana right now, and eventually take that to the state level,” Glesing said. “But right now, we need to beat New Albany and Floyd Central. Once we do that, we can set our focuses higher.”

Parallels can be drawn between Jeff High’s current roster, and Floyd Central before the arrival of Glesing. Jeffersonville’s record has underwhelmed recently, managing just eight wins in 21 games the past two season.

“We [have to] establish what a Jeff High football player is,” Glesing said. “We want to instill the attitude, character, and effort in our players on and off the field. If you do those three things you’re going to be successful in whatever you do.”

Glesing will look to do at Jeff, what he did with Floyd Central: turn a team used to losing into a contender. He has a busy summer planned for the team, including turning his players into “bad dudes” with a coaching style he describes as “firm, but fair.”

“He’s all about family,” Varisty punter Alex Macaluso said. “He wants to get to know us and our family and he cares a lot. That’s what our football program needs.”

If all goes as planned, the future of the Red Devil football team is bright under the team’s new coach Brian Glesing.

“I’m convinced we’re going to do some great things,” Glesing said.

by jhshyphen

MULTIMEDIA: JHS’ Baseball Brotherhood

story by Tristan Jackson

video by Bella Bungcayao, Tristan Jackson and Kyle Tincher

Four brothers. One bond.

For many boys growing up in Southern Indiana, one sport has become a way for them to connect and make friends. As spring hits they flock to the field to play their favorite sport: baseball

From the Little League fields of Jeff/GRC to Jeff High’s own Don Poole Field, seniors Gabe Bierman, Bailey Falkenstein, Hunter Schmitz, and Trey Bottorff have played together since they were seven years old.

“All sports give you a special connection with, and baseball has really brought us closer together,” Schmitz said.

The bond between the four players can be seen as they take the field together, and in the dugout as they get the team hyped for the game ahead of them.

“Team chemistry is one of the most important things in all sports, and it’s going to help us win,” Bottorff said. “I know what brings Gabe, Bailey, and Hunter down and I know how to bring them up.”

Hit after hit, play after play, each guy does his part to make the teammates around them better. And this is very noticeable between these four.

“We play baseball and then we go hang out together. I mean we’re always around each other,” Falkenstein said.

For the past 11 years, these guys have been nearly inseparable. Even though this will mark their last year of competitive baseball together, the quartet will be friends for life.   

“We’ve been playing for so long together, it’s a lifelong connection,” Bierman said. “I’ll be with these guys for the rest of my life.”

Gabe, Hunter, and Trey all plan on attending Indiana University next fall, with Gabe being the lone Red Devil taking his play to the next level and playing for the Hoosiers.

Trey and Hunter with both be going to further their education, going to study pre-law and sports management, respectively, while still cheering on their brother, who has MLB aspirations.

“It’s a dream still, and in order to make that happen, hard work must be put in,” Bierman said on his hopes to play professionally in an interview with The Hyphen earlier in the year.

Bailey will go a different route, and attend Olney Central Junior College in Illinois, where he continue both his baseball and basketball careers.

While this year will likely mark their last year of baseball together, the bond they made will last forever.

“We are not just teammates, we are brothers,” Bottorff said.

In this, their last go-round, they will look to compete for a state championship as a part of the No. 7 ranked Red Devils, who have gotten out to a 17-4 record start this season, and have already clinched the Hoosier Hills Conference.

Four brothers. One bond. And it all comes down to this season: the final chapter.

by jhshyphen

Settle down … Rusty is on the case

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School Resource Officer Rusty Settles has been roaming the halls of Jeffersonville High School, and other area schools, for nearly his entire 25 years on the force.

by Tristan Jackson

Every day, he comes into the school.

As he walks by students, they nod their head at him in respect for what he does to ensure their safety. With his uniform cleanly pressed, and his mindset on protecting Jeff High, officer Rusty Settles will do whatever he may have to do to keep Jeff, and the students within it, safe.

In a time where gun control, and school safety, is a hot topic, Settles follows a routine each morning to ensure students can go about with a normal day.

“When I get here everyday, I try to walk the building and check the doors,” Settles says. “I make sure everything is where it’s supposed to be. Once that’s done, I always try to be visible throughout passing times.”

Being visible throughout the school can be tough, though, especially with a school as big as Jeff. Roughly 2,100 students attend JHS, and while the school is in a closed-campus setting, the building still spans a large area.

“I feel safe when I see Officer Settles in the hallways,” said senior Kip Jackson. “I love that I see him in more than one location in the school. He’s always checking up on me and my fellow students.”

Settles has been on the Jeffersonville Police Department for 25 years, as of June. When a position within the high school opened itself up, Settles found the job interesting and wanted to learn more about it.

Little did Settles know, though, that the job would be so critical for student safety years later.

Recent events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where 14 students and three teachers were killed, have brought jobs like Officer Settles’ into the spotlight.

“There are lots of factors in how people view how we do our job. School shootings have caused a lot of different things, a lot of different ways, a lot of different mindsets,” Settles says. “Just think of how students feel when the fire alarm goes off. (They) call mom and dad. (Their) mindset has changed.”

But according to Settles, recent tragedies have not just changed students and parents — his frame of mind has been affected, too.

“My perspective on what has just happened (in Parkland), yeah it’s changed. It goes through my mind, I can’t say it doesn’t,” Settles says. “But I can say, I know some students that would report to me. I, along with the school corporation, will take what they would report and investigate thoroughly to help keep you safe.”

While Jeffersonville High School is fortunate to have Settles on duty full-time, some around the country would like to see teachers armed, or having more guns within the schools.

“It would be nice to have someone else to help investigate certain things. I always reach out to my colleagues at the (police) department for some help with things,” Settles says. “I don’t want to get overzealous with it, but with where we are today and the actions taking place within the country, it may need to be looked at over extra security or people trained to use a gun.

“Ask me a week from now,” Settles continued, “it might be different.”

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Settles has been following the school shooting events closely, using what he sees as potential tips for how to handle violent situations in the future. “My perspective on what has just happened (in Parkland), yeah it’s changed. It goes through my mind, I can’t say it doesn’t. But I can say, I know some students that would report to me. I, along with the school corporation, will take what they would report and investigate thoroughly to help keep (students) safe.”

But even with everything going on, Settles finds one thing is more important than anything else: his relationships he has built along the way.

“I want to build rapport with you guys. You need to know me, I need to know you,” Settles says of students. “That, in itself, is the most important thing.Through the NASRO (National Association of School Resource Officers) training program, I learned the number one thing is building that rapport to help create communication between each other.”

Building trust throughout JHS helps make Officer Settles’ job smoother, and create for a more welcoming environment at Jeff High.

“People may ask me why safety and keeping guns out is not the top priority,” said Settles. “But it is. The talk and communication can help prevent such things from every happening. My job is proactive and reactive.”

by jhshyphen

Jeffersonville vs. Floyd Central Sectional Semifinal Preview

Story by Tristan Jackson

After an exciting year of basketball, the Hoosier Hills conference sports three top-6 teams in state. No. 6 Jeffersonville, No. 3 New Albany, and No. 4 Floyd Central have a combined record of 65-5.

Unfortunately, two of these teams won’t make it out of the Seymour sectional. Jeffersonville and Floyd Central will face off in the semifinals, and the winner will likely face off against New Albany, who is two years removed from a state championship, and led by the No. 5 prospect in the nation, senior Romeo Langford.

Assuming New Albany beats Seymour, Jeff and Floyd will determine the finals matchup. The last time these teams went head-to-head, Floyd won in a 55-51 grudge match at home, with no team leading by more than six at any point of the game.

My point of view:

Jeffersonville- Jacob Jones will dominate Weimer in the open court, if Jeff gets fast break opportunities Jones will be able to get by Weimer with ease. Bailey Falkenstein can get it done from anywhere on the court, and there’s no one on Floyd who can shut him down for four quarters. The Coleman brothers are both freak athletes, and both can knock down an open three when given the opportunity. With these two roaming the paint Floyd will be forced to take more jump shots than they are accustomed to. Zeke Smith is probably Jeff’s least refined offensive player, but is a strong defender and glass eater, and can shoot the three when he is able to get open. I see him pulling down some important offensive boards on Friday night.

Floyd Central- Luke Gohmann and Cobie Barnes will handle the majority of Floyd’s scoring. They are both very talented players and Jeff will have a hard time defending them both. Floyd’s guard play is a liability on the offensive end, but they are decent defensively. Hobson is tall and lengthy center, so he’ll be able to lockdown Jeff’s guards in the paint. However, he’s not as athletic or as strong compared to Jeff’s big men, so the Coleman brother will likely get by him fairly easily. Floyd are as a whole better jump shooters, but they can’t match Jeff’s athleticism.

As I stated in my last preview, this matchup will be decided by the pace in which the game is played. A fast paced game plays into Jeff’s hands, as Floyd will not be able to keep up with Jeff’s high flying bunch. However, the last game was a slow paced, half-court dominated game, and Jeff still stayed in the game the entire way through. Knowing what I know about the previous meeting, I think Friday will be a different story. On a neutral court Jeff will be able to play more of their own game, and I think they’ll be able to come out with a victory on Friday if they do so.

Just like the last game, this one is too close to call. Jeff and Floyd will both travel well, so neither team will have an advantage when it comes to fan support. That is a huge variable that is changing from the last matchup, which was played in Floyds Knobs. I personally believe Jeff will win on a neutral court, but either way it goes I think both sides will be pleased with the talent shown on Friday night. You can expect a hard fought battle on both sides.

by tristanjackson15

Raising Cain

Story by Tristan Jackson

Jeffersonville High School has a new state champion.

Camyle Cain, a wrestler in the 138-pound weight class on the female circuit, won the Indiana state competition on Jan. 19 — just one year after the first-ever state competition for girls, in which she placed second against Alara Boyd, the second-ranked female wrestler in the world in her weight class.

“I’ve never felt something so exciting,” Cain said on her experience at the state tournament. “Everyone is so welcoming and nice. Even if you’re going against the girl, she’ll help you warm up.”

Cain was convinced to join the wrestling team by head wrestling and strength & conditioning coach Danny Struck, who has been coaching at Jeff for over 20 years. While she excels on the mat, Cain’s first love was the football field.

“I didn’t want to originally,” Cain said on joining the wrestling team. “Struck would ask me everyday to come. He would say ‘if you don’t like it, don’t come back. Just try it.’ I didn’t like it the first week, but I kept going, and a month down the road, I realized I really liked this sport.”IMG_0070

Cain joined the football team her freshman year, and played under head coach Lonnie Oldham. During her first year, she built relationships with her coaches, including Alfonzo Browning, who would eventually go on to become the head coach.

Cain’s wrestling coaches have helped pave the path to a state title, and her football coach would end up accompanying her to the state championship

“It meant a lot to me, especially after everything we’ve been through over the last four years,” said Browning, on taking Cain to State. “I was honored to be able to take her up there.”

While Cain enjoyed the experience, a high school athlete’s goal is to win a state championship. Her hard work got her all the way to the championship match after winning the first two matches in the competition.

Cain went into her final match with a 8-0 record against female opponents, including a first place finish in the USA preseason national tournament and regional champion.

In dominating performance, her first two wins of the tourney would come by the way of pin. As the favorite, Cain would eventually make her way to the championship round, where she would face off against Westfield High School’s Melody Barrows.

During the final, she continued her impressive display, pinning her opponent less than two minutes into the match.  

“When I won I couldn’t even control myself,” Cain said. “I really didn’t know how to act.”

The win is not only a tremendous accomplishment for Cain herself, but a groundbreaking accomplishment for the girls who could potentially follow down the same path.

“She improved both physically and mentally,” Struck said. “She’s grown up and she’s much better at keeping her emotions in check.”

It’s safe to say the win brought a lot of attention to Cain, and she has received an abundance of support from the students and teachers around the building.

“Every time Coach Browning sees me, he’ll say ‘what’s up champ’,” Cain said. “Everyone is so excited for me.”

Although Cain won a state championship, there will always be people who doubt and hate excellence, especially as a female exceeding in a predominantly male sport. Cain is no exception.

“I do get some crap for it. Some people say, ‘You didn’t really win state because you’re a girl,’” Cain said. “I don’t really know why. I guess they are just jealous.”

Regardless of the naysayers, Cain shined on her way to a state title, utterly dominating her competition.

“She’s got a runner-up against the second-ranked wrestler in the world and a state title; that’s a nice resume for when she goes for the All-Marine team,” Struck said.

With the backing of her coaches, teammates and classmates, Cain made her championship dream come true.

“I can’t believe I won state,” Cain said. “That’s something every athlete dreams to do.”

Cain finished her high school career on top, but it’s not the end of the road for the outstanding Red Devil. Although she has yet to pick out a college, Cain fully intends on wrestling post-high school, and the school that she decides to attend will be getting a girl who is ready to work.

“I just want to get better,” Cain said. “Get better for when I further it.”

by cmolina

Athlete Spotlight: Caroline Elliott

Senior Caroline Elliott has been swimming competitively since she was six years old, but the 2017-18 season may be her final one. Although she has received offers to swim in college, she is still weighing her options.
For now, she will continue to perform for the Red Devils, and serve as a role model for the younger girls on the team.
“I want them to know to keep trying, because this team is something they’re going to get to grow up with,” Elliott said about the younger swimmers.
In the pool, Elliott competes in the 100-meter breaststroke, an event she hopes to go to state in.
Elliott’s best time in the event is a 1:08, which she pulled off at Sectional last year.
She has also swam a 26.1 in the 50-meter freestyle, one of the best times on the team.
“Caroline was an awesome teammate,” said JHS senior, and former teammate, Amber Dumstorf. “She always encouraged me before races and at practice,”
While Elliott has proved herself as a swimmer, one could argue her involvement with clubs and organizations around the school is even more impressive. Currently, Elliott is the president of Key Club and Reilly’s Dance Marathon, an officer of Friends of Rachel, and a member of National Honors Society and Anchor Club.
“I’m proud of my balance,” Elliott said. “Swimming is a very time consuming sport, and I’m proud that I’m able to juggle that while keeping my grades up and staying involved. It’s not an easy thing to do.”
For now, she’ll continue to compete at a high level for the Red Devils, while continuing her work in the community as a part of five different clubs at Jeff.

by tristanjackson15

Commentary: A Man’s Interpretation of Feminisim

Story by Tristan Jackson

On Aug. 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution was ratified, which made it illegal to prevent a person from voting because of their gender.

The decision marked one of the high points of the feminist movement, which had been around since the first Women’s Conference, which was held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, NY.

However now, the movement is a shell of its former self, based around blaming men for every obstacle a woman faces, and assuming men have somehow collaborated to oppress women.

Rape culture, pay gap, and blindness to the oppression of women of other cultures and religions all exemplify the ignorance of some who call themselves “feminists”.

In all fairness, there are plenty of people who fight for women’s rights without putting others down. I applaud those people.

Unfortunately for them, they are overshadowed by the ignorant, man-bashing feminists who don’t know what they’re fighting for.

The “rape culture” modern feminism made up does not exist.

Rape is illegal. The majority of people who have never sexually assaulted anyone in their life know it is not okay. Even if it was real — which it isn’t — women would be a part of it, because women can rape men, just as easily as a man can rape a women.

In Somaliland, the country recently passed its first law outlawing rape. Before then, women were forced to marry their rapist.

That’s a rape culture, and it’s disrespectful for feminists in the U.S. to compare their situation to that of the women in Somaliland, or the many other countries where women are treated as second-class citizens.

” The point I’m trying to make is blaming men for every problem women face is not an effective, or reasonable method.”- Tristan Jackson

Social media has magnified the nonsense of modern feminism.

In America, women are glorified for dressing up as the female reproductive system to try and prove a point that has absolutely no context. But somehow, an Iranian woman is making no headlines for taking off her hijab as a method of protest against the tyrannical government that requires her to wear the headdress.

Rather than fighting for these women, feminists disrespect women like her, and the religion as a whole by wearing hijabs to prove a point.  

If the feminist movement was really for the equality of all women, then there would be an uproar over this woman’s incarceration. To me, that’s a protest — not complaining about unsolvable problems that don’t require any work to protest, just a few taps of a finger to compose a tweet.

Twitter has given the ignorant feminists a voice, and they make sure to use it. A point twitter feminists have tired to make is that a woman makes less than a man for equal work. The only thing I can say about that is I’ll believe it when I see sufficient evidence or experience it myself.

If you cite statistics on this matter, you lose a lot of credibility when you use biased “facts” from Liberal media organizations.

As a man in the workforce, I can say for certain that I made the same as every man and woman for doing the same job. I think if there is any discrepancy in pay within a company, it’s based off work ethic, dependability, and qualification — not gender.  

Believe it or not, I have no intention to bash women for what they believe. If your goal is to fight for equality, go for it. The point I’m trying to make is blaming men for every problem women face is not an effective, or reasonable method.

I also don’t buy into the myth that men face absolutely no sexism, and I think custody battles are a good exemplification of a way men are unfairly treated in our society.

Women are given custody of children over five times as much as men during disputes. This is because women are believed to be better caretakers by the courts — which can be debated — and I personally believe it’s true, women in my eyes are typically, but not always, but caretakers.

I am all for doing what’s right for a child when their parents become divorced, I just don’t legitimately believe living with the mother is the right choice over 80-percent of the time.

That, along with the man-bashing that modern feminism does, are the main problems I have with the movement. You can’t be for equality if you turn your back on sexism, or ignore the fact that it goes both ways.

Until modern feminists realize this, I won’t view it as a legitimate movement. I’m all for equality for every person in this country, but I have major problems with the way they are fought for.

by cmolina