Glenville coach Ted Ginn Sr. has overcome separate bouts with cancer to stay on the sidelines — and in the lives of the many young students he mentors.
Photo by Wayne Litmer
In November of 2012, Ted Ginn Sr. was put on life support for an entire week. Doctors were unsure if he would survive.
Before recovering, he endured six surgeries, high blood pressure and a number of infections.
Today the 57-year-old legend has regained his position as head football coach at
Glenville (Cleveland) and is preparing for the upcoming season after overcoming a rare form of deadly pancreatic cancer.
Ginn, who has sent many players to college and the NFL, told MaxPreps, "God's grace and mercy is 100 percent of the reason that I'm here. What I had, only five percent of people live and I'm in the five percent. Nobody told me how serious it was. I didn't find this all out until after I went through it."
His wife of 30 years, Jeanette, related, "Any time there is sickness, it's always hard on the whole family. We stayed supportive of each other and went through the journey. We just did a lot of prayer."
He also received supportive calls from such college coaches as Urban Meyer of Ohio State and Brady Hoke of Michigan.
The biggest problem now is how to slow him down until he is fully recovered.
Ginn Sr. on the sidelines for Glenville.
Photo by Scott Seighman
Jeanette pointed out, "We try to slow him down, but he's a man of big
vision and has a lot of passion for what he does. It's a little difficult."
Ginn's mind may be ready to get back to full speed, but sometimes his body tells him otherwise.
He confessed, "I have good days and bad days. I've got to work on my endurance. I'm still learning my body. I'm more determined than ever before."
Support has come from all avenues, even competitors.
One of Ginn's coaching friends and a strong rival, Chuck Kyle of national power
St. Ignatius (Cleveland) said, "We're just going to make sure he takes it one step at a time and doesn't overdo it. He does a great job. He is a father image to kids who really owe their lives to him. He uses football to make sure kids have a purpose. A lot of kids have straightened their lives out because of him. Hopefully, he'll get this thing cleared out of his system and be with us for a long time."
It wasn't the first time, in fact, that he challenged and overcame cancer. The previous year he was diagnosed with cancer in his left arm.
"They just cut it out," he said.
He missed six weeks of school and most of the football season on that occasion. The second time, cancer cost him the entire football season and he didn't make it back until about the middle of the track season, for which he is also head coach.
On each occasion his chief assistant, line coach Matt Chinchar, stepped in and ran the team. They have been together for 17 years and both share the same vision on and off of the field.
"They know me and respect me," Chinchar said. "But Ted is a visionary and always gives them the confidence and hope."
They met at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp. Several years later Ginn hired Chinchar and told him, "FCA has to be the cornerstone of our program."
Their program is much more than working with 80 to 90 football players this fall at Glenville High. Ginn has two outside programs that take most of his time and they work hard to help disadvantaged kids on Cleveland's east side.
In 2007 the former security guard helped establish the Ginn Academy, an all-boys high school located near Glenville High for at-risk students from throughout the city. All students must abide by a dress code (shirt and tie) and in addition to the teaching staff there is an adult mentor for every 30 boys. Each day after their classwork is completed, they return to their neighborhood schools to participate in their chosen sports.
The statistics are astounding.
Ginn said that at his school of 240 boys, the graduation rate is 95 percent. Not all go to college, but they find their way into the armed forces and the everyday work place, too. By contrast,
according to its website, as of 2011-12 the Cleveland Metropolitan School District had a 56.1 percent graduation rate.
Ginn Sr. works with underprivileged youth
in the Cleveland area.
Photo by Scott Seighman
When he returned to a morning assembly this spring at Ginn Academy, the veteran coach received a standing ovation.
"It was very powerful and emotional," Chinchar recalled.
Sounding like a gospel preacher, Ginn said, "I'm in the business of saving lives and giving opportunities in the world. I'm still giving kids understanding and direction. I feel like all of them could have been lost. They just would have been in the streets."
Ginn has turned out some famous players, such as Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and his own son, Ted Ginn Jr., whom he was able to see play for the San Francisco 49ers in the last Super Bowl.
He said proudly, "It's always a thrill to see your kids accomplish something and be on the highest stage ever."
Still, when asked how many players he has sent to college or the NFL, he exclaimed, "That's one of the worst things and I don't keep any statistics! It's in the hundreds."
Another major impact is the Ted Ginn Senior Foundation, which just had a fundraiser on Saturday night. In the early years, he took busloads of players to combines all over the country to help them earn college scholarships. Today it is more of a way to raise money for everyday needs of disadvantaged youths.
The veteran coach explained, "It was created to help kids in all phases of their lives. I've got kids who are homeless. Sometimes I pay rent and keep food in the house (even if they are no longer in school)."
A father figure and mentor to hundreds of teenagers, Ginn will be on the same mission until the day he dies.
"It's not wins and losses," he stressed. "I don't care if I win the state (football title). I win every day. Every time you graduate a kid, you win."
