By Matt Florjancic
MaxPreps.com
When he served as head football coach at Boston College, United States Naval Academy graduate and Marine Corps officer Tom O’Brien had a sign that reflected his mentality toward life.
The sign read: “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they’ve made a difference…Marines don’t have that problem.”
In addition to the Marines, another person who should not have this problem is Glenville High School football and track coach Ted Ginn Sr.
During his tenure at Glenville, the Tarblooders have gone to the Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs every year since 2003. In 2004, Glenville made it to the state final four before losing to the eventual runner-up, Canton McKinley.
Despite the countless victories and decade-long dominance of the Cleveland Municipal Schools Senate League, Ginn has become more than a coach. In an area of Cleveland where games are rarely played at night, Ginn has become a father-figure to some of his players.
“I’ve been in Glenville since 1976,” Ginn said. “I was a volunteer from ’76-’86. Then, I was an assistant from ’86-’97. I’ve been the head coach since 1997. I graduated from Glenville.
“I’ve been in the sport and the community all my life, part of my childhood and all of my adult life,” he added.
With Ginn’s help, the Tarblooders have produced some of college football’s biggest names. In addition to his son, Ted Jr., who is currently in training camp with the Miami Dolphins, and Donte Whitner, a top 10 draft pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2006, Glenville counts a Heisman Trophy winner among its graduates.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Troy Smith starred at Glenville as a senior in 2001-2002. That season, Smith threw for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns. Following the end of his prep career, Smith went to Ohio State University.
After leading the Buckeyes to a perfect 12-0 regular season as a senior, Smith was honored with a trip to New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. As his name was read, Smith rose to hug his family, OSU coach Jim Tressel and Ginn.
During his Heisman acceptance speech, Smith referred to Ginn as “My father. My dad. He shaped me into the man I am today.”
“I always tell the kids, the seniors, the juniors and the sophomores now, ‘There’s always somebody looking at you that wants to be like you,’” Ginn said. “With Ted, Troy, Donte and all those guys being successful, that’s giving the next kids hope that they could do the same thing.
“Whether they become as successful as those guys are, there are still many other kids that you don’t see that have benefited from the program because of the core values that we teach,” he added. “[I’m trying to] be that father figure and that man that is called to teach them how to be a man.”
Many people have not been able to look past the success Glenville has experienced in football and track to truly appreciate Ginn’s efforts. Ginn and Glenville have produced great athletes, but the focus of their program revolves around shaping the complete individual.
“That’s a huge accomplishment for me when I see the kids go on and be successful as young men,” Ginn said. “That’s what the whole program is about and that’s why we play football.
“I can’t really pick one situation that I think is the biggest success. Just being able to be a coach and be an influence to the kids in the community and in the state and being able to lead them and guide them in a different way is a big accomplishment for me.”
As part of his guidance, Ginn spends a great deal of time and effort showing young kids not only from Glenville, but the city of Cleveland and its suburbs how to use their skills to get an education and pursue a bright future.
At the start of fall practices, Glenville alumni were prominent student-athletes for several Big 10 schools. Seven former Tarblooders are on Ohio State’s roster, while 10 others play for conference rivals Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue and Wisconsin. There are many more Glenville alumni playing for smaller Division I programs.
Over the past several years, Ginn developed a summer bus tour. On the trip, Ginn took kids from around Cleveland to visit college campuses and participate in camps. He expanded the trip to include other area standouts, like former Mayfield Wildcat and current Illinois defensive back Ashante Williams.
“I took my kids on the tour for many years and the success that I had with my kids, I felt that every kid in this state should have that same opportunity to be successful,” Ginn said. “I wanted to make sure that I could help everybody else like I helped my own.”
Those who once wondered whether Ginn has made a difference in his community no longer need to ask. The answer is written in the eyes of his players and hearts of alumni.
Matt Florjancic currently works as a freelance reporter and sports show host for WOBL and WDLW