Wrestling coach taught 'his boys' to be gentlemen

Close your eyes and imagine what combination of strength, qualities and character in an individual would come together to make the perfect teacher-coach.

What kind of person would a parent be proud to have their son or daughter learn from, and what kind of person would have the presence and character to transcend school or the sport to the classroom of life•

Glenn Clark is the first person that comes to my mind.

He was killed June 15 in a traffic accident on Neupert Road in Jefferson Township.

That weekend, my son, Max, 11, and I had gone to Brooklyn, Mich., for the Michigan 400. We did not stay for the race. We set up camp at Juniper Hills campground, adjacent to the Michigan International Speedway. The campground had a "quiet" rule from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m., which made it a good option — or so I thought — for Max and me.

The campers were drunk, loud and obnoxious by 8 p.m., and it only got worse. By midnight, the campground was almost out of control.

So at 2:40 a.m., I loaded up the van and headed home.

I believe things happen for a reason.

We arrived home about 10:25 a.m. Sunday, and not even 10 minutes after we pulled into the driveway, Max answered a call from a wrestling parent telling us that Coach Clark had been killed in a car accident the night before.

I am convinced that I was meant to be home Sunday morning so I would be there to talk to our other son, Ian, and comfort him. Ian will be a senior at Mars Area High School and has been a member of the varsity wrestling team since the eighth grade.

Parents often think their sons are young men at age 17 or 18, but in many ways they are still boys. There is no learning or life experience that would teach these young men to be prepared for such shocking news or the grief and sense of loss and emptiness that will follow.

I related to Glenn on a level that was probably a little different from most other parents. My wife is from Glenn's hometown, and when picking Ian up from practice or after a match or on the phone, we would talk about wrestling, the boys, our fondness for fishing, hunting, dogs or just life. I cannot believe Glenn is gone. He was a great and most special person.

We must also pray for Glenn's wife, Annette, who still is in Allegheny General Hospital. She went everywhere with Glenn, and what makes this accident even more tragic is that they were expecting their first child.

Over the four-year period Ian wrestled for Glenn, they grew close, and Glenn cared so much in a genuine sense about Ian and all the boys.

As a coach, Glenn had a tremendous influence on Ian. He had a way of getting more out of Ian than Ian thought possible. Glenn brought out character, instilled mental toughness and taught respect and the benefits of hard work.

By his actions, Glenn taught the young men on the wrestling team how to conduct themselves in public and how to be gentlemen. Ian said: "As great of a coach as (he) was, it was the lessons away from the mat that made Coach Clark an even better person."

In the first seasons after Glenn's arrival to Mars, I watched the team mature as wrestlers and as young men.

Over the last two seasons, I could see when the team was together at a match. The team took on Coach Clark's persona and demeanor. The boys were neat with shirt and tie, quiet, focused, serious and, above all, they were gentlemen. I mentioned this to Glenn numerous times and he would smile, then respond with an unassuming and quiet "thanks." I can think of no greater gift coach imparted on the boys than his perspective.

Coach Clark will live on in the lives of the young men he has touched.

The parents of Mars wrestling coach Glenn Clark established a scholarship fund in his name. Donations may be sent to: The Glenn Clark Memorial Scholarship Fund, Laurel Savings Bank, 125 W. Main St., Saxonburg, PA 16056-0452.