Greencastle’s Wilson elects to skip school track season

Thursday, December 6, 2018
Emma Wilson will not be defending her 3,200-meter state title this spring.
Banner Graphic/JOEY BENNETT

Greencastle’s Emma Wilson, the two-time defending Indiana state champion in the 3,200-meter run, will not compete for the Tiger Cubs this spring in what would have been her senior track and field season.

Craig Jordan, who has served as Greencastle’s track and cross country coach since the fall of 2016, informed the Banner Graphic by telephone on Monday of Wilson’s decision.

Wilson’s decision is connected to Jordan’s tenuous employment status, which is now termed as him being on “administrative leave” from his physical education teaching position and coaching roles.

A letter from Greencastle superintendent Jeff Hubble, which was provided to the Indianapolis Star, indicated in an article published on Wednesday that Jordan’s leave is a result of “an irretrievable breakdown in your professional relationships that cannot be resolved.”

Wilson told the Star that the situation involving Jordan is “shameful,” and she will instead run this spring in open meets which allow her to run as an unattached individual.

She also told the Star that her future coaches at the University of Illinois were fine with her decision.

“I am sad that I’m not going to state,” Wilson told the Star. “At this point, I don’t even care any more. I don’t want to run for Greencastle any more. I just want to run for coach [Jordan].”

Wilson won the 3,200-meter run in each of the past two seasons, and also won the 1,600-meter title in her sophomore year.

She has won the cross country state championship the past two seasons, and won the IHSAA mental attitude award this fall.

Wilson also qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals meet the past two years, finishing 14th last year to earn All-American status.

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  • So what exactly was the "irretrievable breakdown" that led to his administrative leave. That's a pretty important detail that seems to be lacking in both this and the Star stories. Seeing as the school district is a public funded entity they should be required to answer what happened. Until then I'm going to withhold judgement one way or the other.

    -- Posted by hometownboy on Thu, Dec 6, 2018, at 10:38 AM
  • I agree we need more details.Too bad Greencastle has a state champion who now can't defend her title. Maybe this can be fixed.

    -- Posted by Ben Dover on Thu, Dec 6, 2018, at 11:13 AM
  • Hey Ben, she could defend her title, she is choosing not to. Big difference there. I would assume that since she made the choice, she made it for good reasons and is at peace with it.

    -- Posted by Koios on Thu, Dec 6, 2018, at 11:31 AM
  • So sorry to hear Emma Wilson's decision to not run high school track this spring. Good Luck Emma on your college career.

    I have followed the Banner-Graphic's sports articles on her high school track career and have enjoyed reading about her many accomplishments.

    As to the "administrative leave" question, research the GCSC website on Board and Special Minutes since 7/18, it's not in the personnel reports. ????????

    -- Posted by Lookout on Thu, Dec 6, 2018, at 12:28 PM
  • seem to be many secrets with GCSC administration- transparency has never been their strong suit. neither has supporting their wonderful teachers. Time for an elected school board like the rest of the state?????

    -- Posted by small town fan on Thu, Dec 6, 2018, at 2:57 PM
  • Ah yes .. more drama. Sadly I feel the girl will look back on this one day and feel that she has been used as a pawn. Maybe not, I just hope she will be at peace with her decision. Best wishes in your college career young lady.

    -- Posted by dodgers on Thu, Dec 6, 2018, at 3:26 PM
  • small town fan,

    How about we withhold judgement either way. No evidence yet that this is a administration issue and no evidence yet that this is an issue with the coach. All we have is a vaguely worded letter that is only partially quoted by the media. Seeing as how the coach has retained a lawyer I think that we will eventually get to the bottom of what this is about. I'm all for calling out people when they make a mistake but usually try and wait until we have at least a bare minimum of details on the situation before I do.

    -- Posted by hometownboy on Thu, Dec 6, 2018, at 3:30 PM
  • Personnel matters are confidential, with the exception of reporting of hiring, terminations, and resignations in the board minutes, so they are done in the closed sessions. Some information will inevitably leak out, as with the details of Mr. Strube's "promotion."

    -- Posted by Moretothestory on Fri, Dec 7, 2018, at 11:37 AM
  • Personnel matters are confidential and by law cannot be discussed. My guess is the coach must have acted pretty egregiously for this to happen. That is pretty unheard of being let go like that.

    -- Posted by taylortwp on Fri, Dec 7, 2018, at 12:16 PM
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