FEATURED SENIOR ATHLETE: Clay Glessner, Greencastle

Clay is a senior at Greencastle and participates in three sports, soccer, swimming and track..

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Banner Graphic: How important are sports to you, and what have you learned from them?

Clay Glessner: “Sports are super important. Being able to go out and put your all into something, especially physically, is key in my happiness. Being able to go out and work hard really makes me happy. It’s also a natural community. You get to be with people who have something in common with you and that’s something people who don’t do sports miss out on. It’s valuable that way.”

BG: Talk about your sports.

CG: “Soccer is my favorite for sure. I love community that we have on the team and the coaching is really good. Swimming and track are different sports. It’s mostly just you going out there to compete. I like the team aspect of soccer, going out and being with people.”

BG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you in sports?

CG: “When I missed my penalty kick against North Putnam to lose the game.”

BG: What does your game day routine look like?

CG: “The No. 1 thing for me is sleep. I hear a lot of people talk about staying up until 2 a.m. I’m in bed by 10 p.m. I drink lots of water and eat well the day of and the day before because that bleeds over. I spend the day thinking about it, getting my mind ready so nothing takes me by surprise.”

BG: Do you have any favorite college/pro sports teams or athletes you follow?

CG: “I wish I had a Premier League club that I liked because I like to watch soccer. I like to watch Lionel Messi and Inter Miami play, now that Messi has come to the U.S. I’m also a Seahawks fan, having grown up in the Seattle area.”

BG: What else do you do at school besides things involving sports?

CG: “I’m into theater, having played lead roles in the past couple of productions we’ve done. I was the Prince in ‘Cinderella’ and Harold Hill in ‘The Music Man,’ so that’s been really fun. I also do Latin Club as the co-president.”

BG: What do you like to do outside of school and sports?

CG: “Community theater. I also sing in my church choir and like to get involved there.”

BG: You happen to be rather busy guy, starting on a varsity roster while also being a leading role in several theater productions done by the school, among other responsibilities. How do you juggle doing all of that?

CG: “It’s gotten less stressful this year. Last year, I became a starting center back for the soccer team and was a first-time lead for our musical. I’ve learned that caring about the future in a worrisome manner is going to hold you back from what you’re doing today. I take things day by day and have fun with things.”

BG: What are your favorites in reading, movies, TV and music?

CG: “I’m all over the place. I don’t have a favorite genre of music or movies. I listen to what others are listening to. My family, sister and girlfriend all like Taylor Swift, so I listen to her. I like Netflix shows like ‘Stranger Things,’ I recently watched ‘Dirty Dancing’ for the first time recently and that was a great movie. I didn’t watch a lot of movies as a kid; I watched nature documentaries instead.”

BG: Are you a person that wants to watch TV shows and movies or stream something from YouTube, Twitch, TikTok etc.?

CG: “I’d probably hang with family first but I’ve also gotten into a solo RPG game lately that’s been pretty fun.”

BG: What is something you have never done before that you would like to do someday?

CG: “I want to attend a soccer match in Europe. There’s also a match during sectional week where Messi plays in Chicago and I want to go up there and watch him play. Milyn (Tucker) got to see him play already and I was a little jealous. It’d be so fun to watch.”

BG: What is your biggest fear?

CG: “I hate disappointing people. Sometimes you have to do that in life but letting people down is the worst feeling for me. In a lot of the things I do, I will take a less idealistic position in order not to let other people down.”

BG: You’ve been placed in charge of making dinner. What’s on the menu?

CG: “I’d make some pasta and cheese sauce to make a yummy dish. That sounds good to me.”

BG: Do you have any pets?

CG: “I have two dogs, Sylvie and Willa.”

BG: If your house were on fire, all living things were already out and you have your keys, cell phone, wallet/purse etc., what is one thing you would go back and get?

CG: “It might sound silly but my air fryer. That thing is so nice whenever I have to make myself some food. Quick food is invaluable to me, especially when I have just a few minutes between practice and rehearsal.”

BG: A family member has hit the lottery. After everything is paid off and money is set away for the future, you’ve been asked to buy something you have always wanted to get. What are you asking for?

CG: “I have always wanted to travel. I’ve been to France one time but I would want to go back to Europe and visit the Mediterranean area. I’m super lucky to be able to go to Iceland next summer. It’s a dream trip of mine and for my senior trip, my parents are doing that for me.”

BG: If you were to describe your personality in one word, what would that word be and why?

CG: “Upbeat. I feel I’m a happy person and try to help others be happy. I have bad days, of course, but bounce back pretty quickly from them.”

BG: What has been your favorite place to visit?

CG: “I love going out west as a lot of family still lives out there. Mt. Ranier is very pretty out in Washington.”

BG: What was your favorite school field trip?

CG: “In AP Environmental Science, we visited Buzzi Unicem, the cement plant, and got to see rotating furnace. It did smell pretty bad as they were using biofuels to burn, but that’s also a good thing as they were trying to be cleaner and I’m into environmental things like that.”

BG: How important is support from your family and classmates to your success?

CG: “My parents are really important for my success. They always lift me up when I am down and help me when I need to bounce ideas around for English papers, especially my dad, who is a professor at DePauw. I’m friends with a lot of people but not close enough with friends to depend on them. Except my girlfriend, who helps me a lot, too.”

BG: Describe your overall school experience both academically and athletically.

CG: “I’ve been really lucky to go to Greencastle. I’ve had a fun time, the coaching staff has been super good and it’s a small school, so you can walk on to the team, have a little community and have a chance to play. At a bigger school, if you’re not good, you’re not going to play. I like being able to play, even if it is big fish, small pond.”

BG: If your school was to offer a class it currently doesn’t, what would you want to see taught?

CG: “Some other AP science class. I’m really into science. I feel there are more that exist beyond what we offer. Maybe an AP French or Latin class.”

BG: What are your plans for after high school, and what career are you headed toward?

CG: “I want to go to college at a GLCA school, which will help with tuition, and maybe play soccer. Some of the teams I’ve visited are ones you can walk on and play. I want to study biochemistry and go into health or medicine.”

BG: Is it difficult to keep up with your school work being an athlete?

CG: “Oh yeah. I try to keep myself above water and go with the flow. I get my work done but am scrambling to get it done during a previous class, early in the morning or late at night. If there’s free time in class, you won’t see me on the phone as I’m getting other work done.”

BG: Which particular classes and teachers have helped you the most in high school?

CG: “Mr. Kingma with AP Biology. He was really great, helped me get a five on the AP exam and really got me interested in science. Ms. Finnerty isn’t here now but she taught environmental science and I liked her a lot. Mr. Wheeler in English helped me develop my writing voice a lot last year and I’m happy to have him again this year.”

BG: In the future, once you’ve established yourself, if you had your choice, would you want to live in the mountains, on the beach or in the neighborhood?

CG: “Living out west, I’ve always wanted to move back out there with the mountains and the ocean, but not in a huge city. I don’t want to live in a tiny town, either. My aunt and uncle live in a town of 20,000, which sounds like a nice place to settle down in.”

BG: Do you think high school has gone fast, and are you going to miss it?

CG: “It’s gone really fast. I’ve been reflecting lately, as a senior, and seeing the freshmen on the team reminds me that that was me three years ago. It feels like a long time and a short time at the same time. I’m definitely going to miss it. I’m excited for what’s to come but at the same time sad that it’s over.”