Gilroy’s recreation division has added a new member to the team.
Glenn Vonderwerth recently transitioned into the Youth Sports
Coordinator after six years as a coach.
By Jessica Garcia Special to the Dispatch
Gilroy – Gilroy’s recreation division has added a new member to the team. Glenn Vonderwerth recently transitioned into the Youth Sports Coordinator after six years as a coach.
“I knew the challenge from a coach’s perspective but I didn’t know it would be such a challenge from a coordinator’s position,” Vonderwerth said. Vonderwerth had been coaching girls’ basketball since his daughter was in the fourth grade.
“The opportunity became available and I took it,” Vonderwerth said. He was immediately thrown into the soccer season half way through. His first tasks were dealing with changing schedules, reassigning locations and satisfying concerned parents in the league.
Now that he’s had a season of youth soccer and summer camp clinics under his belt, he’s ready for the challenges that lay ahead.
The soccer season begins today and basketball begins in the winter. Along with team sports for the youth of the community, Vonderwerth is in charge of the open gym at Solarsano School.
In addition to the existing activities. Vonderwerth would like to see a flag football league added to the list. He also hopes to create a new function for better service to the community with a youth sports hot line. The hotline would connect staff members, coaches and parents, in his plan to better respond to the communities needs.
His dedication to the upcoming season shined through even as the sun went down; as he shouted over the sounds of the drill used to connect the soccer goals for today’s games.
Along with being a husband, father and sports coordinator, he works full time at IBM and as an officer in the U.S. Army, working with reserve soldiers. He still finds the time to perfect the imperfections that can make youth sports run smoothly and efficiently.
“Yes, I’ll miss it,” said Vonderwerth as he remembered his times spent as the City of Gilroy’s girls’ basketball coach. In his last year as coach, he was awarded the Coach of the Year Award and also recognized for his volunteer efforts in 2005.
