Local Marines participate in Cleveland football clinic

Aurora, Ohio—U.S. Marines from Recruiting Station Cleveland participated in a football clinic Feb. 27 to March 1 at the Bertram Inn and Conference Center in Aurora, Ohio.

            This year marks the fourth year that the Marine Corps has been partnered with Glazier Clinics, a clinic that is attaining more and more recognition each year because of its shared desire to help create quality citizens through education and leadership.

            “I think it’s extremely important for those in a position to lead young men to do so in a way that will send out into the world men of strong character and ethics,” said Capt. Brian Maurer, Reserve Support Officer for Recruiting Station Cleveland.

            Maurer was a speaker during the clinic, and his session covered how to be a true leader of your football team and produce lasting results.

            “The parallels between leadership in the Marine Corps and leadership on a football team are so similar that it just makes sense for the Marine Corps to be a part of this,” said Maurer.

            Gunnery Sgt. Derel Carpenter, RS Cleveland Operations Chief, also had a speaking session during the clinic. He spoke to coaches about combat fitness and how it relates to the way coaches prepare their players for their seasons.

            “The Marine Corps prepares for war against our nation’s enemies, while the local high school down the street prepares for battle on the gridiron against another school,” said Carpenter. “The one thing that I wanted to get across to the coaches is that they need to practice the way they play. As Marines, we train for everything we may encounter while fighting by actually doing those things.”

“I believe that it is that effort that helps when your back is against the wall and you need to dig deep to find that something extra to pull through. If coaches can tap into that from their players, the sky is the limit as far as potential for the team.”          

            To help coaches build that mental toughness and leadership, the Marine Corps has offered to become a resource. Local recruiters are making themselves available to schools, running their football players through a combat fitness test and speaking to them about the lasting effects of good leadership. During the clinic, coaches were given the opportunity to sign their schools up for CFTs that will take place during the spring and summer.

            “It’s a great opportunity for coaches to bring us in to wear their players out, build some camaraderie and ultimately arm them with the knowledge to be great leaders on the field and in life,” said Maurer.

            As a part of their relationship with Glazier Clinics, the Marine Corps recognizes those coaches who have already gone above and beyond in their effort to build winners and quality young men with the Semper Fi Coach Award.

            At the Cleveland clinic, this year’s awardee is St. Edwards High School football head coach, Rick Finotti. Coach Finotti has been leading the St. Edwards program since 2008. He has produced a 65-12 record while at the helm, winning Division I state championships in 2010 and 2014. However, his selection as Semper Fi Coach had more to do with his character than the numbers in the win or loss column. Finotti possesses the values of honor, courage and commitment, and his program produces winners on the field and in life.

            The Glazier Clinic is being held at 36 sites this year.