Mike Hutchens, Press Sports
Posted: Friday, July 15, 2011 12:02 am

By MIKE HUTCHENS
Press Sports
Chris Glover is a self-described “builder.”
He’ll be working from the ground floor up at his new job.
Glover will be part of a pilot program at Bethel University after having been named the outreach coordinator at the McKenzie college.
In addition to serving as a trainer for the Wildcat baseball team and servicing the Henry County High School football program, Glover said he’ll be part of a staff of nine trainers in all in a project that will eventually open an on-campus clinic to service the over 750 athletes who currently participate in sports at Bethel.
The 47-year-old Glover, who has spent the past 11 years as the athletic trainer for the Union City School System as part of his duties as West Tennessee outreach coordinator with STAR Physical Therapy, said the opportunity at Bethel was “too good to pass up.”
“I’ve always considered myself a builder of sorts, and this will be a challenge to start something from the ground up,” he said. “I’ve had four or five opportunities the last few years, but this is one I just couldn’t pass up.”
Glover will begin his new duties the first of August.
Having provided free-of-charge training services to Union City athletes as part of STAR, Glover has been an integral part of Tornado programs that have won two Class A state basketball championships and a state football title.
He counts those noteworthy experiences among many he said that made his decision to leave his association with Purple and Gold athletes and coaches a difficult one.
“I really struggled with it (the decision),” Glover said. “In this day and time, a person staying with one school for 11 years doesn’t happen a lot in my profession. You get to be like family.
“I’ll leave with so many great memories of games, but especially of the kids. I have kids who I’ve treated come up to me all the time, and it reminds me of what a great time in my life this has been.”
UC High School Principal Wes Kennedy acknowledged that Glover’s leaving would leave a void in all Tornado athletic ventures.
“Chris is knowledgeable, trustworthy and has had a good rapport with both the kids and all our coaches,” Kennedy said.
“He has a great passion for what he does, and he’s gone above and beyond the call of duty any time any student-athlete in any of our programs has ever needed he him.”
Kennedy said Union City schools remain committed to STAR and the Doctor’s Clinic for their services in the upcoming school year and has been assured a quality replacement for Glover will be found soon.

Published WCP 7.14.11