Camden Glover rumbles on the hardwood. (Julie Wheat photo)
“I would like to continue to be a reliable team player.”
That was Camden Glover’s stated goal as he entered his freshman year at Coupeville High School, coming off a stellar run as a middle school athlete which included several big-game performances on the hardwood.
And it was one he achieved during a four-year run in which he was as solid as they come.
Stevie’s oldest son, who has always been a protective big bro to his younger siblings, had actually already made his high school debut as an 8th grader, playing for the JV baseball squad, where he tore the leather off the ball.
But once he was a full-time high school student Glover really made his impact felt, both as a hitter and a pitcher across four varsity seasons on the diamond.
Numbers wise, he racked up 67 hits, 18 doubles, 49 RBI, 50 runs, 52 walks, and 47 stolen bases — while rarely being thrown out — while leading the squad in batting average over his final two years by nailing the ball at a .380 and .420 clip.
Throwing the high, hard cheese, and daring hitters to try. (Jackie Saia photo)
Put him on the mound, and Glover was equally as imposing, piling up 172 strikeouts in 101 innings of work on the bump.
Not only was the burly prairie native a danger to other teams whether he was flinging heat or taking swings, he was the kind of dude any coach wants at the center of their lineup.
In both good times, such as the Wolves advancing to the state tourney, or tough times, when he helped hold together a very-thin lineup, Glover carried himself the same.
He was a professional through and through, a leader by action and word, and, to those of us on the outside of the fence, seemed to be the glue which held his team together.
That was a mentality which carried over to his other high school sports, as well.
On the football field, Glover prowled the line, going both ways and anchoring things for the Wolves.
Few opponents got past him when he laid down a block, and he could be a menace on defense, often rumbling into the backfield to stuff a runner or pursue the other team’s quarterback.
Sharing a moment with fellow prairie progeny Lyal Viers (1) and Andy Penrod. (Tammy Glover photo)
Put him on a basketball court, and Glover was a truly intriguing player.
He had the size and strength to pound away in the key, muscling his way through defenders for hotly contested buckets.
But take your eye off of him for a second, and he would also pop out behind the three-point line, where he could be a deadly proficient long-range gunner, splashing home treys before the defense had fully registered what was happening.
Glover put in two really solid seasons of work at the varsity level, finishing with 351 points (and a ton of rebounds).
That has him sitting #80 all-time for a CHS boys’ basketball program which launched way back in 1917, which puts him in the top 18% of scorers among the 433 male hoops stars whose scoring exploits I have been able to chart.
With Glover having picked up his diploma this past spring, Wolf sports teams will have a big hole to fill — both in terms of the stats he piled up, and in the leadership, work ethic, and mentorship he displayed.
His younger brothers, and his cousins, are on their way, though all of them still have a few years before they’ll be at the high school level.
When they do, they’ll already have a role model to emulate, having watched Camden rip things up.
For now, we’ll take a moment to swing open the doors of the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame and welcome Tammy’s first grandson into its hallowed digital halls.
After this, you’ll find Camden Glover up at the top of the blog, under the Legends tab, a young man who earned that status by bringing it every day, every play.
A younger Camden with his #1 fan. (Photo courtesy Stevie Glover)
