Coach: How the Titans winning season is linked to the past

One of things people like about Glenview is that despite it's growing size, it is still a very close-knit community.

One of the signs of successful sports teams is not just the size, talent, and speed of the respective athletes, but also their camaraderie, closeness, and connectedness.

Put those two together, and you may have one of the reason the Glenbrook South football team is so successful this year, experiencing a break though season where they are 7-1, and really just one miserable Maine South fourth quarter away from being undefeated.

One of the main reasons for gridiron success this year? The family atmosphere around the team. In fact, "football is family" is the team slogan they have selected.

This group has an incredible passion and love for the game and really have shown it since their Junior Titan Football days all the back to as early as 4th grade and 5th grade. One could say their love of football and love for the Titan blue and gold is in their blood.

In fact, in some sense, it literally is. A multitude of players on this years team have parents or relatives linked to Glenbrook South football in the past. Dad's, uncles, cousins, nephews, and even one mom thrown in just for good measure.

A listing of the family connections is quite extensive. As Cubs PA announcer Pat Pieper used to say, "get your pencil and scorecard ready," because this list runs deep.

Let's start with quarterback Nic Swanson whose uncle, Mike Di Benedetto, was QB of one of the finest GBS teams ever, and another uncle, Vince, and a cousin, Anthony, played for the Titans as well.

Lining up behind Swanson is running back Will Collins, whose dad, Pete, played for GBS, as did Will's uncles Austin and Nathan.

Jack and Patrick Downing's dad, Jack, played for South back in 1983; so did elusive running back Matt Burda, who wears the same number 44 as dad, Ed, who played on South's 1987 state semifinalist powerhouse team. In addition, running back Burda's aunt, Lisa, and her husband Ed might go down as speediest coupling in Titan school history, with Aunt Lisa being a Titan track star and husband Ed Lees one of the fastest and finest backs ever to grace the John Davis stadium turf.

Hang on; we're not done quite yet ...

Scott Peters' dad, David, played for GBS, Chuck Gottfred has family connections into the program as well, while his cousin, sophomore defensive back Tommy MacPherson's mom Pam was star volleyball player for the Titans. MacPherson's Uncle Brad was a workhorse running back for the Titans back in the day, and who was the quarterback when "Uncle Brad" was in the program? None other than current coach Dave Schoenwetter who adds to the elongated family affair by being the son of Bob, who was the many years successful coach for the Titans, which Dave and many of the other players listed above played for.

Whew! Got that all down?

As stated above, the connections to the past are strong indeed. But it does explain a lot about this years team and their love and drive for the game of football.

One of the dads mentioned above, Jack Downing is now a coach for the Titans on the varsity. He might have the best perspective of them all as he sees this teams uniqueness up close and personal every day in practice, and has coached a lot of these guys since back in 4th and 5th grade with the Junior Titans

"Playing for Glenbrook South football was one of the best experiences of my life," Downing says and adds, "It is almost surreal being on the sidelines now as a coach, but this group has had success all along the way, so I am not surprised at all the way the year has gone, and I think there is even another level they can get to before it is over."

Coach Downing was himself an all-conference center playing for GBS, while son Patrick plays middle linebacker and son Jack plays nose guard. Maybe there's something in the Downing family about always being in the middle of everything.

How does the pressures of being a spectating parent compare to actually playing in the game? Downing summed it up for a lot of the ex-players turned parents when he said, "I was never that nervous playing the game, but sometimes I am nervous wreck watching the boys play."

Pete Collins, who currently coaches football and lacrosse for New Trier, has really enjoyed watching this team compete this year and his son Will finally having his turn to shine after injury plagued sophomore and junior season's. "It's been great watching Will get to play after having to sit out for so long," says Pete, "I tell him he is an exact carbon copy of his Uncle Austin." That's a pretty good compliment. The "catch me if you can" Uncle Austin, besides being a quality tailback for the Titans, was also one of the finest and most electrifying punt and kick returners to ever play in the Central Suburban League.

Quarterback Nic Swanson's Uncle Mike, who played the exact same position while leading the 1978 Titan team to an undefeated regular season, is loving every minute of this special season. " It reminds me of when we played, and the stands would be packed and the excitement level was incredible. I am so glad Nic and these guys are getting to play in front of the same type big crowds and getting the tremendous support from the student body and the community."

Ed Burda, too, is watching his son play the same position he did and speaks to the togetherness of this years squad, "It has been fun seeing how the team has really bonded together," says the elder Burda, " I know they will never forget this year. They are truly making lifetime memories."

Finally. We will let the veteran statesman of all the family members sum it up. One who coached a lot of the above mentioned back in their own high school days.

How is it for long time Coach Bob Schoenwetter to watch his son, the ex-quarterback, now take over the Titans program and roam as head coach the very same sidelines he did for so many years?

"Very proud of Dave's accomplishments" says Bob, "and I will say watching him coach is much harder than when I was coaching myself. When you are coaching there are so many things happening on the sidelines to keep you distracted. Now, I just sit in the stands and watch and worry. But I really love this team. They and their families are all about brotherhood, sacrifice and putting the team first."

The 7-1 Titans have indeed proven to be the very essence of their official motto, "football is family."

A tough Evanston team looms on tomorrow's horizon, immediately then followed by the pressures and excitement of state playoff football (pairings and brackets will announced Saturday night).

It should be an thrilling couple of weeks for Titan Nation!

However, it turns out and whatever happens in these final weeks, you get the feeling that this group of Titans will always stay close and connected. Not just for the remainder of this year, but for many years into the future. Through whatever trials and tribulations and challenges they might endure along the way.

They will always stick together and support each other. It's was families do.

• Jon Cohn of Glenview is a coach, retired PE teacher, sports official and prep sports fan. To contact him with comments or story ideas, email jcsportsandtees@aol.com.