For Glenville football coach and Ginn Academy executive director, Ted Ginn Sr., working with young people is much more than a job.
“This is what keeps me alive. I am alive because what I believe in and what I do,” Ted Ginn Sr. explained to NewsChannel5’s Lauren Brill. “If you don’t have anything to live for and you don’t have purpose in life, you will die.”
The legendary coach appeared very much alive during a trip to San Diego, where one of his former athletes, Cardale Jones, has been training for the NFL. But Ginn almost never made it to this point in the former Ohio State quarterback’s life. Ginn was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in 2012. Now, he's in remission despite a 20 percent one-year survival rate.
“Most people say it is a miracle. I just think it is God’s blessing because of what I do and what i stand for and i just stand for people.” Ginn explained.
On his trip, Ginn witnessed the vision he had for Cardale turn into a reality. For Ginn, it is not as much about the football player Cardale has developed into but rather the man he’s become.
“Just to see him in control of himself. He’s got his own place, being on time to the places he needs to be, just preparing himself to try and get on the biggest stage in life,” Ginn said.
Jones admitted Ginn has had a major impact on his personal growth.
“He had a significant role in molding and shaping my life,” said Jones.
“A lot of people growing up where I grew up, we don’t trust many people, especially adult figures,” Jones said. “So allowing myself to trust Ginn and other mentors I had growing up really put me on the path I am on today.”
During Ginn’s visit Jones gushed about his one-year-old daughter, as he trained diligently for an NFL career. The trip proved Ginn, who lives for coaching people on life, has won again at the game of beating the odds, as Jones has gotten what Ginn aims to give all the people he encounters.
“He got a chance,” Ginn said proudly. “He got a chance to live in a productive way. A chance he probably would not have had without a Glenville football and a Ginn Academy and all the people in our community that put in a little helping hand as well to open his eyes and see that it is a possibility.
