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Monday, September 1, 2008
Like Father, Like Son
Central Indiana, IN
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By: Jackie Paquette
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Photo(s) By: Jackie Paquette
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The Gillins are together once again at Indian Creek
The coaching staff of Indian Creek’s football program will be joined by a new, but familiar face this season. Former standout quarterback Casey Gillin has made his way back to the Creek and will join his father, head coach Mike Gillin, as offensive coordinator for the Braves in 2008.
“This is probably the most exciting thing I’ve had happen in my coaching career in a long time, because I have been watching him and coaching him over the years and I loved every minute of it,” Mike said. “I hated when he played his last college game, but this is another chapter.”
Casey is returning to Indian Creek after a college career that started at Division I Ball State and ended at Division II University of Indianapolis. In his three years at UIndy, Casey put up numbers that left him with the program’s top marks in career pass completion percentage and career pass efficiency, as well as in the top 10 in career pass completions, passing yards and touchdowns.
“Casey adds the newness of what he learned in the last four years at Ball State and UIndy,” Mike said. “I’ve already given him the title of offensive coordinator, and that is a true thing. He has totally redone our playbook. It’s not night and day, but he has just added some things that he wants to do with some Mike Gillin flavor to it.”
With the reuniting of the Gillins on the field in Trafalgar comes the expectation of success. With Casey at quarterback and Mike coaching, Indian Creek enjoyed its greatest season in program history. The Braves took their first and only sectional championship in 2002, Casey’s senior year, and finished with a record of 12-1 behind an Indiana-record 60 touchdowns from the right arm of their signal caller.
The 2002 season’s success came in just Mike Gillin’s second year at Indian Creek, after coming to the program from Decatur Central.
“Indian Creek had struggled for awhile and we came out here and set the bar,” Mike said. “So after those two years, the kids that came after really fed off that success and knew what was expected. We’ve had good years since then, but I think it was those two years that set it so now even the first and second graders coming to the ballgames know that Indian Creek is here. What we are trying to do now is establish a tradition and build on it. Hopefully, having Casey on our staff will lift us to a new level – which is a state championship.”
Last year’s edition of Indian Creek football finished with a record of 6-4. The Gillin coaching duo believes they can improve upon that finish this year, with a few changes and additions from Casey heading up the offense.
“He is not going to put me on the sidelines, which is probably a good thing. I am going to be up in the box,” Casey said. “I don’t know how it’s going to be; I have helped him out for the last few years, but I have never been the offensive coordinator, persay. It may take me a few years to get going, but I think it is going to be fun.”
Both Casey and Mike think that with most of the kids in the program knowing Casey and what he has done in his career will earn him the respect in his new capacity.
“With him having played so close, a lot of our kids have gone to see him play so they know that he knows what he is talking about,” Mike said. “He has that authority and the past that demands the respect he is going to get.”
Casey thinks that growing up with his dad as a coach and around so many other coaches will help him make the transition off the field and into coaching.
“I grew up with nine or 10 dads every year,” he said. “My dad, his coaching staff, and all the teachers and the community at Decatur Central were always there. I had 18 or so eyes on me at all times, so I was just learning from them and all of the experiences I have been through. Mainly I have learned from my dad and his coaching staffs and what they have done. I think growing up seeing what he has done will help me a lot.”
The Gillin duo and Indian Creek opened their season Aug. 22 at home against Edinburgh, the first official test of Casey as a coach on the field where he led the Braves to so many victories.
“Of course I will always miss being on the field,” Casey said. “Everyone misses being on the field; it is like being taken away from home. But now it’s like I’ve got a new family; a new team and a new step in life.” •
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