Players In The Game (Scott McGlade)

The word gym rat probably conjures up images of a young basketball player in the gym own his own working up a sweat as he works on his game. Well, gym rat is the best way to describe Scott McGlade, a 1979 graduate of Zanesville High School, who has dedicated much of his life in helping to develop young central Ohio basketball players. Although McGlade was an athlete in his time (3-sport star and captain in football, basketball and baseball), he is best known in central Ohio as Coach Scott.

McGlade's passion for developing basketball skills started with individual workouts with his son, Oliver, in gyms around Reynoldsburg over 15 years ago, and has grown to a level where McGlade is now considered a "hoops guru" to many coaches, parents and players across the state of Ohio. For many years, McGlade has both coached and/or worked out some of central Ohio's top young talent. During his days as an assistant coach with the Columbus Jaguars, McGlade helped develop players such as Jared Sullinger, Kevin Gray, Nick Kellogg, Stevie Taylor, Ralph Hill, Doug Thorpe, Cody Smith and his son Oliver, and was instrumental in helping lead the Jaguars to numerous tournament championships, including two AAU Final Fours appearences and a national sixth place finish.

In addition to his years on the Jaguars coaching staff, for about 6 years, McGlade was the face of the Columbus Basketball Club in Dublin, where he helped owners Sharon Kaplin and Bobby Kortsen run youth basketball programs, including group and individual workouts. McGlade also coached 5th & 6th grade travel teams as part of the Gym Rats program, and produced teams that were considered among the best in the state.

After a one year stint as a headcoach with the All-Ohio program, McGlade joined forces with CBIZ, a northern Ohio organization, and lead a very successful AAU team. McGlade's teams were always a tough out and were always characterized as well-coached and fundamental. Many of McGlade's players have gone on to receive college scholarship. Some of those players include: Nick Kellogg (Ohio U.), Ralph Hill (Dayton), Craig Sealy (Bowling Green), Brook Turson (Robert Morris), Michael Green (Akron), Cody Smith (D-II Hillsdale), and his son Oliver (receiving interest from Lake Erie, Rio Grande, Huntington, Grace, Notre Dame, Cedarville and others).

In addition to coaching, McGlade's influence in central Ohio basketball can be found in his legendary workouts, which are based on fundamental skill development, and includes a ton of shooting. McGlade is the "master of the gun," as he concentrates on shooting fundamentals using the very popular shooting machine. If you are not prepared to shoot a thousand shoots over a 2-3 hour period of time, you might want to pass on one of McGlade's workouts. Although McGlade and his lovely wife Lianne relocated from Reynoldsburg to Upper Arlington back in 2001, and has since become very active with middle school and high school basketball with the UA program, McGlade works with any kid who is willing to work hard. As evidence, this past summer, McGlade was hard at work at Brookhaven High School, a Columbus City League school, working out their players for the upcoming season. On Sunday mornings, McGlade is up early not only working out his son and UA basketball players, but players from around the city, including future opponents. "I have a passion for helping kids get into college because I regret having not gone myself," said McGlade when asked what motivates him to put in so much time in the gym. Now that his son Oliver has reached his senior year and is well on his way to playing college basketball, McGlade refuses to take a break, and has now entered the world of girls basketball as the head coach for his daughter's, Taylor, 6th grade travel team. Look for the old gym rat in a gym near you for many years to come.