A real Ukiah sports family-glen Steliga
All of us are searching for the magic bullet for raising children in this modern world. What is the right scheme in a family as children approach grade school and a more social period of their lives? Glen and Jan Steliga cast around for what most fit their lifestyles and philosophies. Without excruciating planning, their compatibility and flexibility led them to youth sports for all seasons of the calendar in Ukiah, California.
Glen’s model was honed after his family’s upbringing. Ukiah born and anchored to Mendocino County, his mom played golf, softball, and bowled; but Glen was always immersed in the neighborhood’s full-throttle activities. “I played everything and that’s what kids in the neighborhood did in those days.” Football in the streets, basketball during the winer, baseball as the Spring rains relented. “That’s the way it was growing up.” adds Glen.
He remembers in 6th7th grade that Jack Simpson used to open up the old city gym (Yokayo gym) on Sunday afternoons playing sweaty bball with the young ones. “I was just a sports nut kid, and that experience hooked me on basketball,” says Steliga. “I wasn’t particularly fast, wasn’t tall or powerful and didn’t have super athletic ability, but just loved doing it.”
Glen’s demeaning recollection: “I was slow, small and weighed 83 pounds in 8th grade, played mediocre on the UHS bball team, played some baseball but place-kicked for the Wildcats on the football team. I played a little golf and bowled a lot when Yokayo Bowl was still standing. And really got into bike riding at 19.”
At Ukiah High during the Steliga era, Jim Larson was the football coach, Fred Iten-basketball with Bill Brunnemyer JV basketball. Red Wright was the frosh basketball mentor. The stud in all sports was Kelvin Chapman. Also, Danny Burton was a running back (and rodeo star) who Glen remembers: “I tried to tackle him in practice and it was like running into a solid wall. He wasn’t that big, but was very good. Doug Vilotti went on to star for Cal basketball after Ukiah High and the Leland brothers were standouts!”
On the academic side, Glen graduated in radio and TV broadcasting at SF State after seeing the writing on the wall of his football career for the Gators.
In 1976, he began a lifetime pursuit of travel and adventure on his bicycle. “I rode across the states in 1976, then peddled up to British Columbia in 1977, and in 1978 soloed through Death Valley in June (115 degrees), to New Orleans to visit a buddy, into Pennsylvania on an incredible rite of passage of 7000 road miles. “I had the summers to do a lot of riding and enjoyed it a lot.” Educator and bike enthusiast, Bob Frassinello is quite the admirer of Glen’s road exploits.
Glen began working as news and program director at KWNE- Radio after college, met and married Jan and decided that the family needed more income. Off to USPS for mail delivery, as two girls were born into the Steliga clan.
Soon the family stormed the youth sports world of Ukiah. It was Dale and Jody who were drawn to the very popular soccer programs between 5-8 years old. Glen: “I was barely exposed to soccer in PE classes, but it’s a great sport and everyone played soccer in Ukiah.” After soccer season, there was city league basketball, then softball in the Spring. They played every year until they were 13, with Glen and Jan very involved. Jody was the most active in basketball (CYO, AAU, school sports). In AAU, Jan was shuttling the girls nearly every Saturday to out of town tournaments. Bob Brannan and Miles Hayes were leaders of the round ball.
Then the boys (Drew and Paul) started playing youth leagues as the girls moved into high school. “It was like 25 years of nonstop multiple sports all year round, ” reminisces Glen, “and they’re still all doing something today. It’s part of their lives. The boys are still playing pickup games in the city of SF and City League, and play a lot of golf.”
Dale’ s high school sports’ career focused on tennis, where she was Number 1 on the team; Jody followed up with Volleyball, basketball, as well as tennis. Glen: “It’s such a healthy lifestyle working on teamwork and relationships and learning how to win with effective strategies. And they stayed out of trouble.”
Now, the number one daughter, Dale lives with husband and 3 children in Dallas, Texas. She continues to play tennis today.
Jody played all the sports, but concentrated on basketball and tennis (where she was the number one ranked Wildcat). She never made all-league at UHS, but exploded as a collegian, first making all-league in the Bay Valley Conference. She continued her education at Concordia, on an academic and athletic scholarship. They were an NAIA Div. 1 bb college. She was then hired as basketball head coach at Mendocino College, and won the conference championship in 2013, 2016. Off to Colorado Christian College as head coach for a year (Div. 2), and then to UC Davis as director of operations for the men’s basketball team. (Dobo)….totally unusual for a woman in that role. The three years culminated in the “big show” in Dayton, Ohio, where the Aggies won round one. They then lost to 16th seed Kansas in the midwest. Now, she’s handling media operations in marketing for the Athletics department at Davis.
Drew was next as a soccer, basketball, and baseball player. In 6-7th grade, Glen remembers Drew learned to shake his head like his hero- Mike Bibby, a slick guard for the Sacramento Kings. He loved basketball, and played through Mendocino College and graduated from SF State. He recently relocated to Scottsdale, Arizona for a sales job in the tech industry. He’s faithful to the Warriors still but rooted for the Suns in the recent playoffs!
Son Paul (class of 2013) played basketball and baseball the most. A starter at UHS, he redshirted one year to mature at Mendo. He wasn’t physically dominant, but had incredible ball-distribution skills and as a three point shooter. He made all conference at Mendo. And graduated from UCSB in Economics. He works as a sales rep in the City of San Francisco, but spent the past year at home during Covid. He and bro Drew punched their cards frequently at the Ukiah City Golf Course.
“I didn’t have many parent problems as a coach and learned that kids tune you out after 2 minutes of lecturing. I made it fun and didn’t get too emotional but always tried to win,” Glen said of his deep reservoir of coaching youth sports. Balancing work and active kids was a complicated schedule, as Glen had to work most Saturdays with travel outside of Ukiah on Sundays. Glen: “CYO schedules were challenging starting in 4th grade for Drew, who stuck with it for 10 years, and Paul for 5 years. These kids on the roster were more motivated and a higher level of player with strong skills. We also practiced a minimum of twice a week.”
“We sort of muddled our way through this journey” as Jan was practicing her craft of teaching full time in public elementary school throughout the era. Jan remembers a coaching incident with Glen where he got his case jumped after the fact. “At Eagle Peak, Drew was cutting up at practice, worse consistently than anyone else on the team. Glen tossed him out of practice and the poor lad had to walk home in the rain. Arriving bedraggled and drenched, Drew complained bitterly that Glen took advantage of him as a coach. Well, I heard the stories, saw my boy and let Glen have it!” The case was closed as Jan queried the guilty disciplinarian: “Have you ever sent another kid home from practice in the rain?” It did stop the misbehavior, however, in the eldest son.
Glen continued at KWNE as a regional sports reporter every morning from 19922020. He continues as announcer and at Eagle basketball games at Mendocino College.
Weighing today’s opportunities in Ukiah against how it was in the 70-80’s, Glen notes that the good times he had at the city recreation programs that were open to kids at neighborhood schools, for kids to learn ping pong and archery no longer exist, Basketball Jones, which was huge in the 1990’s and early 2000’s was discontinued. “Jones boot camp was huge in our house, where cousins would come from all over and attend the high end camp.” And the bowling alley and skating rink are gone, but disc golf is big in this valley (4 courses) as well as the walking trails and skateboard park.
“The Rail Trail is gaining popularity and once things are established through the Eel River Canyon it could be the most spectacular walking area in Americarail Trail.” Everything has to be retrofitted here, whereas in Europe, bike paths and trails are mapped into a city’s plans before anything. For Euros, it’s part of their lifestyle.
Glen pursued a photo of Paul’s CYO team, and he was the only player that played UHS varsity bball. But, there were two race drivers, one professional baseball pitcher. It’s just great for kids to get involved in some sport. Getting a scholarship is dubious out of UHS athletics.
The best approach, according to Glen is “just to see what your kids are good at, as you introduce them to everything. Backpacking, fishing, hunting, golf, badminton, bike racing and guide them in that pursuit. Remember that Ric Cleland started a water polo program here in Ukiah that has stood the test of time.” Jan points out that Glen always played with the kids, play catch, go to their games, and it’s gotta be more than one week. It takes time to connect them to something that lasts! Push them off the couch and away from their cell phones.
The take-away for me was the wiffle ball stadium that the family built in their back 40! It’s sort of a mini-field with a giant 12’ outfield wall, complete with a flag pole to fly old glory! The kids’ buddies and neighborhood gather on the field for a rabble rousing game of “whiffle”……..
That’s Glen Steliga. Let’s recognize an extraordinary parenting job; next are the grandkids!