Click on the photos below to view action from Glendale’s final game of the 2018 season.
Kersting’s New Mission Same As Old: Win
Every time a player steps onto the football field at Glendale Community College, he knows and sees the history that has been made there. The Glendale Gauchos have won three National Junior College Athletic Association national championships (1988, 2000 and 2005). Countless players moved on to higher levels of play; many NFL players were part of the Gaucho tradition.
In February, however, everything changed, said former GCC head coach Joe Kersting. The man who helped put GCC football on the map, was particularly upset with the decision. He was the head coach for 21 years, including all three championship seasons.
Kersting holds a spot on the NJCAA top-50 winningest football coaches of all-time list and is in the NJCAA hall of fame.
Like all other members of the GCC faculty, Kersting, who still teaches at GCC two days a week as an adjunct faculty member, received an email from the president of the school announcing the decision to eliminate football. Kersting was hurt, he said.
“That’s how I found out,” Kersting said with a hesitant chuckle. “Nobody called Joe. All my Hall of Fames, all of my three national championship teams, nobody called Joe to let him know that football was ending. I can laugh about it now but, believe me, it’s been hard for me. It’s been really hard.”
Football can make an enormous impact on kids lives, Kersting said.
Kersting has been one of the most prominent voices when it comes to saving junior college football. He has been ingrained in the fabric of JUCO football for so long that it means the world for him to save it, he said. He has been in contact with all of the coaches in the Valley, athletic directors, presidents and has reached out to the district board as well.
He even created a website savejcfootball.com where he has compiled data and statistics on the finances behind JUCO football in Arizona.
“I had the coaches do this study for me, find out what percentage of your players are first generation,” Kersting said, leaning forward in his chair. “62 percent of the current football players in Maricopa County are first generation students. Why are you taking away opportunities that are drawing these guys to go to college when a lot of times they wouldn’t even go to college?”
To Kersting, football is more than just something to do, it is a way of life. JUCO football teaches student athletes struggle and discipline, he said.
He is concerned on what will happen now to the high schoolers that aren’t good enough or aren’t physically ready to go to a Division I school.
Kersting said he will continue to fight, and that steps are being taken in the right direction to try and resurrect the sport that he has always held so dear.
In their final season, GCC finished the season 3-8 overall and 2-5 in conference with wins over MCC and PC.