As she enters her second season at the helm, Cloverdale volleyball coach Paige Glassburn is excited. 

"I cannot wait to get this season started," Glassburn told The Putnam County Post. 

The 2013 Cloverdale graduate guided the Clovers to a 3-20 campaign last year and admits she saw plenty of growth in her team as it progressed. 

"I feel like we grew so much from the summer season to the end of actual season. Our overall game record didn't show how much we grew, but the way the girls were playing and even practicing toward the end of our season was definitely a huge improvement from the start of our offseason last summer," Glassburn told The Putnam County Post. 

This offseason, Glassburn admits has been a bit of a struggle when it comes to getting players to open gym.

"The ones who have showed up have worked extra hard and are coachable, fun girls who show they are willing to put in the work and have improved so much," Glassburn said. 

Gone from a season ago are: outside hitter Andrea Ness, defensive specialist Erin Johnson, middle hitter Hailey Caulkins and setter Lillie Jones. 

"I think each of these girls hold a special spot on our team and it will be difficult to replace their positions. We had a few JV players get a little varsity experience last year to help us out during injuries and I think those girls will do a great job fulfilling the positions once we get a little bit of that varsity level play under our belt," Glassburn said. 

When it comes to this season, the second-year coach admits she has several players she is leaning on for big things. 

Leading the way is senior middle hitter Emily Mann. 

"She is a great hitter and has really showed up this summer. I've coached her since she was in middle school between volleyball and basketball, and she is just an overall great athlete," Glassburn said. 

Senior Yasmin Shorter is back at outside hittter and Glassburn said she is a player that has made leaps and bounds from the start of her career.

"She will definitely be holding a big role for the team this season," Glassburn said. 

Sophomore setter Jacie Neese is back and has been working hard during the offseason to become better. 

"As a freshman last year, she was pulled up to varsity to help us out. She showed nerves and has come so far since the end of last season. She has already shown this summer that she has come out of her bubble and can be a leader on the court," Glassburn said. 

With the season approaching, Glassburn admits the Clovers are struggling with numbers this season. 

"We have a great group of girls that put in the work. Taylor, our JV coach, and I really enjoy coaching these girls. Our main goal this year is to improve and to keep making forward steps. We had a few games last year that we only lost by a few points or took games to four or five sets, and I'd really like to see these girls keep up the fight they had from last year and to pull out a few more wins," Glassburn said. 

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As she enters her second season at the helm of the North Putnam volleyball season, Jenny Heron is excited about the potential her team has.

However, she also enters with a bit of an unfulfilled feeling looking back on last year. 

"After taking over in the 2022 season, I think, as a whole, we felt unfulfilled and like we could've done more in every spot. People were in a lot of different positions that also lacked some inexperience at the varsity level. I am not sure if we really had an identity as a team and that's something I've taken personally as a coach to work on this summer and season," Heron told The Putnam County Post. 

Last season, the Cougars went 15-12 and finished fifth in the Western Indiana Conference with a 6-4 mark. 

With the hope of improving, North Putnam embarked on a strong offseason that saw the Cougars attend the Ohio State Team camp as well as the Dunes Team Camp and worked with their youth and "got after it" at open gyms and weights. 

"One person who has really gotten after it is Mack Mason. She is a kid who works hard and gets after it with no excuses. Mack was on the c/freshman team her freshman year with a very limited schedule, a big part of our JV team last year, and I think she will be a big part of our team this year. She is our only junior but carries a ton of energy and accountability on her back. Our seniors have done a great job leading and stepping up the standard from last year. They understood what our weaknesses were last year and put an emphasis on correcting those and got after it this summer. I am extremely proud of the leadership they have shown as they are all huge, key pieces to the success we will have this year," Heron said. 

She added the underclassmen have also had a strong offseason. 

"A few of our underclassmen have looked much more comfortable on a varsity level court than last year with getting some experience in. Our sophomores and freshman have been eager to learn and are getting a ton better every time they are in the gym. I am excited to see where we can go this year in all three of our teams," Heron said. 

North Putnam does have to replace its lone senior from last year, Kylie Rust. 

"Kylie brought a lot of rawness to our team and sacrificed her body many nights with some shoulder problems. I will miss having her all out defense on the court this year, but I know we are up for the challenge," Heron said. 

After the strong outings this summer, Heron says she believes it could be anybody's night when they step foot on the court. 

"People will be in new positions from last year that you wouldn't have expected and our team's dynamic is different. I don't think anyone could guess what our lineup will be this year and that could still differ night to night. I try to not look too much into personal stats and more how the team is flowing and how we're losing or getting points and the reasonings behind them," Heron acknowledged,

With the season rapidly approaching, Heron admits she took some time recently to think about what she wanted to accomplish this year compared to last and what needed to be fixed as a program and each team. 

My main thought is we need to be where our feet are. Yesterday's loss or win doesn't matter and we can't get to tomorrow unless we finish today. We need to look at each day's opportunity and give it our all. I think if we can do that and not let outside noise get to us, we will be where we hope to be come postseason mentally and physically. I am extremely excited for this group and eager to get the show on," Heron said.

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Fall sports practices and the girls golf regular-season officially got underway on Monday for member schools of the Indiana High School Athletic Association.

This week, football teams will conduct three days of non-contact practice with full contact permitted beginning Thursday, August 3.

Girls golf was able to schedule competition on Monday. The first contests for boys tennis, unified flag football, cross country, soccer and girls volleyball are set for Saturday, August 12.

Opening night of the high school football season is Friday, Aug 18. 

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As the calendar continues inching closer to the August 18 opener against Danville, the Greencastle football team continues perfecting its offensive and defensive schemes under first year head coach David Stephens. 

The former Owen County offensive coordinator and 1997 Greencastle graduate has been working with the Tiger Cubs through the offseason and has seen quite an excitement and buzz surrounding his program. 

Furthermore, he admits he has watched a lot of last year's film to get a feel for where the team was at. 

"As this is my first year, we watched a lot of film coming in to get a feel for where the team was at. I felt like there was some athletic potential that was there but it just wasn't coming together in a cohesive team on a consistent basis," Stephens told The Putnam County Post. 

The Tiger Cubs finished last year on a three game skid en route to a 4-6 campaign that ended with a loss to Cascade in the sectional tournament. Gone from last year's squad are Chase Carrington and Ryan Beauchamp, two players Stephens said played a "huge role" for the Tiger Cubs.

"We are working hard to have a program that really has a next man up approach to replacing departing talent. We have had several players step up in those particular positions," Stephens said. 

As a result, Greencastle embarked on a strong offseason and Stephens admits he has seen significant gains from multiple players, making it hard for him to single out individual players. 

"So many guys have made huge growth to really single any players out. I am very pleased with the development of our entire defense from April to now and also with the development of our passing game," Stephens said. 

Greencastle will look run a spread offense and get the ball around, according to Stephens. 

"Offensively, we run a spread offense and we will definitely spread the wealth. I am particularly excited about the emergence of Owen Huff at receiver. Lamar Moore at running back has been really explosive this summer. Brayden Monroe has had a breakout season at tight end and defensive end this summer," Stephens said. 

As he continues to move closer to the season opener, Stephens acknowledges there are challenges, but the Tiger Cubs will remain focused. 

"Our goal is to focus on ourselves and control what we can control. As long as we take of our own business, we should be able to compete in our conference and our sectional," Stephens said. 

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For Jessica Lenihan, being named the new girl's basketball coach at Greencastle truly is a dream come true and something she has dreamed of since she was a little girl.

Lenihan has been promoted up the bench from assistant to head coach, replacing Doug Greenlee and inheriting a team that went 22-5 and lost to Forest Park in the Class 2A semi-state. 

"It is truly an honor to have earned this title. I have high hopes for the future of this program -- one of them being consistency in the coaching staff. Keeping this hire in-house was of the utmost importance for the program because it provides consistency for these girls. Some of these girls have had a new coach each year they have played high school basketball. Inconsistency in a coaching staff can be difficult for the players when they are constantly faced with learning new plays and meeting new expectations. Entering into my third year of coaching in this program, the majority of the girls can rest assured, already knowing what to expect from me. In the years to come, I look forward to strengthening our bond as a team and continuing the growth of what has already been planted," Lenihan said. 

In addition to serving as an assistant coach, Lenihan was a standout player for the Tiger Cubs and admits being named head coach is a "full circle moment" for her.

"It is a full-circle moment returning to the program that has gifted me with such fond memories. After graduating from Greencastle High School, I knew I wanted to give back to the program that shaped me into the person I am today, and it is unbelievable that I now get that chance. Having had successful seasons as a student athlete in this program myself, I strive to build a foundation that fosters the skill and grit needed to ensure that this program will flourish in the years to come. It is my goal to make this program one that Putnam County is proud of," she said. 

As for what fans can expect when the season begins, Lenihan said her team will be one full of student athletes who "play their hearts out."

"They can expect that as head coach, I will push these girls to their full potential, giving them the tools they need to be successful on and off the court. Hard work and dedication will be at the forefront of our team, and I believe this will easily translate to the fans. As a coach, all I ask for is hustle and heart out on that court and the rest will fall into place," Lenihan admitted.

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In an effort to more clearly define false starts in high school track and field events, two new starting violations have been adopted for the 2024 season.

In Rule 5-7-4c, the previous language which required participants to remain motionless after assuming the set position prior to the starting device being fired, has been replaced with the following:

“If a runner leaves their mark with a hand or foot after the ‘set’ command but before the starting device is fired.”

In addition, a new violation in (d) calls for a violation “if a runner leaves their mark with a forward motion without the starting device being fired.”

Further, a new NOTE in Rule 5-7-4 states that “extraneous motion before the device is fired does not necessarily require a false start to be charged unless the criteria in the rule are met. If the starter thinks the movement creates a situation of unfairness to any of the competitors, the starter may cancel the start with the command ‘stand up,’ or if the device has been fired, recall the race as an unsteady or unfair start and redo the starting procedure.” This NOTE was also added to Rule 8 regarding cross country.

“The rules committee felt that these changes offer a clearer definition of a false start and will help add consistency in how false starts are officiated,” said Julie Cochran, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Track and Field Rules Committee.

This change to rules relating to false starts was one of 11 rules revisions recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field Rules Committee at its June 12-14 meeting in Indianapolis. The recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

A significant change was approved by the committee in Rule 6 regarding field events. In the discus, shot put and javelin, athletes will be permitted to apply tape to their fingers as long as the fingers are not taped together, and all fingers can move independently. The specific language approved by the committee is as follows:

“Tape may be used on the hand and fingers provided that no two fingers are taped together. The tape may be continuous and connect to the wrist, but all fingers must be able to move independently. A wrist wrap used in lieu of tape is acceptable and is not considered an artificial aid.”

In other changes to field events, further definition related to breaking ties was added to Rule 6-3-2b. To address the situation when two or more tied competitors withdraw from the competition/jump-off at the same time, the committee added the following language to determine first place:

Rule 6-3-2b(4)(b) states that “if all competitors eligible for a jump-off withdraw from the competition before the jump-off begins or at a height change, those competitors shall tie for first place, and any team points shall be added together and divided equally among the tying competitors.”

In addition, a NOTE was added to the rule stating that an athlete who withdraws from a jump-off concedes the higher place, but the withdrawal does not negate the athlete’s performance in that event up to the point of withdrawal. In addition, withdrawing from a jump-off is not unsporting conduct.

Another field event change was approved for Rule 6-2-2, stating that in the high jump and pole vault, one minute shall be allowed for the first trial of a competitor first entering the competition. The committee noted this additional language clarifies how the rule is to be interpreted and adds support to the official’s decisions when a competitor enters the vertical jumps after the event has started.

In other changes to Rule 5-Running Events, some of the specific language regarding track markings in Rule 5 was deleted and replaced with the following general statement: “Staggered markings are dependent on the geometry of each individual track.” In addition, a NOTE was added to the rule stating that a competent surveyor should determine the lane staggers. The same language was added to Section 9 regarding indoor track and field.

In other Rule 5 changes, a clarification was provided to the section on hurdling infractions. It is an infraction if a competitor knocks down or displaces any hurdle by hand. The addition of displacement of any hurdle was added to give guidance to officials when ruling on infractions.

In Rule 4 regarding “Competitors and Competition,” state associations will be permitted to allow participants in a high school track and field meet to compete in more than four events, effective with the 2024 season.

Rule 4-2-1 stating that a competitor shall not compete in more than four events, including relays, remains intact; however, a NOTE was added to the rule for flexibility for state associations as follows: “State associations may adopt different participation limitations, not to exceed six events.”

Cochran said the addition of this state association adoption adds flexibility for state associations. Ultimately each state will determine the number and type of events best suited for its state and student-athletes – not to exceed six total events.  

Other rules revisions approved by the Track and Field Rules Committee include the following:

•          Rules 8-1, 8-5: Clarifies the cross country course layout and reorganizes the rule.
•          Rule 9-6-1: New rule offers guidance on the relay exchange zone for indoor track and field.
•          Rule 3-8-1: With technology advancements, changed the requirement for two appointed officials when FAT timing is used to one appointed timing official.  

A complete listing of the track and field rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Track & Field.”

According to the 2021-22 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, track and field is the second-most popular sport for boys with 569,262 participants in 17,070 high schools nationwide, and it is No. 1 for girls with 456,697 participants in 17,028 schools.

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The Greencastle High School girls soccer team is holding a triathlon on Saturday, July 29. 

The Greencastle High School Outdoor Triathlon is calling for all athletes of Putnam and surrounding counties of all ages with a focus on educating and encouraging younger athletes on local fitness groups and competitive events.
The outdoor sprint triathlon is an athletic event that focuses on 3 areas: swimming, biking and running. The participants will participate in one of the following sprints:

Purple sprint which is swimming 200 meters, biking 4 miles and running 1 mile

Silver sprint which is swimming  400 meters, biking  8 miles and running 2 miles

Nutrition will be provided at the end of the race. Each participant will receive a T-shirt 
Registration begins at 7 a.m. and events begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 29.
The first event will be the Silver sprint beginning with swimming starting at 8 a.m. 
followed by biking and then running will wrap up the event at 11 a.m.
Second event will be the Purple sprint beginning with swimming starting at 8:45 a.m. followed by biking and then running will wrap up the event around 11 a.m.

It will be held at the Robe Ann Park Aquatic Center and the Park Pool will be utilized for the swimming portion.

The biking course will be located through Greencastle neighborhoods and into Big Walnut Sports Park.  The running course will also be through Greencastle neighborhoods.

More information and sign-up is available at the following link:

https://runsignup.com/Race/IN/Greencastle/GMSTriforSoccer

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Beginning next year, pitchers in high school softball will be allowed to disengage both feet from the playing surface if the pivot foot is not replanted prior to the delivery of the pitch. Previously, the pivot foot was required to remain in contact with the ground.

This modification to Rule 6-1-2c of the NFHS Softball Rules Book headlined a set of seven rules changes recommended by the NFHS Softball Rules Committee at the committee’s June 11-13 meeting at the Conrad Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. All changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

“When examining the survey responses, the NFHS Softball Rules Committee recognized that a majority of the membership were in favor of this change,” said Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Softball Rules Committee. “An additional topic the committee discussed was whether a pitcher gains an advantage by having their pivot foot airborne vs. having it remain in contact with the ground. Our rules have traditionally allowed for flexibility to accommodate the differing skill levels of high school athletes. This change allows for exploration of different styles of pitching during student-athletes’ developmental stages.”

In another change, Rule 1-8-6 now permits electronic information to be transmitted to the dugout from anywhere outside of live ball area. This reflects current technology and still requires that electronic devices are used in the dugout but no longer stipulates where the video is recorded or how it is transmitted.

Beginning January 1, 2027, softball uniforms may display only the player’s name, school name or nickname, school mascot and/or school logo as part of Rule 3-2-3. An additional uniform change for the 2024 season was approved in Rule 3-2-5, which more clearly defines what can be worn on the head to be consistent with other NFHS sports.

Changes to Rule 3-2-7 clarify where wristbands with a playbook/playcard attached can be worn. The equipment is only permitted to be worn on a player’s wrist or arm, and pitchers must wear it on their non-pitching arm, prohibiting wristbands from being worn on the belt.

The NFHS Softball Rules Committee further clarified the list of approved and non-approved substances to be used as drying agents for the pitcher in Rule 6-2-2. The rule specifies that dirt is not considered a foreign substance and does not have to be wiped from the hand prior to contacting the ball. Acceptable use of drying agents under the supervision and control of the umpire includes powdered rosin or any comparable drying agent listed on USA Softball’s certified equipment website.

According to the most recent NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, fast-pitch softball is the fifth-most popular sport for girls with 362,038 participants in 15,877 high schools nationwide. The survey also indicated an additional 6,602 participants in slow-pitch softball.

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USA Basketball today announced that Indiana Pacers guard and 2023 NBA All-Star Tyrese Haliburton was named to the 2023 USA Basketball Men’s National Team, which will compete at the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup Aug. 25-Sept. 10 in Manila.
Haliburton made the all-tournament team after winning gold at the 2019 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup. More recently, he suited up for the 2021 USA Select Team which trained alongside the 2021 USA Men’s National Team prior to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Haliburton will wear number 4 for Team USA.
In addition to Haliburton, the 2023 USA Men’s National Team includes Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Josh Hart (Knicks), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), Cam Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks) and Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers).
As part of Group C, the U.S. opens the 2023 FIBA World Cup against New Zealand on Aug. 26, followed by Greece on Aug. 28 and Jordan on Aug. 30. The New Zealand and Greece contents tip off at 8:40 a.m. ET with Jordan starting at 4:40 a.m. ET. ESPN and FIBA recently announced that all 92 World Cup games will be available on various ESPN platforms. Six games will air exclusively on ESPN2, including three in the first round featuring USA Basketball. All other 86 games will be carried by ESPN+ while also being available on FIBA's official streaming service, Courtside 1891. 
Before arriving in Manila, the USA Men's National Team will hold training camp Aug. 3-6 in Las Vegas before playing a series of exhibition games as part of the USA Basketball Showcase, which tips off Aug. 7 vs. Puerto Rico at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. The USA will also face Slovenia on Aug. 12 and Spain on Aug. 13 in Malaga, Spain, and Greece and Germany on Aug. 18 and 20, respectively, in Abu Dhabi. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit usab.com/tickets.
The United States has won the World Cup five times, including in two of the last three editions.

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The use of a one-way communication device between a coach in the dugout and a team’s catcher for the purposes of calling pitches will be permitted in high school baseball beginning in 2024.

This change to Rules 1-6-2 and 3-2-5 was one of five rules revisions approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Rules Committee at its June 4-6 meeting in Indianapolis. The recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

The new rules prohibit coaches from communicating with any other player besides the catcher on defense and with any player while batting. The coach must also be in the dugout when using the communication device.

“This change is consistent with the growth of the game and is indicative of a measured and responsible approach to enable technology into our level of competition,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS Director of Sports and Educational Services and liaison to the Baseball Rules Committee. “The committee has made these changes to maintain the balance between offense and defense; increase the pace of play; and will responsibly manage technology so there is no advantaged gained by schools that have more available resources than some of their contemporaries. Creating a level playing field is paramount to education-based athletics.”

Game management by umpires was addressed with a change to Rule 10-2-3h. The edit removes spectators’ behavior from the umpire-in-chief’s jurisdiction when deciding to forfeit a contest. Only infractions by players, coaches or team/bench personnel are under the umpire’s jurisdiction. The committee agreed that poor behavior by spectators should be handled by game administration.

“This change is a complementary rule to support schools’ game management role in addressing unacceptable behavior and will allow the umpire to focus on the action and players on the field,” Hopkins said.

Rule 1-6-1 was added and designates a wristband with defensive shifts, pitching choices or game directions as non-electronic equipment and must be a single, solid color and worn on the forearm. Pitchers’ cards must not be white, gray or a distracting color and worn on their non-pitching arm.

A complete listing of the baseball rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Baseball.”

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Applications for reserved hunts are open and hunters can apply online until August 6.

According to a release from the DNR, the only way to apply for the hunts listed below is online. There are also no late entries accepted and applicants must have a valid hunting license for the hunt they are applying for. 

Hunters can apply for a variety of reserved hunts online at the DNR Reserved Hunt Information webpage.

For Vince Brooks, the opportunity for his team to make inroads during the 2023-24 boy's basketball season is underway.

The North Putnam coach has been pleased what he sees from the Cougars, who will look to improve on last year's 16-10 record when things start officially in November. 

For now, North Putnam has been active working out and playing various games around Indiana this month. 

"It has been a great few weeks of workouts and games," Brooks told The Putnam County Post. "It's a great opportunity to see what individual development has taken place since March and see how players fit together with new roles."

One of those stops was at Indiana Wesleyan for team camp.

"Team camp at IWU is a blast. Lots of time to build relationships, grow as a team, and do so while facing some strong competition," Brooks said. 

Brooks admitted he has gotten solid production out of his rising seniors.

"Our seniors to be have been great," Brooks said. 

Brooks said he views June as a great opportunity for his players to grow in their learning, have fun and be reminded of what it takes to be successful. 

"Last June, we went 2-23 against a very challenging schedule, playing many 3A and 4A opponents. While it may have been tough, I think our June '22 schedule helped expose some weaknesses that helped prepare us for success in the winter," Brooks said. 

He acknowledged he is optimistic last month's performances will help prepare his team again for the rigors that are coming.

"My hope is that each player exited June with a hunger to get better over the next four months to help our team reach our potential. I am blessed to have this group of kids. They are special young men. And the seniors are the heart. We are all very excited about the upcoming season," Brooks said. 

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