By Joyce Oscar
At 5’11” and 195 pounds, 2018 Gleo Wade Jr. is making sure he gets the job done for the Clintondale Dragons. His father, Gleo Wade Sr., has definitely set the template for his son and is there to watch him do it every step of the way. Athleticism runs thick in the Wade family. The senior Wade is one of the football Coaches at Clintondale High. He lettered in football and track at Murray Wright High School and earned All-City and All-Metro Honors. He also attended Olivet College in Michigan where he was a three-year starter, including the 1991 MIAA Championship.
In addition to football, Gleo Jr. is also on the track team where his father is the Head track coach. However, his athletic career hasn’t always been without a challenges. One of them coming his sophomore year when he suffered a torn ACL and MCL. But he never let it slow him down. His most memorable moment was having a chance to help lead his team to the playoffs. “I was a starter over a senior…No one had it in their mind that I was going to be able to play but I proved everybody wrong and still made it happen.”
That type of confidence comes from hard work and having faith he says. “I don’t have any lucky socks or anything, but before every game I pray…” As far as the hard work, in addition to the practice and training he receives at school, Gleo trains with Michael Johnson Sr., father of Michael Johnson Jr., the Wayne State athlete who was named the number 2 Wide Receiver in the Nation in 2013.
Last season the Dragons allowed only 16.2 points per game going into the playoffs. They are currently number 1 in their region and plan on taking it all the way to the championship games.
