Glenbrook South senior Caleb Young can’t wait to ring the bell for his Titans.
The bell-ringing takes place when a Titans player breaks his own record on one of the weight machines, and the 5-foot-10, 230-pound defensive tackle relishes the opportunity have the sound echo through the team’s weight room. It’s something that’s happened frequently for Young.
“Every time I get a personal record and ring the bell, it gives me so much motivation,” Young said. “It’s almost like someone getting a touchdown. But it’s also about cheering my teammates on, to help pick them up.”
Motivation and hard work are buzzwords for Young.
“I didn’t play as much as I wanted to last year,” Young said. “I had a lot to prove going into this season, so I started to work hard.”
His work quickly became apparent in the offseason.
“It’s been great to watch Caleb transition into a team leader,” Glenbrook South first-year coach David Schoenwetter said. “His teammates gather around him (in the weight room) to watch him lift, and they get inspired to ring the bell. They see how much he wants it.”
“Caleb is so energetic, every day,” senior linebacker Noah Acocella added. “He shows the juniors who might not play much what they can do. You can see how hard he plays out there.”
Besides his work ethic, Young demonstrates to his team the power of daily self-confidence.
“I knew that I should have a role on the team coming into this year,” Young said. “I pushed myself from the very first practice.”
That belief has translated into confidence offset by humility, which is immediately apparent when talking with Young. Yet according to Schoenwetter, Young is now one of the anchors on the Titans defensive line.
“He has the size, strength and athletic ability,” Schoenwetter said. “It’s great to see his enthusiasm and how the team looks up to him.”
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Those qualities were on display in Week 1, in Glenbrook South’s 41-15 loss at Barrington. Young helped control the line of scrimmage, limiting the Broncos running backs to just 59 yards rushing and one touchdown. Young was in on seven tackles, including one jarring stop at the line of scrimmage.
“I know I have a role on this team,” Young said. “I had a lot to prove after last year. I want to be a leader.”
And ring the bell.
*Senior running back David Magloire ran for 88 yards on 19 carries, including a 3-yard touchdown run, in the Titans’ 41-15 loss at Barrington. The other Glenbrook South score came on a 19-yard pass from senior Brett Borre to senior wide receiver Jake Smiley.
*Glenbrook South (0-1) will host St. Patrick on Friday, Sept. 2. The Shamrocks (1-0) beat St. Rita 47-44 on Sunday, Aug. 28, at Soldier Field.
Mark Perlman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @markdavidperlma