The Glenville State College Pioneer football team added four new coaches for the 2010 season. Chris St John will replace Blake Tasker as the Pioneer Defensive Coordinator. Blake left GSC to become an assistant at West Virginia University.
Chris St John comes to GSC after coaching nine years at Florida State University. Chris coach alongside Hall of Fame head coach Bobby Bowden and legendary Coach Mickey Andrews. While at FSU the Seminoles played in a BCS Championship, won 4 ACC Championships, competed in 4 BCS bowls, and had seven Top 25 finishes (’00-’08).
Chris started his coaching career at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California and is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. During his Coach St John coached two NFL first round drafts picks: Travis Johnson, Ernie Smith. “It’s going to be a good fit for Chris and GSC, “said Head Coach Alan Fiddler.
Another new coach that will be taking over the reins this year will be defensive backs coach Ola Adams. Ola comes to GSC after spending the 2009 season at SUNY Cortland (The State University of New York). While at SUNY Cortland, Adams was the defensive backs coach.
Before coaching at SUNY Cortland, Adams player college football for WVIAC member Concord University during 2004 through 2007, while at Concord Adams had a great career, he was a four year starter, was named to the WVIAC 2nd Team in 2004, was named to the WVIAC 1st Team during the 2006 and 2007 seasons, also was named All-Region 2nd Team in 2006 and All-Region 3rd Team in 2007.
After his playing career Adams spent the 2008 season as a student assistant coach for Concord University helping out with the defensive backs. “Ola is a young guy that understands the game and knows how much effort you must put in to win, “stated Coach Fiddler.
Also going the Pioneer coaching staff this season will be Casey Stewart. He spent the past three previous years with the Pioneers as a student assistant, while working with the defensive backs. Stewart will serve as the running backs coach.
Stewart earned a Bachelor’s degree at GSC in Social Studies Education and is currently pursuing his masters in Physical Education. Stewart is a Calhoun County High School graduate and is the son of Buck and Hazel Stewart. Stewart resides in Glenville.
The fourth coach that will be joining the Pioneer coaching staff is Ernesto Purnsley; he was a four-year starter at Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C. (1986-89). He began his career as a quarterback prior to moving to a wide receiver as a junior. His senior year he was named First Team All-South Atlantic Conference. Purnsley graduated with his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1990.
Purnsley began his collegiate coaching career at Concord College in Athens, W. Va., where he served as the wide receivers and defensive backs coach for two years (1992-93). The following two years (1994-1996) he coached the cornerbacks and tight ends at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill.
In 1997 he was hired as the special teams and fullback/linebackers coach for the Albany Firebirds. After two seasons (1997-98) with Albany, he spent two years at Murray State before returning to the Firebirds for three seasons (2000-2003).
He spent 11 seasons in the AFL where he previously coached with the Chicago Rush and spent five years as the defensive coordinator for the Colorado Crush. Prior to his time in Colorado, he had two stints with the Albany/Indiana Firebirds. Purnsley spent five seasons (2004-2008) as the defensive coordinator with the Colorado Crush, who won Arena Bowl XIX in 2005. During his tenure, his defense established team records for sacks, interceptions and scoring defense.
