By Aaron Spragg

At our company we work with young people and there aren’t many things more rewarding.  High school is the height of many adolescent lives where countless memories are made and friendships cemented.  For us, it is a privilege and an honor to document the athletic careers of so many amazing teenagers every season. We share the joy of their successes and feel the heartbreak of their losses.  We watch as these players grow and mature throughout the years and get to know them on a personal level and consider them as friends.

That’s what makes days like Wednesday, October 22, 2014 so difficult to accept. Disbelief is the word that came to mind when hearing the tragic news that 2014 John Glenn grad Clay Sturtz had passed away following a car accident.  The energetic guard on the Muskies’ regional runner-up team was always so full of life and positivity with an infectious smile and orneriness to go with it.

Last March at the team’s Sweet 16 pep rally held in the gym, he was introduced as Clay “the best player on this team” Sturtz. The self-proclaimed nickname got everyone laughing because that is what Clay’s personality provided all of us.   

When he wasn’t joking around he was leading. While his stats didn’t necessarily match the aforementioned nickname he gave himself, Clay was a leader in the locker room and on the court. His passion was evident by the effort he gave and the words he spoke. Throughout John Glenn’s historic season in 2014, many big games were played and Clay was always the first to let his team know that the Muskies were going to come out on top.

Before taking the court those nights, number 33 would always make the bold statement “someone’s gonna win and someone’s gonna lose and it sure as hell ain’t gonna be us!” More times than not that quote was always right on the money.

It’s those moments that get us excited as filmmakers. Those moments that we know deserve to live forever. During the past six years we have been fortunate enough to be welcomed into the John Glenn basketball family by Coach Greg Woodard. That all-access has allowed us to produce videos like this so that we can respectfully cherish this great teammate, friend, son, and brother.     

Our prayers and thoughts are with the Sturtz family and the entire John Glenn community during this difficult time. We hope that this video tribute will help ease your pain and allow you to forever remember how much Clay meant to all of us. 

Rest easy friend. You will be sorely missed.

Watch the video Tribute to Clay Sturtz HERE

Video edited by Sean Fisher