SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTO BY AL STILLEY This combination of coaches/fathers and sons are preparing for the football season at Greenwood High School. They are (from left) Dom Battineau and son Conner, a sophomore, and senior John Gallman and sophomore Seth Gallman, sons of volunteer coach Jason Gallman.
By Al Stilley
Senior staff writer
Jason Gallman and Dom Battineau share a unique responsibility with Greenwood High School’s varsity football team.
The longtime area leaders serve as volunteer coaches and have sons on the squad, which is coached by veteran Mike Campbell. Gallman and Battineau have coached various Greenwood teams.
Gallman remembers meeting Battineau for the first time several years ago when Gallman was signing up son John to play Bantam League football.
“All I was going to do was to register John, and I met this enthusiastic coach (Battineau) whose personality was contagious,” Gallman recalled. “The next thing I knew I had signed up to be a coach, and I really had no intention to coach my kids. He was so passionate and energetic about teaching and coaching kids.”
The plateau that the two coaches have reached is totally different. During his previous teaching career, Gallman was an assistant coach for Ben Davis High School’s state championship football teams; Battineau has coached youth and middle school football.
Gallman has two sons, senior running back John Gallman and sophomore quarterback Seth Gallman. John has gained nearly 2,000 yards rushing. Battineau’s son, Conner, is a 6-foot 4-inch sophomore tight end who is being groomed for the other side of the line.
Gallman coached with the legendary Dick Dullaghan at Ben Davis, where the goal was to simply make sure each player had a good experience playing football and that they learned the game and would come back the next year to play.
“The scoreboard is not the most important aspect of the game,” said Gallman, whose life underwent a drastic change a few years ago. “Coaching in a state championship game gives you a different perspective. No matter what age they are, kids still have to enjoy playing football. “There’s a special relationship when you coach your own kids. You couldn’t tell who my kids are based on the way I coach. If anything you’re less likely to praise them in front of the other players.”
Gallman taught and coached running backs at Ben Davis and later taught at Carmel. He forsook his career in education five years ago to become a pastor at Community Church of Greenwood.
Gallman and his ministerial staff spent most of last week counseling and praying with their congregation and community. He was among pastors at the church where a celebration of life service was conducted for Greenwood optometrist Jill Elaine Buck and her sons Branson and Aidan, who were killed July 24 in an accident on I-65 near Lafayette.
Gallman and his wife, Kim, have a daughter who played soccer at Greenwood High.
Battineau helps coach linebackers, while line coaches show his son the intricacies of being up front. Battineau’s son advanced through the ranks of youth football to varsity football.
“We’ve got a great group of guys who have played a lot of football,” Battineau said. “There are several boys who have played football from Bantam League, middle school and now high school. I’ve seen them play from second and third grade, so they know what it means to be a Woodman.”
They include juniors Dylan Rosato, John Gallman and Thomas Bowling.
“They’re like rubber bands,” Battineau said. “They keep playing hard and bouncing up for more.”
Battineau, a roofing contractor, helps other defensive coaches emphasize a strong work ethic that involves offseason conditioning, competing under duress with a sense of urgency and flying to the football.
Battineau and wife Brandi, a teacher in Perry Township Schools, are involved in the community through their involvement in PTAs, school activities and athletics. Conner is a three-sport athlete while younger daughter Lauren plays volleyball and basketball.
“In past years I’ve coached our son,” Battineau said. “On the football field it’s coach-player time, and at home it’s father-son time. I am very thankful that the coaches he works with are excellent coaches.”
Conner and Lauren are fourth-generation athletes. Their great-grandfather, Everett Swank, who was a Boy Scout leader, played high school basketball in Johnson County and coached at the former Clark Township High School.
Senior staff writer
Jason Gallman and Dom Battineau share a unique responsibility with Greenwood High School’s varsity football team.
The longtime area leaders serve as volunteer coaches and have sons on the squad, which is coached by veteran Mike Campbell. Gallman and Battineau have coached various Greenwood teams.
Gallman remembers meeting Battineau for the first time several years ago when Gallman was signing up son John to play Bantam League football.
“All I was going to do was to register John, and I met this enthusiastic coach (Battineau) whose personality was contagious,” Gallman recalled. “The next thing I knew I had signed up to be a coach, and I really had no intention to coach my kids. He was so passionate and energetic about teaching and coaching kids.”
The plateau that the two coaches have reached is totally different. During his previous teaching career, Gallman was an assistant coach for Ben Davis High School’s state championship football teams; Battineau has coached youth and middle school football.
Gallman has two sons, senior running back John Gallman and sophomore quarterback Seth Gallman. John has gained nearly 2,000 yards rushing. Battineau’s son, Conner, is a 6-foot 4-inch sophomore tight end who is being groomed for the other side of the line.
Gallman coached with the legendary Dick Dullaghan at Ben Davis, where the goal was to simply make sure each player had a good experience playing football and that they learned the game and would come back the next year to play.
“The scoreboard is not the most important aspect of the game,” said Gallman, whose life underwent a drastic change a few years ago. “Coaching in a state championship game gives you a different perspective. No matter what age they are, kids still have to enjoy playing football. “There’s a special relationship when you coach your own kids. You couldn’t tell who my kids are based on the way I coach. If anything you’re less likely to praise them in front of the other players.”
Gallman taught and coached running backs at Ben Davis and later taught at Carmel. He forsook his career in education five years ago to become a pastor at Community Church of Greenwood.
Gallman and his ministerial staff spent most of last week counseling and praying with their congregation and community. He was among pastors at the church where a celebration of life service was conducted for Greenwood optometrist Jill Elaine Buck and her sons Branson and Aidan, who were killed July 24 in an accident on I-65 near Lafayette.
Gallman and his wife, Kim, have a daughter who played soccer at Greenwood High.
Battineau helps coach linebackers, while line coaches show his son the intricacies of being up front. Battineau’s son advanced through the ranks of youth football to varsity football.
“We’ve got a great group of guys who have played a lot of football,” Battineau said. “There are several boys who have played football from Bantam League, middle school and now high school. I’ve seen them play from second and third grade, so they know what it means to be a Woodman.”
They include juniors Dylan Rosato, John Gallman and Thomas Bowling.
“They’re like rubber bands,” Battineau said. “They keep playing hard and bouncing up for more.”
Battineau, a roofing contractor, helps other defensive coaches emphasize a strong work ethic that involves offseason conditioning, competing under duress with a sense of urgency and flying to the football.
Battineau and wife Brandi, a teacher in Perry Township Schools, are involved in the community through their involvement in PTAs, school activities and athletics. Conner is a three-sport athlete while younger daughter Lauren plays volleyball and basketball.
“In past years I’ve coached our son,” Battineau said. “On the football field it’s coach-player time, and at home it’s father-son time. I am very thankful that the coaches he works with are excellent coaches.”
Conner and Lauren are fourth-generation athletes. Their great-grandfather, Everett Swank, who was a Boy Scout leader, played high school basketball in Johnson County and coached at the former Clark Township High School.
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