Streaks Alumni Spotlight: Brandon Mink 1983

Today’s ”Streaks Alumni Spotlight” is on Brandon Mink, Galesburg High School Class of 1983. 

Brandon was what you would want an athlete to be. He was goal oriented and hard working in everything he did. He was successful as a runner in both cross country and track, active in band, and a great student. 

There are many worthwhile careers, but I smiled when I realized Brandon had chosen to go into teaching. There is no doubt he is a good teacher. 

Massey- What were some of your favorite classes and teachers?

Brandon- There were so many great teachers at GHS who left a big impact on me. Many were tough, but they prepared me well for college and beyond. Some of my favorites were Mr. Diemer in senior Rhetoric, Mr. Kessler in Calculus, Mr. Gruba in Vocational Electronics, and Miss Rynott in Band. I also loved running for Mr. Albright in track, but I really fell in love with running in cross country with Coach Massey!

 

Massey- What are some of your favorite memories from school and athletics at GHS?

Brandon- Some of my favorite memories come from cross country as a freshman. I actually hadn’t planned on going out for it— for some silly reason I thought I’d try football at 105 pounds. Thankfully my brother Barry told me I’d get killed and pushed me toward cross country instead. I will always be grateful for that. It was wonderful to be teammates with a great group of guys who made a young, skinny kid feel welcome.

I remember my first race at the Canton Invitational, running junior varsity. It was insane—dozens of runners sprinting like a scene out of Braveheart. I think I finished around 48th, and I was shell-shocked and disappointed. Flash forward to the first race of my senior year at the Canton Invitational again, this time in varsity, and I finished around 7th. It was the first sign that all those summer miles were paying off.

One of my all-time favorite memories was that same season when we faced Moline on their home course. Jim Schaefer and I ran so well together. We were with their #1 runner—Jim would pull me up the hills and I’d make up ground striding down them. We finally opened a gap on their top runner in the last half mile. I tried kicking when I thought I saw the finish area, only to realize (I really needed glasses) that I still had about 100 meters to go. Afterward, Coach Massey told us we had defeated Moline for the first time in many, many years, as they usually trounced us. That was an incredible feeling.

I also have great memories of band concerts and marching band, cruising from McDonald’s to McDonald’s, wasting quarters on arcade games, going to concerts, movies and mostly just hanging out with friends—whatever we happened to be doing.

 

Massey- What did you do after GHS? Education, sports, and career?

Brandon- After high school, I went to the University of Iowa to study electrical and computer engineering. It was a bear of a major, but I learned a lot and met some of my closest friends there. My first job was with a company in Bloomington, Indiana, installing equipment for power companies around the country. It was a great experience for a young guy to see places I’d never otherwise see.

After about 3½ years, I felt a call to teach and coach. I returned to school at Indiana University to earn my teaching certification and landed my first—and only—teaching position at Eastern High School in Greentown, Indiana. Switching to teaching was one of the best decisions I ever made. My engineering and math background has come in handy as I’ve taught Electronics, Computer Science, Calculus, Probability/Statistics, Computer-Aided Design, and more. I’ve loved teaching at Eastern and don’t plan on retiring for several more years (Lord willing).

I coached middle school cross country from 1995–1999 and high school cross country from 2000–2013. We had a couple of girls’ teams do well at the Indiana state meet, finishing 7th in 2012. That was so exciting because there is only one class for Indiana cross country and we were a small school under 500 kids.

I thought I was done coaching, but I went from couch to coach again this past fall. I’ve loved coaching and teaching so many wonderful young men and women—they keep me young(ish). 

I’ve kept up running off and on over the years. Every once in a while I get frisky and try to keep up with my runners, and my body quickly reminds me I’m not 16 anymore. I still love running—just much slower. There’s something about the sound of my feet on the pavement that brings a kind of joy I haven’t found anywhere else.

 

Massey- What are you and your family up to today?

Brandon- My wife Barbara and I celebrated our 30th anniversary in May. She is definitely the smart one in our marriage—she’s an optometrist, so I can finally see the finish line! Our son Evan graduated magna cum laude from Taylor University this past year with a degree in computer science. We stay involved with our local church and enjoy our knock-down, drag-out family game nights and listening to music—everything from Elvis to Weird Al Yankovic.

 

 

Massey- Any advice for today’s athletes at GHS?

Brandon- Be patient with yourself—your time will come if you put in the work and keep showing up day after day. Sometimes it’s hard, sometimes it’s boring, and sometimes you’ll fail. That’s okay. Get up and keep going. Have fun, enjoy the process and celebrate the little wins along the way.

And remember that you are not ultimately defined by a number—not your 5K time, points scored, or GPA. People will remember your character: how you treated others, how you handled adversity. Those are the things that remain long after rust gathers on the trophies.

Massey- Thanks for sharing your memories and your life journey. Your suggestions for athletes is REALLY good advice- thanks!!!