Streaks Alumni Profile- Jacob Carl 2018

Today’s Streaks Alumni Profile features Jacob Carl from the GHS Class of 2018. 

Jacob was a highly successful multi-sport athlete at GHS, as well as a top student academically. He went on to play football at the Illinois State University. 

The most exciting part of Jacob’s story is that he chose to come back to Galesburg HS as a teacher and a coach.  

Favorite Teachers/Classes

Tim Johnson (Doc J) for chemistry, Heather Kniker for math, Dave Baxter for physics

Sports/Activities at GHS

Football, Basketball, Track (senior year), FCA, NHS

Best Memories from Galesburg/GHS

I have a lot of great memories going to GHS football and basketball games growing up to watch my older siblings. After watching for so many years, it felt like a huge privilege to wear a Silver Streak uniform myself.

Education after GHS

I played football and graduated from Illinois State in 2022 with a Bachelors in Math Education. I’m currently working on my Masters in Educational Leadership at WIU.

Career

I just finished my 4th year teaching at GHS. My first year I taught high school, then taught 8th grade the last 3 years. I will be back in the high school next year. I have coached football and basketball for 4 years. I began coaching freshman basketball this past year after coaching junior high for my first 3 years.

This summer I’ve been keeping busy with football and basketball workouts and camps.

Advice to Student/Athletes

My advice to my current students and athletes is to be involved in as much as possible during your years in junior high and high school. Play sports, become a member of a club, participate in the school musical. If anything sounds interesting to you, try it. The more things you are involved in, the more connected you’ll feel to your school.

What Makes You Excited About Streaks Football 

I am optimistic about the future of GHS football for a handful of reasons. Coach Hickey and the rest of our staff are doing a great job to create a culture of trust and accountability within the program. There is a standard set for practice and workouts of course, but also within the community. Players in the program learn the value of relationships and what it feels like to help those around you. Of course, all of this would be moot without players who are committed to the cause. I have seen great dedication the past few years from players who want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. If we continue to increase our program numbers and player commitment as we have been, there are a lot of reasons to be excited about Galesburg football.

What About Galesburg Has Brought You Back

Often in college, someone would ask where I was from. When I told them I was from Galesburg, they would ask which high school I went to. Growing up here, that seemed like a dumb question, of course I went to Galesburg High School. Everyone in Galesburg is a Silver Streak. I didn’t realize how, especially in larger cities, that unity does not exist. Of course I enjoy living close to my parents and my brother, but moving back to Galesburg after college has given me a whole new appreciation for the community that I grew up in.