Center Grove Magazine 2021

MAGAZINE

MARCH 2021

The Windowbox Gardener Brings Floral Joy to Homes & Businesses STARS AND STRI PE S

Center Grove Alum Joins U.S. Space Force

TRUE I MPACT

Russ Milligan Leaves a Lasting Local Legacy

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Note from P u b lish e r Town e Post Ne twor k An n ou n ce s New We b site With Fre e Local S e arch Dire ctor y Star s an d Str ip e s: Ce n te r G rove Alu m Join s U. S . S p ace Force B u sin e ss in B loom: Th e Win d owb ox G ard ener B r in g s Floral Joy to H ome s & B u sin e sse s P u ff Away : Ce d ar Cre e k Cig ar s is B u ild in g a Ste ad y Followin g

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Te e Time : Mor se G olf Acad e my H e lp s G olfers of All Ag e s Pe r fe ct Th e ir G ame

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ext month is my third anniversary of being the Publisher of your Center Grove Magazine. As it is with all Towne Post Network publications, my mission is to connect our community, be an advocate for nonprofit organizations, and to help local businesses prosper. In a word (or two) – Spotlighting Local.

As an adult, I’ve lived in five states and multiple communities within those states. Believe me when I say, there is no community that supports one another like the Center Grove community. There’s a spirit here that endures – a spirit of camaraderie, loyalty, friendship, bonds – a true Center Grove legacy that remains very much alive and vibrant.

This issue seems a perfect and poignant issue in which to express my gratitude.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to tell your stories, to help advance the causes that benefit the community, to shine a light on the good work being done by individuals and groups.

Thank you to the advertisers of Center Grove Magazine. It is because of you we can continue our mission to connect, advocate, and Spotlight Local. Your support extends far beyond the pages of the magazine. Your support reaches and impacts the entire community. But, as advertising goes, it is

my greatest pleasure to hear your success stories as a result of partnering with Center Grove Magazine. Thank you!

And thank you, Center Grove, for embracing Center Grove Magazine. Thank you for your enthusiastic response each and every month. I look forward to bringing more stories to you. I’m grateful to be part of the wonderful Center Grove community.

Respectfully, Fredda Kovacs, Publisher fredda@townepost.com 317.402.3051

atCenterGrove.com / MARCH 2021 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 5

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STARS & STRIPES C E N T E R G R OV E ALUM JOINS U.S. S PAC E F O R C E Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

and twenty-first birthdays deployed, the majority of his career has been in Colorado Springs, Colorado. When Crafton was deployed he did not have a wife or children, and he requested to work with security forces. It was a rugged schedule, including shifts on many holidays.

“They never have enough people who want to do it because you have a lot less freedom than other jobs, but I got to do convoys and training exercises that 80% to 90% of the Air Force never gets to do, so I don’t regret it,” Crafton says.

Still, he recognized this way of life would make it difficult to start a family so he transitioned into communications, where he did enterprise-level network infrastructure for the Air Force. He then applied for a special duty as a defense courier.

As a kid, Matt Crafton was fascinated with the military and dreamed of one day joining the ranks. After speaking to various recruiters while in high school, he felt that the Air Force was a good fit for him, so he enlisted after graduating from Center Grove High School in 2005. He left in July of that year for San Antonio, Texas, to attend basic training at Lackland Air Force Base.

“It’s like a classified UPS man,” says Crafton, who serviced Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. “We transported anything that was classified - nuclear codes for submarines or missile fields, all the way down to classified training records.”

Though he has been deployed twice, having spent his nineteenth

In his current job, he leads a team that is responsible for scheduling and infrastructure support for Global Hawks, which are unmanned

atCenterGrove.com / MARCH 2021 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 9

surveillance drones that fly all over the world and can survey as many as 40,000 square miles of terrain per day.

“If a terrorist leader gets killed, it’s almost guaranteed that the Global Hawk drone provided some type of support to those troops,” Crafton says. “I’m not a pilot, but we coordinate and manage everything for that.”

Crafton was recently chosen to be one of the few initial rollovers to the new Space Force program, which is charged to secure all U.S. space assets such as satellites and GPS systems. The Space Force is the sixth branch of the U.S. military with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Though he’s still not sure of his exact duties in the program, he’ll be working on mission defense teams where he’ll be responsible for protecting assets, including communications links, hacking prevention and cyber security.

“It’s a very cyber security-based position,” Crafton says.

“It’s pretty much anything that has to do with the links going from the ground to the satellites, and making sure those aren’t interrupted.”

Since the Space Force program is just over a year old, fewer than 3,000 people currently serve in this branch, which is drastically smaller than other military branches. According to Crafton, the Air Force has more than 380,000 members.

It’s such a new program that dress uniform and ranks are not yet established. This excites Crafton, as he hopes to be invited to weigh in with suggestions for the program.

“I think it will be cool to have input over that, and they seem very open in soliciting ideas and advice,” Crafton says. “I also think it would be exciting for my kid’s kid’s

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kid to be able to say, ‘My great-great-grandfather was one of the first people in the Space Force when it was formed.’ ” When COVID-19 first hit, the military was affected along with everyone else.

“We got locked down and told we couldn’t take our accumulated leave,” Crafton says.

That meant summer vacations were cancelled, as were his plans for a big wedding ceremony last September with his wife Brittany.

“We’ve basically been restricted to only being able to venture two to three hours from the base,” Crafton says. “On the plus side, I have 55 days saved up that I can carry over.”

military in four-and-a-half years, he may pursue a career in forest service or ski patrol.

“I can’t imagine not being in the Air Force,” Crafton says. “It’s weird to think, ‘Here I am 15 years in, and it feels like a blink later.’ ” Though he’s technically separating from the Air Force in order to join the Space Force, Crafton is pleased that his dream job turned out to be everything he hoped it would be and more.

“Honestly, the most rewarding part is mentoring other people,” he says. “I enjoy conveying life and military experiences with them, to help them be the best they can be.”

Crafton and his wife are expecting a baby in July, so as Crafton begins his new career reaching for the stars, good things are on the horizon.

“Once we’re able to start traveling again, it’s going to be the greatest thing ever,” he adds.

Having spent so much time out west, Crafton has become an avid skier and has taught his 10-year-old son Chason to enjoy the slopes as well.

“He’s been skiing since he was three,” Crafton says. “He’s my ski buddy. I feel extremely lucky to be stationed somewhere with mountains my entire career.”

He and his family also love to go camping and explore national parks.

“If we see a brown sign on the side of the road, we pull over and check it out,” says Crafton, who also enjoys biking and running.

In fact, he loves nature so much that when he retires from the

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The Windowbox Gardener Brings Floral Joy to Homes & Businesses

Story Provided by Kara Kavensky & The Windowbox Gardener Photography / Janelle DeWolf, Mallory Meyers and Provided

Starnes always had a passion for beautiful flowers and containers, and gardening was a hobby she shared by planting containers for family and friends. A local landscaper noticed her work and asked if she would plant containers for some of his clients. What started that summer with four projects led to 40 customers a few years later, and the official business, The Windowbox Gardener, was up and running.

Some of the best things in life start small.

Mary Starnes always enjoyed container gardens, and what once was merely her hobby has turned into a successful business.

The Windowbox Gardener, a custom, fullservice container gardening company, has been designing and creating custom window Starnes was also balancing a career in boxes and containers professionally for the physical therapy while the flower container past 17 years. business was continuing to grow. She stored flowers on her driveway while her gold “My first home had window boxes built minivan was working overtime, both as a in,” Starnes says. “I loved the freedom and carpool vehicle for her two young sons, flexibility of doing these arrangements. It and a key source of product transportation grew from there.” for the business. Her boys were wonderful

atCenterGrove.com / MARCH 2021 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 13

assistants, but the blooming growth of business was difficult to keep up with and changes needed to be made to continue to grow.

In 2010, Starnes met Gretchen Jacobs through their sons, who were in the same class and on the same basketball team.

Jacobs was in the real estate business and loved designing container gardens during her free time. The friends officially became partners in 2015, and they both left their full-time positions to dig in the dirt.

“The Windowbox Gardener was organically growing and I loved the concept of designing custom containers,” Jacobs says.

“We love what we do, and the transition just felt right.”

Starnes and Jacobs are very thankful for their husbands, who assist when needed and are very patient during their busy seasons.

“I have often said I would starve during the summer months if my husband wasn’t such a great cook,” Jacobs says.

The business partners’ sons, all three now in their 20s, come to the aid of The Windowbox Gardener when extra muscle is required.

The female-owned, small business, with all female employees, has consistently hired and developed over the years to meet the ever-growing demands of the business. Starnes and Jacobs both agree, “we could not succeed without the support of our amazing team of over 20 seasonal employees, also dedicated to creating beautiful custom plantings. We refer to this talented group of women as ‘soil sisters,’ and truly would not be where we are today without them.”

The staff ’s goal is to help transform each customer’s space by planting beautiful window boxes and containers, taking the guesswork out of what is needed for their property. The Windowbox Gardener is a full-service container garden design company that takes into consideration sun and shade requirements, location, and personal preferences to create a 14 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / MARCH 2021 / atCenterGrove.com

unique look. Containers are offered for seasonal change four times per year, and the business is focused on excellent customer service. The company’s daily operations require an elaborate, behindthe-scenes organizational system of advance ordering, cataloging looks, designs and colors.

In an effort to continue to focus on customer service, Starnes and Jacobs wanted to be able to reach even more homes. They saw a need in the market for beautiful seasonal flowers that could be ordered easily online. A new business, Porch Pots Direct, was launched in 2019, and it features containers selected, arranged, and delivered directly to a customer’s door.

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“Especially now with the changes in buying habits due to COVID, this business, with the online shopping experience, is now even more relevant to consumers,” Starnes says.

Porch Pots Direct allows the customer to choose the container color, size and seasonal design, and flower joy is delivered to their home or business. It’s easy to get started with a seasonal subscription of containers at porchpotsdirect.com. The owners’ primary focus with both businesses is excellent customer service and a beautiful finished product.

As a growing company servicing primarily the north side, Starnes and Jacobs decided it was time to expand.

Adding Greenwood and Center Grove to the service area simply made sense. As a former resident and graduate of Center Grove High School, Starnes looks forward to seeing the businesses grow in her hometown. Natalie Underwood, a Center Grove resident, will be the new director of the southside service area and will manage all customers’ wishes.

For pricing and additional information, visit The Windowbox Gardener and Porch Pots Direct online at windowboxgardener.com and porchpotsdirect.com.

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J

osh Dowler, co-owner of Cedar Creek Cigars in Martinsville, says there is almost nothing better than a good cigar.

“It’s a great way to unplug from all of the stresses of life,” Dowler says. “You light up a high-quality cigar, relax, unwind, and just get away from things for a while. It’s wonderful.”

Dowler’s interest in cigars prompted a deep dive into the intricacies of cigar making, and he learned about the types of tobacco, different blends, and even how to properly roll them.

“The location and the soil in which the tobacco is grown, to the curing methods used - all of these play a delicate but influential role in what ultimately becomes the personality of a cigar,” he says.

Dowler’s passion is shared by his friend Bryce Elsner, owner of Cedar Creek Brewing Company. In 2019 they launched Cedar Creek Cigars, available at the Cedar Creek facility on Leonard Road.

“We began by retailing a variety of cigars ranging from well-known brands to more boutique brands,” Dowler says. “This past May, we introduced Cedar Creek Cigars.

The enthusiastic reaction from customers has been amazing.”

Dowler says Cedar Creek Cigars benefits from being part of the family of Cedar Creek businesses, including Cedar Creek Distillery, Cedar Creek Brewing Company and Cedar Creek Winery.

“It’s a fantastic group of family-run businesses that are well known and beloved,” he says. “Cedar Creek Cigars is a fitting addition. All of our cigars are as highquality as all of the Cedar Creek products.”

Cedar Creek Cigars are also sold at Smoker’s Choice Cigar Bar in Brownsburg, Southside Cigar & Tobacco in Indianapolis, The Smoke Pit in Greenwood, and Ash & Ember in Siloam Springs, Arizona.

Dowler has thoroughly enjoyed producing 18 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / MARCH 2021 / atCenterGrove.com

his own cigars.

“We blend our cigars in-house and we use tobaccos from different regions,” he says. “Over time, Cedar Creek cigars have become increasingly more popular. We work with Tabacalera Kafie in Honduras.

We collaborated with master cigar blenders and experts to complete our first two blends, the Cedar Creek Connecticut and the San Andreas Maduro. Both are exceptionally fine cigars. We keep the flavors consistent.”

The Cedar Creek Connecticut cigar is a light to medium selection.

plus ratings from Texas-based podcast Cigar Talk, as well as Stogie Press and Final Third Cigar.

“We are very proud of that,” Dowler says.

After Cedar Creek Cigars received the 90-plus ratings, they started distributing their cigars at local Indiana lounges.

“We have now started international distribution,” Dowler says. “We have a top-notch team in place in Honduras absolute true craftsman”.

Dowler is a busy man these days. He is also a hair stylist and owner of The Color Cafe Hair Salon in Greenwood.

“It has notes of hay, and has a smooth, creamy tobacco flavor with hints of light spices and roast coffee,” Dowler says. “The San Andreas Maduro cigar made second place on Cigar Talk’s Top 20 for 2020”.

“I love to keep busy,” Dowler says with a laugh.

Still, he always has time to sit down with friends and enjoy a good cigar.

Dowler adds that both cigars received 90-

“Cigar smoking has grown in popularity over the years,” he says. “People are looking for a way to relax. Sit down, put your feet up, put your phone down and just relax.

It’s also a bit of a bonding activity to enjoy with friends - a time of relaxed camaraderie without a million different distractions.”

Visit Cedar Creek Cigars at 3820 Leonard Road in Martinsville. Call them at 765-3429000, or visit cedarcreekcigars.com.

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Crystal & Jim Morse

Writer / Seth Johnson Photographer / Amy Payne

While some golf facilities may be inoperative during cold months, Morse Golf Academy stays busy helping golfers perfect their game, thanks to a state-of-the-art indoor setup.

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MORSE GOLF ACADEMY HELPS GOLFERS OF ALL AGES PERFECT THEIR GAME

“What I believe sets us apart from what other golf clubs offer in our region is the fact that we provide high quality, experienced PGA instruction while utilizing high speed video and launch monitor technology all in the comfort of a 3,200 square foot indoor facility,” says Jim Morse, director of instruction at The Legends Golf Club where Morse Golf Academy is located. “Within the academy, we have three private rooms that are each 500 square feet and have a ceiling height of 12 feet. Two of the rooms are used for private instruction and the third room is a designated Callaway Fitting Studio where we custom fit players specifically for Callaway golf clubs. The third bay also serves as a practice room for students to enable them to hone their skills.

“As PGA professionals, Crystal and I both have the common goal of helping golfers of all ages and skill levels play better golf and to ultimately get more enjoyment from the game,” he adds. “We have created the perfect environment to allow people to do that on a year-round basis. Now players don’t have to worry about spending the beginning of each golf season trying to work their way into mid-season form.

A longtime golfer, Morse met his wife Crystal, also an accomplished golfer, in Palm Desert, California, before the two relocated to Center Grove to raise their two children, Carson and Calissa, and to be

22 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / MARCH 2021 / atCenterGrove.com

closer to Crystal’s family.

“Crystal is from Center Grove,” says Morse, who spent 24 years in Southern California, the last 20 as a Professional at Eldorado Country Club in Indian Wells, CA. “She’s a Center Grove alum and looked forward to returning home to be near family while we raised our children.”

With decades of teaching experience, Morse was most recently the director of instruction at Castleton’s GOLFTEC before coming to The Legends in 2018, where he was presented with the opportunity to build his own indoor instruction facility.

Per son a l T rusts & Estat es

“We talked about how it’d be nice to have a place where we could just give our students what they need for their golf game in the winter months,” he says. “Ted Bishop, who is General Manager and part owner at The Legends, was kind enough to allow us to build the Morse Golf Academy right here on the property. We are incredibly grateful to Ted and the entire ownership group at The Legends for the opportunity.

“My priority in the design and concept of the Academy was to make it as real as possible to having instruction outside,” Morse adds. “Using the launch monitors and having the ball flight and data projected out onto the 20’ x 12’ Impact Screens in each room gives us just that. When you combine that with video of the players’ swing taken simultaneously from two different angles, we now give our students the best visual aids and measurements that not only speed up the learning process but make it more fun.”

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the expertise of both Jim and Crystal.

“Crystal does a lot with the juniors and has developed, in my opinion, the best Junior Program in Central Indiana, if not the entire State,” Morse says. “I, too, work with middle school and high school golfers as well as my usual following of adult golfers. Crystal and I are also a great option for couples who are looking for golf instruction.

We are just a natural fit. I’ll help out the husband and she’ll help out the wife.”

Morse simply enjoys sharing his love for golf with others.

“For me, I take satisfaction in seeing my students get better and having more fun playing golf,” he says.

“It’s a fun game, but it’s a hard one. It is addictive, it is unpredictable and there are many variables At the end of the day, it’s pretty gratifying to see golf making someone a little happier.”

The Legends Golf Club is located at 2555 North Hurricane Road in Franklin. You can learn more about the Morse Golf Academy by visiting TheLegendsGolfClub.com, or by calling 317-736-8186.

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TRUE IMPACT RUSS MILLIGAN LEAVES A LASTING LOCAL LEGACY Writer / Kevin Conrad Photographer / Erin Kay

The Center Grove community suffered a great loss with the passing of Center Grove High School (CGHS) chemistry teacher and Hall of Fame softball coach Russ Milligan. Milligan passed away on February 10 due to complications from COVID-19. He taught for 31 years at CGHS and coached the Trojan softball program for 27 years.

Milligan built a powerhouse softball program at CGHS, winning five state titles during his tenure. Gabe Moran, a 1998 CGHS graduate and four-year softball player under Milligan, says he was intense, but also had a big heart for his players.

“He was very strict during practices,” Moran says. “He preached how you practice is how you will perform during a game. You would hear it if you did something wrong, but also were praised for good plays. You hustled on every play. He was rough on the edges, but really he was just a big teddy bear. If you gave it your all, then that’s all he could ask. After our victories, he would lighten up and make wisecracks at us. During my senior year, we danced to the ‘Macarena’ song after each victory. He would join in.”

“They were both incredibly softball-smart,” Moran says. “Both would feel like getting sick before each game. They both would say sarcastic things to one another to make each other laugh. They both recognized each player’s strengths and optimized each player’s ability, which gained more confidence in each player. They were like two peas in a pod.”

Moran, now a sixth-grade teacher at Clark-Pleasant Middle School, says Milligan had a big influence on her during her playing days, but after she lost her dad, he became even more instrumental in her life.

“He became a mentor to me, and later a friend or a second dad,” Moran says. “Coach Milligan was the first person to show up at my mom’s house after what had happened to my dad, and he was there for me and my family. He would contact me and we would go to dinner or grab a drink, and reminisce about my dad. The first softball season after my dad passed, he asked me to help out During Moran’s senior year, she helped the Trojans win the 1998 with the team. It felt special and it made me feel closer to my dad. state championship. The season was extra special for Moran because I coached for two seasons. I cherish our victory dinners after the her dad, John Moran, was Milligan’s assistant coach. He coached for games. He toasted to my dad each time. I later took the assistant 14 seasons with Milligan until his death in October of 2011.

26 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / MARCH 2021 / atCenterGrove.com

varsity job in Whiteland for three seasons, where I mentored and used what I learned from Milligan and my dad to coach those girls.

As a teacher I try to push my students to their best ability in the classroom.”

Retired chemist and Center Grove softball super-fan Jerry Koester is coming up on his twenty-seventh season of following and supporting Trojan softball. He spent 24 years as Coach Milligan’s number-one fan, attending all the home and away games. Koester says Milligan was a one-of-a-kind person.

his success as a coach. Many chemistry students have told me his classroom teaching changed their lives.’ Russ then said, ‘Jerry, I’ll never forget that because I never hear that.’ Of course, being a former chemist who was inspired by my high school chemistry teacher, I knew he’d appreciate hearing that.”

Moran says Milligan accepted everyone for who they were.

“He wanted the best for all of his players,” Moran says. “He will be deeply missed by all that he impacted.”

“After the senior-night game each season, Russ would honor each senior by speaking from the heart about how much each senior meant to the program and to him,” Koester says. “I witnessed 24 senior nights and 100% of them brought Russ to tears. He couldn’t hide how much he truly loved these girls.”

Koester shares his thoughts on Milligan’s legacy.

“After Russ was inducted into the Indiana Softball Hall of Fame, he was honored at halftime of our first football game the following season,” Koester says. “When he and [Milligan’s youngest son] Alex walked up to me, I shook his hand and looked him in the eye and said, ‘Alex, I want you to know your dad’s legacy is more than

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only my wife, but my in-home nurse and caretaker. She is a saint. My kids would do anything I ask of them. Both of our parents would be here at a moment’s notice if we needed them. I can’t say enough about the support I have from our families.”

The Center Grove community has provided Mueller and his family a helping hand as well.

VOICE OF THE TROJANS Family and Community Rallying Behind Jason Mueller Amidst Health Battles

“I cannot say enough about how the community has stood behind us and supported us through this whole ordeal,” Mueller says. “When I first got sick, my brother Ryan started a Plumfund page. I also had a meal train started. We turned it into a gift card train for Hannah as she drove back and forth from the hospital.

She had gift cards to stop and grab a bite to eat, which took away the need for her to go home and make dinner. Hannah Sanders, Center Grove dance team assistant coach, started a GoFundMe page. Michele Coffey and Jake Stiles also started the #JasonStrong campaign.

They have yard signs and apparel with the hashtag on it and the proceeds come directly to us. My wife started an Amazon Wish List of things we could use at the house to help.”

“Most recently, Erin Smith from Spotlight Strategies, and the coordinator of the Rock the Block run, told me they are dedicating this year’s event to me, and all proceeds will go to benefit us as well,”

Mueller, 45, has been battling ulcerative colitis and pancreatitis for two years, and was recently diagnosed with colon Center Grove High School (CGHS) 1994 cancer. Mueller needs surgery to have his graduate Jason Mueller is known as the colon and part of his pancreas removed.

Voice of the Trojans. Mueller’s voice has However, the surgery is on hold until he been heard over the public address system regains enough strength. at Center Grove football, basketball and softball games for more than a decade. He During these trying and difficult is also a teacher who makes a difference times, Mueller says his family has been in the lives of youth every day. He has incredibly supportive. taught fifth grade at West Grove and Sugar Grove, and is in his second year as “I have an ‘A-plus’ family,” he says. “I the physical education teacher at Walnut wouldn’t be here without them. My wife Grove.

Hannah takes care of me. She is not Writer / Kevin Conrad Photography Provided

atCenterGrove.com / MARCH 2021 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / 29

Mueller continues. “I will never be able to repay this community for what they have done for me.”

One of the many students Mueller has impacted through his teaching is Jovan Swann. A 2016 CGHS graduate, Swann helped the Trojans win a football state title in 2015 and just concluded his college football playing career - one year at Indiana University and four seasons at Stanford.

“Aside from my parents, there are not too many people that have taught me as many life lessons as my fifth-grade teacher,” Swann says. “Mr. Mueller has been one of a kind when it comes to influence and support over my many years being a student-athlete.

I will never forget how helpful and supportive he has been to me from the days I stepped into his homeroom at West Grove, throughout my playing days at Center Grove, Stanford and Indiana, and now as I prepare for the NFL draft.”

“When it came to Friday nights, playing ball for Center Grove, I speak for my class of seniors and many others when I say this - the tone he set for the football games and the excitement he brought to the table are unrivaled,” Swann adds.

“I hope and pray he recovers from the trouble his body is facing, and that he can get back to doing what he does best and loves to do.”

For more info on Mueller’s health journey, visit voiceofthetrojans.com.

30 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / MARCH 2021 / atCenterGrove.com

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