Luke Glendening ‘07 is thought to be one of the best athletes ever to come out of East Grand Rapids High School. Glendening currently plays for the Detroit Red Wings, “The team I grew up rooting for and to be a part of that, to be in the locker room where so many of my childhood idols played has been really special to me,” Glendening said. 

Glendening has always dreamed of playing professional hockey, “When I was a little kid I made my mom play the national anthem, I called it the ‘O say can you see song’ and I’d make her sing it to me as I stood there. Then I would skate around my basement when she was done [singing]. That’s what I saw on TV, that’s what I wanted to do. And that’s always been my dream,” Glendening said. 

“I started in Toledo my first year but then around Christmas time I got called up to Grand Rapids and just getting around in warm-ups to see how many people I knew whether friends or relatives or people I had met casually that were at the game. It was a cool moment for me on a couple of levels one, I was given the opportunity to live a dream. It’s said a lot in East Grand Rapids, but it takes a village to raise a kid, and just to have the support of so many people that had been a part of my life was really awesome,” Glendening said. 

After Glendening’s time in Grand Rapids, he got pulled up to play for the Detroit Red Wings, where he has played for the last seven years, entering his eighth year. Prior to the Red Wings and the Griffins, he played for the University of Michigan. “Obviously my first game was so special to me because I never knew if that was going to become a reality. I dreamed of it for sure, but you never know if your dreams will become reality. We played an outdoor game at the Big House against Michigan State, which was a pretty fantastic event, and that was great to be a part of as well,” Glendening said.  

Glendening’s upbringing has played a fundamental part in his career and his attitude towards life as he said, “I am not the most skilled, prolific goalscorer, but my parents instilled in me at a young age that it’s important to work hard, whether people are watching you or not and I think that’s what I’ve tried to do. If I outwork everyone, I’ll give myself a chance and that’s all I can ask for.”

 Glendening’s perseverance is evident as he has worked towards chasing his dreams and making what so many children dream to accomplish. As Glendening’s father, Tom Glendening said, “Luke is a child of God. That gives my wife and me peace about his future. Sports don’t define him but are an added bonus along his journey. We are proud of his work ethic, his desire to keep doing his best every day, his love and respect for his teammates and coaches, and his faith he has tried to make a difference wherever God has taken him. What a great journey thus far!” 

Additionally, Glendening’s parents instilled in him, “That participation in extracurricular events was a privilege and not a right. We always tried to impress three core values: have fun, try your best, and be a good sport.” The core values and respect for Glendening’s activities have shaped him into the thankful and kind player he is today. 

Glendening’s competitiveness and hard work inspire others around him. Former high school football coach, Peter Stuursma said, “He was extremely tough, and ultra-competitive, and I loved that about him.”

An important aspect to most athletes is not having their sport define them, and Stuursma said, “Luke is a very dear friend to this day because he has always been Luke Glendening, not Luke Glendening the professional athlete.” This is important because as Glendening’s father stated, “Sports don’t define him but are an added bonus along his journey.”