Glenn Sellevold

Glenn grew up on a ranch three miles south of Clark, South Dakota. When he was five years old, he had his own riding horse. Glenn and his sister attended a country school three miles from his home and sometimes rode horseback to and from school. The school even had a barn for the horses! He graduated from Clark High School in 1956. During high school, he participated in football, basketball, and track all four years. His senior year, the football team was undefeated! He also belonged to FFA and took agriculture classes all four years. Mathematics was Glenn’s favorite subject and he later pursued a degree in math in college. Throughout high school and college, Glenn owned horses and belonged to a Saddle Club. He competed in many horse shows, rodeos, and trail rides. He also enjoyed hunting pheasants, ducks, geese, and deer.

Glenn attended Augustana College on a football scholarship. His 1959 football team won the North Central Conference. It was the only outright football championship the school had won. He received All Conference Honors and later was chosen as a member of Augustana’s Silver Anniversary Football Team. Later on, he was listed in the Augustana Hall of Fame as an athlete. It was at Augustana where he met the love of his life, Marlene Smidt. They were married in December of 1960 and he graduated from college that same year.

Glenn’s first teaching and coaching job was in Canby, Minnesota. After two years, the couple moved back to Clark where Glenn taught and coached for six years. His 1968 football team was undefeated. Following that, they moved to Brandon where he taught and coached at the Brandon Valley High School. His football teams won eight conference championships in track and five in football. The 1979 football team beat out Sioux Falls Washington for the State Championship! The highlight of the couple’s time in Brandon, besides football, was the blessing of their daughter Kari coming to live them and the birth of their son, Mike.

After their time in Brandon, Glenn and his family moved to Mitchell where he continued to teach and coach at the Mitchell High School. There, he helped the football team win the ESD Football Conference in 1984 and 1986. The 1986 team was the state runner-up. Glenn’s last teaching job was at Sioux Falls Washington where the 1987 football team ended up as state runner-up also. His greatest thrill during that time was coaching his son, Mike, who was an All-State Football selection.

During Glenn’s time in Sioux Falls, he and Marlene were active in the prison ministry. They provided support for those in prison and would also assist those on parole. Marlene directed a church choir behind prison walls in which Glenn sang in as well for 13 years prior to retiring in Custer in 2005. He even became an “Honorary Inmate!” After arriving in Custer, he helped with the football program and worked as a horse wrangler at Outlaw Ranch from 2006-2011. He and Marlene also helped to develop a program to benefit the youth at the Starr Academy & Excel.

As you can tell, coaching and football were a huge part of Glenn’s life for 44 years. He feels honored to have been able to work with outstanding young people in the classroom as well as in athletics. Some of Glenn’s teaching and/or coaching honors include: Coach of the Year in 1979 and 1984-1986, South Dakota Nominee three times for the National Football Coach of the Year, South Dakota High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Brandon Valley High School Hall of Fame, and Mitchell High School Hall of Fame. Glenn also received the Augustana Alumni Coach of the Year Honor in 1980. In 1986, he was presented with the Teachers Who Make a Difference Award while teaching at Sioux Falls Washington presented by KDLT.

Currently, Glenn is retired in Custer and serves on the Board of Woyatan Community Re-Entry Services in Rapid City, which assists people to move from prison back into the community. He is active in the Custer Lutheran Fellowship Church and choir and the Lions Club. He still tremendously enjoys spending time riding his horses, Sweetie the quarter horse, and Dan the Arabian. He is also proud of his four grandchildren and enjoys spending time with them when possible. He is fortunate to have his children living near. Glenn believes in building people up and living by the Golden Rule. He truly believes your frame of mind, not judging, and being kind makes all the difference in leading a happy life.