VanGilder twins, three other Joplin athletes sign on Wednesday
Feb. 1—Five Joplin High School athletes signed letters with area colleges and universities on Wednesday, including Draven and Drew VanGilder, who will be going to Truman State University in Kirksville to play football.
The twins have mentioned before that they bring out the best of each other on the football field. Draven, 5-foot-9, 215 pounds his senior year, played middle linebacker; Drew, 5-11, 185 pounds, was a fullback.
"It's really a blessing," Draven said about being able to continue playing with his brother. "Maybe at first I didn't expect it to be as big a blessing as it was, but I really appreciate the fact that I get to go with him and play with him another four years."
Draven will be competing for a position along with Drew at linebacker.
Drew said there is a chance the twins could play side by side at linebacker, but also a chance they would be competing for one spot: "If it comes down to it, we'll both compete for it. Whoever gets it, gets it. But I would love being side-by-side with him. "Playing against Draven (in practice) is a real challenge," he said. "Almost every running play I'm going through he's always going to be in on it. I've always got to watch out for him. I try to find who is going to be the biggest threat. Out of all the linebackers we play against day in and day out, I've always got to watch out for him because, if I'm not keeping my eyes on him, he's coming like a train and he's going to hit me hard."
"I think it's awesome playing with each other," Draven said. "We get to make each other better. Since he's an offensive guy, he thinks like an offensive player. I can pick his mind about running back tendencies. It helps me watch the plays develop and lets me prepare myself for other guys I'm going to play because he hits pretty hard."
With one VanGilder being on offense primarily and the other defense, Joplin Head Coach Curtis Jasper said the two brother's competitiveness feeds into the team.
Serafina Auberry also signed to play volleyball at Labette Community College in Kansas.
"LCC was the first school I went on a visit to and the first school I went to after I decided to continue playing," Auberry said Wednesday. "It was the first time I realized my dream could actually come true and after going on another visit, I decide LCC was where I actually wanted to play. I just liked the home feeling and a really small campus, which I really like. I know the coach will push me to the best of my ability."
Other Joplin athletes signing Wednesday were:
—Terrance Gibson, football, Independence Community College in Kansas.
—Luke Gunn, football, Bethel College, in Newton, Kansas.
