An Evening with Jim Tressel

Jim Tressel is probably best known as the Head Football Coach at The Ohio State University from 2001-2010. During his 10 seasons there, he guided the Buckeyes to the 2002 National Championship and seven Big Ten Championships. Prior to becoming Ohio State’s head coach, he had served as an Assistant Football Coach at the University of Akron (UA), Miami University in Ohio, Syracuse University, and Ohio State, and was named Head Football Coach at Youngstown State University (YSU) in 1986. In his 15-year tenure at YSU, including six as Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, the football team appeared in the playoffs 10 times and won four National Championships. After leaving Ohio State, Tressel went on to serve as Executive Vice President for Student Success at UA, and then returned to YSU in 2014 as President.

Over the years, Tressel has received many prestigious coaching honors, and he was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015. At YSU, he received the Heritage Award in 2008 and was inducted into the YSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013. He was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015. Jim and his father, Lee Tressel, are the only father and son to have both been named to the College Football Hall of Fame. Tressel has published two books, has given hundreds of presentations and lectures across the country, and has had extensive involvement in fundraising and philanthropy. Currently, Jim and his wife Ellen serve on the Board of the newly created James P. Tressel Institute for Leadership and Teamwork. They are the proud parents of four accomplished adults and three grandchildren.

James Starks joined the 13abc Action News team in January 2021. He was born and raised in Toledo and is a 2004 graduate of St. Francis de Sales. He then went on to graduate from Capital University in Columbus and holds a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Kent State University. While in college, Starks was a two-time All-American football player, who later played professional football for the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL and overseas in Italy. Starks started his career as a sports anchor before moving to the early hours of morning news. He’s passionate about being actively involved in the community through volunteer work. In his spare time, he likes to hit the gym, cheer on Manchester United and spend time with his family.

Steven Brinkman started life out as an orphan, entering the foster care system at 14 months old. His life was filled with adversity and hurdles, but thankfully he landed at the Anthony Wayne Group home through Genacross Family & Youth Services in 2002. After having lived the first 14 years of his life being moved through foster home after foster home and suffering various forms of abuse, Brinkman had finally found a family and a place that truly felt like home at Genacross. He went on to help start the Anthony Wayne Rugby Football Club and graduated high school as an Anthony Wayne General in 2006. His caregiving team at Genacross was consistently there for Brinkman during his teenage and young adult years, even helping him graduate with a dual degree in science education from Bowling Green State University (BGSU). While at BGSU, he also played rugby and served as the President of Pi Kappa Phi. Currently, he lives near Madison, Wisconsin, where he works as a Human Resources Executive for one of the largest rubber/tire manufacturers in the world. He is engaged to be married and is the father of three children.