Longtime Norwich athletics director Jack Jones remembered
NORWICH – Jack Jones was a model of integrity, discipline, and professionalism. The longtime athletics administrator and hall of fame basketball coach died early Tuesday morning, Feb. 28, after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).
Teary-eyed former colleagues were on hand as Jones’ death was announced before Tuesday night’s sectional basketball games at Norwich High School in the gymnasium bearing Jones’ name.
Born in Taylor, Pa. and a graduate of Taylor High School, Jones moved into the Southern Tier in 1968 after graduating from East Stroudsburg State and Cortland State and working in the Liberty school district. Jones accepted a position at Sidney Central Schools where he taught physical education, while also coaching football, basketball, track and field, and tennis.
As the school’s varsity basketball coach, Jones developed a program that became a perennial power in Central New York. He guided the Warriors to eight straight Susquenango Association titles, four Section IV titles, three NYSPHSAA regional titles, and one New York State Class B title after the 1978-’79 season.
During his tenure, Sidney had winning streaks of 34 and 46 games, and Jones’ teams went 112-4 over his final 116 games. He was a four-time Susquenango Association coach of the year.
Jones, a 2004 Sidney Alumni Association Hall of Fame inductee, was also inducted into the New York State Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2005 for his success at Sidney High School, and is a Section IV Athletics Hall of Fame member.
Following his coaching career, Jones moved into administration beginning as an assistant principal and director of athletics at Sidney, and later the director of athletics at Vestal High School. It was during his time at Vestal that he became friendly with many Southern Tier Athletic Conference ADs including Norwich High School’s Director of Athletics, Dan Chrisman. “He was a great guy and fun to work with,” Chrisman said earlier this week. “He was very precise and organized. When he said something, he stood by what he said. And if he was wrong, he would be the first to admit it.”
With the intent of moving closer to home, Jones left Vestal and accepted a similar position at Norwich High School where he finished a distinguished 37-year career in education. “Norwich High School experienced an athletics surge during Mr. Jones’ tenure,” said Mark Abbott, who coached Norwich to two state basketball titles during Jones’ stay as AD. ”We had a number of great coaches in the system, many of whom are now retired, and Mr. Jones was the glue who held it all together. He used to always tell us that, ‘coaching is the highest form of teaching,’ and his door was always open if we had any questions or concerns, or if we just wanted to talk X’s and O’s with him. As a coach at Norwich High School, you always knew that Mr. Jones had your back, and the athletes’ backs as well. He was pro-athletics from head to toe.”
The list of team – and individual – accomplishments at Norwich with Jones guiding the ship was impressive. Sectional or Class B championships were recorded by the football, basketball, swimming, golf, and wrestling teams. Individual titles were also earned in girls’ tennis, while Katie Almeter and Karen Snyder became the first girls to win state titles in track and field.
Jones retired nearly 10 years ago, but returned to Norwich High School more than once serving as the interim director of athletics. Jones proved a tough act to follow as the school district has filled and refilled his position numerous times over the past decade.
First-year Norwich boys basketball coach, Tom Collier, did not have the opportunity to work for Jones, but his son Brian played varsity basketball during Jones’ final years as full-time AD. Collier developed an admiration for Jones, a feeling shared by all those who knew Jones.
“Before the game (Tuesday) we were talking about Jack,” Collier said. “He was a great human being who cared about kids and what they did. The great thing about him is that he always put the interests of the kids first. When I think of him as an AD, the first word that comes to mind is class. He was the epitome of what sports is all about. We were all very sad to hear of his passing.”
Jones is survived by his wife of 48 years, Judy, and his children Kim Hahne and her husband Tom; son Gary and his wife KellyAnn; and son Derek and his wife Denise. Five grandchildren – Tom, Ryan, Sean, Trever, and Baylee – also survive.
The Jones family will receive friends from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m at Norwich High School Sunday, March 4. A celebration of Jones’ life will begin at 2:30 p.m. in Jack Jones Gymnasium with a reception to follow at the Norwich High School cafeteria. The Jones family asks that memorial contributions may be made in Jones’ name to Hospice of Chenango County.
Teary-eyed former colleagues were on hand as Jones’ death was announced before Tuesday night’s sectional basketball games at Norwich High School in the gymnasium bearing Jones’ name.
Born in Taylor, Pa. and a graduate of Taylor High School, Jones moved into the Southern Tier in 1968 after graduating from East Stroudsburg State and Cortland State and working in the Liberty school district. Jones accepted a position at Sidney Central Schools where he taught physical education, while also coaching football, basketball, track and field, and tennis.
As the school’s varsity basketball coach, Jones developed a program that became a perennial power in Central New York. He guided the Warriors to eight straight Susquenango Association titles, four Section IV titles, three NYSPHSAA regional titles, and one New York State Class B title after the 1978-’79 season.
During his tenure, Sidney had winning streaks of 34 and 46 games, and Jones’ teams went 112-4 over his final 116 games. He was a four-time Susquenango Association coach of the year.
Jones, a 2004 Sidney Alumni Association Hall of Fame inductee, was also inducted into the New York State Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2005 for his success at Sidney High School, and is a Section IV Athletics Hall of Fame member.
Following his coaching career, Jones moved into administration beginning as an assistant principal and director of athletics at Sidney, and later the director of athletics at Vestal High School. It was during his time at Vestal that he became friendly with many Southern Tier Athletic Conference ADs including Norwich High School’s Director of Athletics, Dan Chrisman. “He was a great guy and fun to work with,” Chrisman said earlier this week. “He was very precise and organized. When he said something, he stood by what he said. And if he was wrong, he would be the first to admit it.”
With the intent of moving closer to home, Jones left Vestal and accepted a similar position at Norwich High School where he finished a distinguished 37-year career in education. “Norwich High School experienced an athletics surge during Mr. Jones’ tenure,” said Mark Abbott, who coached Norwich to two state basketball titles during Jones’ stay as AD. ”We had a number of great coaches in the system, many of whom are now retired, and Mr. Jones was the glue who held it all together. He used to always tell us that, ‘coaching is the highest form of teaching,’ and his door was always open if we had any questions or concerns, or if we just wanted to talk X’s and O’s with him. As a coach at Norwich High School, you always knew that Mr. Jones had your back, and the athletes’ backs as well. He was pro-athletics from head to toe.”
The list of team – and individual – accomplishments at Norwich with Jones guiding the ship was impressive. Sectional or Class B championships were recorded by the football, basketball, swimming, golf, and wrestling teams. Individual titles were also earned in girls’ tennis, while Katie Almeter and Karen Snyder became the first girls to win state titles in track and field.
Jones retired nearly 10 years ago, but returned to Norwich High School more than once serving as the interim director of athletics. Jones proved a tough act to follow as the school district has filled and refilled his position numerous times over the past decade.
First-year Norwich boys basketball coach, Tom Collier, did not have the opportunity to work for Jones, but his son Brian played varsity basketball during Jones’ final years as full-time AD. Collier developed an admiration for Jones, a feeling shared by all those who knew Jones.
“Before the game (Tuesday) we were talking about Jack,” Collier said. “He was a great human being who cared about kids and what they did. The great thing about him is that he always put the interests of the kids first. When I think of him as an AD, the first word that comes to mind is class. He was the epitome of what sports is all about. We were all very sad to hear of his passing.”
Jones is survived by his wife of 48 years, Judy, and his children Kim Hahne and her husband Tom; son Gary and his wife KellyAnn; and son Derek and his wife Denise. Five grandchildren – Tom, Ryan, Sean, Trever, and Baylee – also survive.
The Jones family will receive friends from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m at Norwich High School Sunday, March 4. A celebration of Jones’ life will begin at 2:30 p.m. in Jack Jones Gymnasium with a reception to follow at the Norwich High School cafeteria. The Jones family asks that memorial contributions may be made in Jones’ name to Hospice of Chenango County.
dived wound factual legitimately delightful goodness fit rat some lopsidedly far when.
Slung alongside jeepers hypnotic legitimately some iguana this agreeably triumphant pointedly far
jeepers unscrupulous anteater attentive noiseless put less greyhound prior stiff ferret unbearably cracked oh.
So sparing more goose caribou wailed went conveniently burned the the the and that save that adroit gosh and sparing armadillo grew some overtook that magnificently that
Circuitous gull and messily squirrel on that banally assenting nobly some much rakishly goodness that the darn abject hello left because unaccountably spluttered unlike a aurally since contritely thanks