Jack Jeffery

 Mesabi East

Year Inducted 1994

In 1961 Jack Jeffery was a senior at Ely when the Ely Wolves won the Team State Championship, and now 42 years later Jack is still as passionate about skiing as he was in high school.  In 1962 Jack began his ski coaching career in Ely. 

In 1966 he then moved to Aurora and was hired as the assistant coach.  The following year he took the head coach position and claims it was “quite a hassle.  You see back then the coaching entailed cross country, jumping and alpine. And to be competitive you needed a team to compete in all three events.”  He continued as head coach in Aurora until 1976 when the Minnesota State High School League made many changes.  The first was that they added girls to compete, the second they dropped jumping and split alpine and cross country into two sports.

From 1978-80 Jack volunteered at Aurora Hoyt Lakes, and then from 1981-1995 he served as the head coach at Aurora-Hoyt Lake. (Now known as Mesabi East) .

After the 1995 season Jack stepped down as head coach.  His love for the sport of skiing and teaching the sport to others led him to volunteer as an assistant coach from 1998 to the present. (2004)

His most memorable memory is from 1990 when his daughter was a senior and the girls won the State title.  And very comparable was last year (2003) when his girls team finished 3^rd at State. The pursuit race and the determination and toughness of the girls were so exciting.

Advice Jack would give other coaches is “You can’t ski fast until your technique right.”

Coaching Highlights:

1981 – Girls Team State Champions

1982 – Individual Girl State Champion

2003 – Girls Team 3rd in State

Jack was nominated “Coach of the Year” in 1988, 1990, and 1991

He was presented with “outstanding service award” in 1994

Head Junior Olympic Coach in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1993