Track Coach Inducted into Hall of Fame
Jones considered a father figure by many students
Jordean Matthews
Issue date: 11/5/07 Section: Sports
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Alan Laws, who is the coach at Pleasantville High School in New Jersey has sent eight of his former runners to Lincoln to be groomed by Jones.
"I believe he is one of the best sprint coaches on the national level," said Laws. "He is someone who cares about the sport and his athletes."
Under his leadership, the men's track team won its first national title in 1985.
"I was really excited, so nervous I couldn't watch the end of the track meet because I thought something would go wrong," said Jones. "I thought the world had given me a silver platter."
Since then, Jones has been named National Coach of the Year five times.
One of his best athletes, Clive Terrelonge, participated in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain and the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta running for his home country of Jamaica. Terrelonge also won the 1995 World Championship in the 800-meter run.
"Coach Jones was probably the most vital part of my development from being a boy to a man," said Terrelonge. "It is so hard to put into words what he means to me."
Terrelonge, who still holds the Division III record in the 800-meter run (1:47.56), grew to admire the coach.
"He saved my life," said Terrelonge, who now works as an assistant track coach for the University of Connecticut. "It's kind of hard to thank someone for your life."
In addition to Jones, the Hall of Fame Class of 2007 includes Lew Hartzog, Tom Jones, Beverly Kearney, John Mitchell, Irv Mondschein, Jim Sackett and Karl Schlademan. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held Dec. 18 at the USTFCCCA annual convention in Phoenix, Ariz.
"I believe he is one of the best sprint coaches on the national level," said Laws. "He is someone who cares about the sport and his athletes."
Under his leadership, the men's track team won its first national title in 1985.
"I was really excited, so nervous I couldn't watch the end of the track meet because I thought something would go wrong," said Jones. "I thought the world had given me a silver platter."
Since then, Jones has been named National Coach of the Year five times.
One of his best athletes, Clive Terrelonge, participated in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain and the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta running for his home country of Jamaica. Terrelonge also won the 1995 World Championship in the 800-meter run.
"Coach Jones was probably the most vital part of my development from being a boy to a man," said Terrelonge. "It is so hard to put into words what he means to me."
Terrelonge, who still holds the Division III record in the 800-meter run (1:47.56), grew to admire the coach.
"He saved my life," said Terrelonge, who now works as an assistant track coach for the University of Connecticut. "It's kind of hard to thank someone for your life."
In addition to Jones, the Hall of Fame Class of 2007 includes Lew Hartzog, Tom Jones, Beverly Kearney, John Mitchell, Irv Mondschein, Jim Sackett and Karl Schlademan. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held Dec. 18 at the USTFCCCA annual convention in Phoenix, Ariz.
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