Jones celebrates 20 years

Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow High School coach Cliff Jones was awarded a 20 year coaching plaque at the homecoming pep rally on Sept. 12.

"It just goes to show, if you hang out long enough they give you an award," Jones joked.

Although Jones knew the award was coming, he said the honor is really that he has been able to work with great kids and other coaches.

Jones coaches sports in the fall, winter and spring.

"If you actually add up the three seasons, the number is 60 and that equates to a lot of time," Jones pointed out. "So that is from the first day of school to the last day of school, I was coaching."

He said some coaches only do one sport a year, so taking on three sports for 20 years is a difference.

"It is a milestone, because there are lot of coaches that don't make 20 years," Jones said. "A lot of coaches burn out before."

Jones said there are several reasons for him hitting 20 years.

"There have been some great kids to coach over the years," Jones recollected. "I have had an excellent athletic director in Russ (Wiggam) who has been here with me from the beginning and I have been fortunate to work with some really good coaches. It makes the years of coaching go by easier."

One of the coaches he has worked with for 20 years is his wife Jackie. Together they coach the track and field team.

"You know we travel together in basketball with the boys and girls team," Jones said. "I have the opportunity to coach with her during track and field, so I am pretty fortunate I have been able to coach with her for 20 years."

Jones said he chose to come to Hanna to teach and coach. He had been in Torrington before, but came back to his hometown to get a teaching job. While waiting for a permanent position to open up, Jones was a sub and bar manager at the Lazy River Cantina in Saratoga.

"I went to work in the morning subbing and did football practice until 6:30 and then go to the Cantina and work until 2 a.m. That drive got rough and, after six weeks, I realized I had to quit something. So, I went in and told Dr. Crisco I couldn't keep it up. He called the state and told them he had a teacher for a position that had been vacant for six weeks, although not certified in math or english."

Jones said he got hired for the job and the next year he got the job as social studies teacher for which he was certified.

Jones said he doesn't see himself leaving coaching anytime soon.

"I still have the energy to do the job and with three seasons of sports, that is important," Jones said. "You think about the six day weeks it takes to coach and it does get tough, but if I didn't enjoy what I am doing with the kids, I certainly would not be doing three sports seasons."

HEM students and faculty proved by the ceremony at the HEM gym on Sept. 12, they are glad he is.