News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Rod Jones, who has coached 4A high school teams to six state championships, will lead a Sisters volleyball squad that reached the state finals in 1995.
Jones, who taught health and physical education for 14 years at Marshall High School and nine years at Gresham, is anticipating an opportunity to change his lifestyle and "re-energize" as he moves to Central Oregon.
"It's exciting but scary. It's quite a big move both professionally and for my family just to pick up and move," Jones said. "I've basically been a city boy all my life."
Jones brings a 502-72 record with him to Sisters, as well as a successful record with Nike Northwest Juniors club volleyball. But Sisters Schools Superintendent Steve Swisher noted that Jones' skills are not focused solely on the volleyball court -- he is also reportedly a top-notch health and physical education teacher.
Swisher said that he got a glowing recommendation from Gresham's superintendent for Jones as a teacher. Of the five candidates interview- ed, Swisher said, Jones "certainly stood above head and shoulders in terms of his experience.
"I think he is a very high quality teacher," Swisher said.
Jones brings an intense and focused style to Sisters.
"When you walk between the lines either in training or in competition, everything external is gone," he said.
Jones coaches his teams to focus on the ball, not on their opponent or anything else on the other side of the net.
"The wins will come if we're focused," he affirmed.
Jones will soon be in the full swing of training. He will conduct a "Camp of Champions" clinic at Sisters Middle/High School August 12-15 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for 9-12th graders. For more information on the clinic contact Brad Bulloch at 549-8003.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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