May 27, 2011
Yellowjacket Legend Calls It A Day
Lamoni, IA - Over60 years ago Graceland legend and Head men's and women's tennis coach JerryHampton set foot on Graceland's campus.
What ensued over the next 60 + years is nothing short ofamazing. Following his men's tennis teams'sixth straight (and tenth in the last twelve years) national tournamentappearance last week in Mobile, Alabama Coach Hampton quietly walked away fromcoaching announcing to his team after its second round loss to AzusaPacific. What happened during that 60years however, was far from quiet.
Coach Hampton was always popular with his students becauseof his sincere interest in their lives. He recruited athletes to first bestudents, and then players. He taught nearly every subject in what is now theHealth and Movement Science Division. He served as division coordinator formore than 20 years and steered development of new academic majors along theway. His work on numerous committees was tireless.
Coach Hampton says looking back now the decision to coachand teach was an easy one.
"I was influenced to go into coaching by my high school andcollege coaches and the choice I made was one of the best of my lifetime," saida nostalgic Hampton about his resignation."Unless someone has coached a team, they wouldn't understand what mycareer has meant to me personally. I'vetruly looked forward to coming to Graceland every day and have never consideredit work. What I will miss the most isthe close associations that coaches create with student-athletes both whilethey're playing and once they head out into the real world. Spending over half my life at a place I loveis something I'll cherish forever. I'vealways said if I had to live my life over again, I wouldn't change a thing,"concluded Hampton.
Graceland AD Jeff Falkner was on hand in Mobile when CoachHampton made the announcement he would be stepping down. "I still really can't believe it," saidFalkner about the Hampton resignation."Part of me wants to be happy for him and the other part of me stillwants to still try and talk him out of it.
"Jerry has done so much for Graceland and the many studentswho had the privilege of calling him coach.Someone else will coach our tennis teams next season but nobody willreplace Jerry Hampton," finished Falkner.
Several of Coach Hampton's current and former athletes hadwonderful things to say about what he has meant to them both while at Gracelandand since they've moved on. "Jerry hasalways been a second father to me," said Ed Gensler ('70) former Gracelandwrestler. "There are too manythings to name that he has done for me.He's been a mentor, a coach and I'm proud to say a friend. He married my wife Gayle (Levitt '73) and me40 years ago and helped take care of my children while they were atGraceland. It's hard for me tocomprehend Graceland without Jerry Hampton," finished Gensler.
Graduating senior Jeremy Ackerer (Connunay, France)commented on the impact that Coach Hampton had on him both as a collegiateplayer and person.
"Coach Hampton has meant so much to so many of us. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to playtennis in the states if it wasn't for him," continued a stoic Ackerer."What really made him special to me had nothing to do with what kind oftennis coach he is. What sets CoachHampton apart is the type of person he is and how he treats those around him," finished Ackerer.
Jerry coached wrestling for 22 years, footballfor 25 years and has coached tennis for 34 years. His wrestling teams werenever defeated in conference dual meets or tournaments. They won 22 of 22 HAACchampionships. His tennis teams have won 20 HAAC titles and he has been Coachof the Year 20 times. He also coached golf, track and cross country. He wasinducted into the Graceland Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986.
What ensued over the next 60 + years is nothing short ofamazing. Following his men's tennis teams'sixth straight (and tenth in the last twelve years) national tournamentappearance last week in Mobile, Alabama Coach Hampton quietly walked away fromcoaching announcing to his team after its second round loss to AzusaPacific. What happened during that 60years however, was far from quiet.
Coach Hampton was always popular with his students becauseof his sincere interest in their lives. He recruited athletes to first bestudents, and then players. He taught nearly every subject in what is now theHealth and Movement Science Division. He served as division coordinator formore than 20 years and steered development of new academic majors along theway. His work on numerous committees was tireless.
Coach Hampton says looking back now the decision to coachand teach was an easy one.
"I was influenced to go into coaching by my high school andcollege coaches and the choice I made was one of the best of my lifetime," saida nostalgic Hampton about his resignation."Unless someone has coached a team, they wouldn't understand what mycareer has meant to me personally. I'vetruly looked forward to coming to Graceland every day and have never consideredit work. What I will miss the most isthe close associations that coaches create with student-athletes both whilethey're playing and once they head out into the real world. Spending over half my life at a place I loveis something I'll cherish forever. I'vealways said if I had to live my life over again, I wouldn't change a thing,"concluded Hampton.
Graceland AD Jeff Falkner was on hand in Mobile when CoachHampton made the announcement he would be stepping down. "I still really can't believe it," saidFalkner about the Hampton resignation."Part of me wants to be happy for him and the other part of me stillwants to still try and talk him out of it.
"Jerry has done so much for Graceland and the many studentswho had the privilege of calling him coach.Someone else will coach our tennis teams next season but nobody willreplace Jerry Hampton," finished Falkner.
Several of Coach Hampton's current and former athletes hadwonderful things to say about what he has meant to them both while at Gracelandand since they've moved on. "Jerry hasalways been a second father to me," said Ed Gensler ('70) former Gracelandwrestler. "There are too manythings to name that he has done for me.He's been a mentor, a coach and I'm proud to say a friend. He married my wife Gayle (Levitt '73) and me40 years ago and helped take care of my children while they were atGraceland. It's hard for me tocomprehend Graceland without Jerry Hampton," finished Gensler.
Graduating senior Jeremy Ackerer (Connunay, France)commented on the impact that Coach Hampton had on him both as a collegiateplayer and person.
"Coach Hampton has meant so much to so many of us. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to playtennis in the states if it wasn't for him," continued a stoic Ackerer."What really made him special to me had nothing to do with what kind oftennis coach he is. What sets CoachHampton apart is the type of person he is and how he treats those around him," finished Ackerer.
Jerry coached wrestling for 22 years, footballfor 25 years and has coached tennis for 34 years. His wrestling teams werenever defeated in conference dual meets or tournaments. They won 22 of 22 HAACchampionships. His tennis teams have won 20 HAAC titles and he has been Coachof the Year 20 times. He also coached golf, track and cross country. He wasinducted into the Graceland Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986.