Jorgensen receives national honor

Flathead’s Paul Jorgensen has been named the national girls cross country coach of the year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.

Jorgensen, the Flathead girls coach since 1979, has won 13 state championships, coached seven runner-up teams, coached three third place teams and has been MCA Coach of the Year 13 times. He has also coached numerous individual champions, including four-time Montana state champion and former Foot Locker National Champion Zoe Nelson.

He was named National Coach of the Year for boys cross country in 2008.

His name was submitted by Ralph Halvorson, executive director of the Montana Coaches Association.

“This is probably the best honor you could get. You are competing against all the other coaches in the U.S.,” Jorgensen said.

“We’ve been successful here and we’ve been recognized for our success.

“We’ve been rather fortunate over the years to have great runners.

“We’ve had good kids, great people helping out, assistant coaches.

“My wife (Jeannie), who has coached the feeder program, has been very helpful,” he added.

“She relates well to kids. Kids seem to love her. I would have to make note of that as far as one of reasons (for Flathead’s success).”

Among the criteria for the award are longevity, success and involvement (“All the other little things that go along with what you do,”) he said.

“(Coaching) is a lot of work, a lot of time. You aren’t doing it for the money for sure. When the kids know that, it really helps.”

Jorgensen has nearly 40 years of experience — he started in 1972 with the boys.

Jorgensen will be recognized Aug. 5 during the Montana Coaches Association clinic in Great Falls.

Also being recognized as a 2010 NHSACA National Coach of the Year is Billing Senior head volleyball coach Jeff Carroll.

In the past few years, Browning’s Randy Sheppard won the award for boys cross country (2007) and Mike Reynolds of Cut Bank won it for girls track and field (2009). 

“Montana has been well-represented,” Jorgensen said.

“This is for all the kids I’ve coached. We’ve had almost 50 kids go on and compete at the college level — the majority with an athletic scholarship.”

Locals being honored as MCA Coaches of the Year for spring sports are Polson’s Bob Gunderson for girls track and field and Larry Smith for softball.