Post by The Admin on May 21, 2020 14:16:12 GMT -6
Former Majors skipper Jensen new Pacers softball coach
www.enidnews.com/sports/local_sports/former-majors-skipper-jensen-new-pacers-softball-coach/image_3418035e-1ffe-534c-8b3b-e8172376ca2d.html
www.enidnews.com/sports/local_sports/former-majors-skipper-jensen-new-pacers-softball-coach/image_3418035e-1ffe-534c-8b3b-e8172376ca2d.html
There will be a familiar face in the Enid Pacers’ dugout this upcoming fast pitch softball season.
Former Enid Majors head coach Chris Jensen’s hiring as the Pacers’ new head coach was formally approved earlier this week by the Enid Public Schools Board of Education. Jensen will be taking over a program that went 14-81 the past three years under Danielle Smith, who recently resigned.
Jensen, who also teaches U.S. government and advanced U.S. government courses at Enid High School and has served as the 8th-grade football head coach the past two seasons, said he was ready to get back into coaching after taking a year off to focus on family.
“I got out of baseball last year because I had a lot of things going on,” Jensen said Wednesday. “My mom was terminal with cancer. She wound up passing away two months ago. I’ve lost three grandparents in a year-and-a-half, and I just wanted to be around family more.”
Jensen said he drove every weekend to Norman to be with his parents during the difficult time. “I knew that day was coming, and it unfortunately came,” he said.
Jensen said when the job became available he applied right away and was “pretty thrilled” to get the opportunity to coach again.
“This is kind of the opportunity to get me going again,” he said. “I’m excited for the opportunity. I’ve coached Enid softball two different times as an assistant.”
Enid Public Schools Athletic Director Billy Tipps said he liked the way Jensen ran the eighth-grade football program and sees him bringing similar qualities to the Pacers.
“He’s got a great work ethic and the right demeanor,” Tipps said Wednesday. “He’s got experience and we felt really strong about his character and what he could bring to the softball program.
“His knowledge of softball and baseball will help take our program to the next level,” he said.
Tipps acknowledged the Pacers program has struggled, but had praise for its former coach.
“Danielle did a good job of bringing it a little further along and we can keep bringing it a little further along still,” Tipps said. “We can continue to get better.”
Jensen is confident the Pacers can have success.
“I am privileged to get this opportunity,” he said. “These girls can win and we will prove that while having fun making memories. All sports begin and end with fundamentals.”
He said his first objective will be to get players out for the team and take it from there.
“We’re going to get down to fundamentals and some organizational stuff at practice,” he said. “Just make sure the girls know the game.”
In a way, the Pacers head coaching position brings Jensen full circle in his career at EHS. He was first hired in 2002 to be an assistant softball coach.
He takes over the Pacers’ helm — he will coach both the fall fast pitch and spring slow pitch teams — after a successful run with the Enid Majors.
With the Majors, he was part of a national championship and six state championship teams. He was an assistant coach on the Majors’ 2005 American Legion national championship team as well as its four American Legion state championships. He guided the Majors to back-to-back Connie Mack state championships in 2015 and 2016.
The Pacers can officially begin practice on July 15 and will have a new artificial turf that was recently installed at Pacer Field at Meadowlake Park.
“The new turf is really nice,” Jensen said. “All the improvements are good. I’m really looking forward to the season.”
Former Enid Majors head coach Chris Jensen’s hiring as the Pacers’ new head coach was formally approved earlier this week by the Enid Public Schools Board of Education. Jensen will be taking over a program that went 14-81 the past three years under Danielle Smith, who recently resigned.
Jensen, who also teaches U.S. government and advanced U.S. government courses at Enid High School and has served as the 8th-grade football head coach the past two seasons, said he was ready to get back into coaching after taking a year off to focus on family.
“I got out of baseball last year because I had a lot of things going on,” Jensen said Wednesday. “My mom was terminal with cancer. She wound up passing away two months ago. I’ve lost three grandparents in a year-and-a-half, and I just wanted to be around family more.”
Jensen said he drove every weekend to Norman to be with his parents during the difficult time. “I knew that day was coming, and it unfortunately came,” he said.
Jensen said when the job became available he applied right away and was “pretty thrilled” to get the opportunity to coach again.
“This is kind of the opportunity to get me going again,” he said. “I’m excited for the opportunity. I’ve coached Enid softball two different times as an assistant.”
Enid Public Schools Athletic Director Billy Tipps said he liked the way Jensen ran the eighth-grade football program and sees him bringing similar qualities to the Pacers.
“He’s got a great work ethic and the right demeanor,” Tipps said Wednesday. “He’s got experience and we felt really strong about his character and what he could bring to the softball program.
“His knowledge of softball and baseball will help take our program to the next level,” he said.
Tipps acknowledged the Pacers program has struggled, but had praise for its former coach.
“Danielle did a good job of bringing it a little further along and we can keep bringing it a little further along still,” Tipps said. “We can continue to get better.”
Jensen is confident the Pacers can have success.
“I am privileged to get this opportunity,” he said. “These girls can win and we will prove that while having fun making memories. All sports begin and end with fundamentals.”
He said his first objective will be to get players out for the team and take it from there.
“We’re going to get down to fundamentals and some organizational stuff at practice,” he said. “Just make sure the girls know the game.”
In a way, the Pacers head coaching position brings Jensen full circle in his career at EHS. He was first hired in 2002 to be an assistant softball coach.
He takes over the Pacers’ helm — he will coach both the fall fast pitch and spring slow pitch teams — after a successful run with the Enid Majors.
With the Majors, he was part of a national championship and six state championship teams. He was an assistant coach on the Majors’ 2005 American Legion national championship team as well as its four American Legion state championships. He guided the Majors to back-to-back Connie Mack state championships in 2015 and 2016.
The Pacers can officially begin practice on July 15 and will have a new artificial turf that was recently installed at Pacer Field at Meadowlake Park.
“The new turf is really nice,” Jensen said. “All the improvements are good. I’m really looking forward to the season.”