July 22, 2008

Contact: Paul Worstell, William Jewell College, Director of Sports Media/Broadcasting, 816-415-5959; worstellp@william.jewell.edu

The William Jewell College community is mourning the loss of legendary coach Jim Nelson, who passed away Sunday, July 20, in Liberty at the age of 83.  Services are planned at 11:30 a.m. Friday, July 25, at Second Baptist Church, 309 E. Franklin, Liberty; visitation will precede the services from 9 to 11 a.m.

Nelson coached at William Jewell from 1950 to 1990 and had the longest tenured coaching career in the history of Jewell athletics. During his illustrious career, he served as assistant football coach, head football coach, head men's basketball coach, head women's basketball coach, cross country coach, track coach and tennis coach. 

Nelson came to Jewell as an assistant football coach with Dr. Norris Patterson, head football coach and physical education department chair, in the fall of 1950. Nelson and Patterson became a team coaching high school football in Danville, Ill. During their first 18 years at Jewell, the teams coached by Nelson and Patterson won 12 conference titles and finished second six times.

Nelson succeeded Patterson in 1968, and in 10 seasons won three conference championships, including an 11-1 record in 1973. That team was inducted into William Jewell's Hall of Fame in 2007. Nelson won 290 games in 18 years as head basketball coach. With a record of 23-6, his 1957 team went to Jewell's first national tournament. That 1957 team will be inducted into the college's Hall of Fame at Jewell's homecoming ceremonies in October.

"Coach Nelson was my basketball coach, my mentor and my friend," said current men's basketball coach Larry Holley. "He was one of the most loyal people I ever met in my life, especially to the people he served under. He was such a positive person, and a great person to be around on a daily basis. He was a special man."

Nelson's remarkable coaching skills are apparent through his teams' records.  During his time at Jewell, Nelson had teams in district and national competition in all of the sports he coached.  Eight of his men's basketball teams won conference titles, with three of those teams winning the NAIA District 16 title and participating in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Tournament.  His 1960 squad finished fourth in the NAIA National Tournament, and his 1957, 1960 and1962 teams earned participation in that tournament.

Nelson's track teams finished first or second in the eight years he was the head coach.  In ten years as head football coach, the Cardinals won four conference championships and participated in the national playoffs in 1972.  Nelson's women's basketball teams brought home four conference titles and advanced to the district finals in 1988. 

Nelson also coached tennis for twenty-five years, won three conference championships and had several players in national tennis tournaments. He formed many lifetime friendships in the sports he coached. 

"Coach Nelson valued the friendships he made with his student-athletes, and loved hearing about your family and your children's activities, especially the ones that involved sports," said former tennis player and current William Jewell trustee Robert Kirkland. "I remember a tight match my senior year, on the day I learned that I had been voted by my classmates as the senior man most likely to succeed, which is named after Colonel Alexander Doniphan, one of the founders of William Jewell. I was getting down on myself about the match, and all of a sudden, after I finally hit a good shot, I heard this booming voice from up on the hill: `Nice shootin', Colonel.'"

A graduate of Missouri Valley College, Nelson played both football and basketball in college and was selected a Little All-American guard on football teams that won 41 straight games. Nelson was inducted into the William Jewell College Hall of Fame in 1997.  He was also inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame, the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Missouri Valley College Hall of Fame.

Survivors include Kathryn Nelson, his wife of 59 years, along with sons James, Jr., Michael and Thomas and daughter Elizabeth.

Click here to read the story in The Kansas City Star by Randy Covitz