Episode 71 - Jeff Hess

We were convinced we’d already had the great Jeff Hess on the pod… turns out we hadn’t, which made this conversation even more exciting. We’re thrilled to welcome Coach Jeff Hess of South Eugene High School to the show.

As an athlete, Jeff was a multiple-time state champion at South Eugene and a true phenom, setting the national high school record in the boys’ 3000m steeplechase with an 8:50 mark as a senior—a record that stood for decades. He went on to become an All-American at the University of Arizona.

Jeff began his teaching and coaching career at Glendale High School in Southern Oregon, where he coached multiple state champions, including a young athlete named Tom Pappas, who would later become an NCAA champion and Olympic decathlete. In 1999, Jeff returned to his alma mater at South Eugene, where he coached numerous individual state champions and state championship teams.

After several years away, Jeff returned to coaching at South Eugene this fall and made an immediate impact, already producing a state champion in cross country and helping reestablish the teams as true powerhouses.

We wish we’d had more time with one of the best coaches in the country—but we’ll definitely have him back. Enjoy the show!

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