2.23.17
the
News
07
REGISTER
Varsity football coach steps aside following long, storied tenure
Hay ley R a n e y
staff writer
S
ocial studies teacher and head football coach Jay Ball has
made his decision to retire from Omaha Public Schools
(OPS). The rule of 85 is the reason for his retirement. It
states that if a teacher has worked 30 years and turns 55 his or
her 30th year, then he or she qualifies for retirement.
Ball will have hit both of those marks in teaching and coaching this summer. “And I just decided it was time,” Ball said.
He has been a head football coach for 22 years. “I felt like
10,000 pounds of weight were lifted off my shoulders,” Ball said
figuratively. Ball said being a coach comes with a tremendous
amount of pressure and most of it is self-implemented.
Some of Ball’s players have asked why he has decided to retire. He just explains to his players why he chose the decision and
his players wish him well. “There’s certainly no bad feelings,” Ball
said. He also thinks the players are excited to find out who the
next head coach is going to be. In addition of coaching football
he also teaches AP government to seniors. “I just tell them we’re
going out together,” Ball said.
Accomplishments Ball feels he has made in his years are
teaching are working hard and treating people right. “I try to set
an example not only for my students and my players, but even for
my fellow coaches and fellow teachers,” Ball said.
Ball has been at Central for 11 years teaching and coaching.
He spent eleven years at Omaha North and eight years at Omaha
South. Between the football program and faculty, Ball thinks OPS
staff has improved relations over all over the OPS district.
“I also think being a coach and being in the classroom has
been a good thing, every coach I know they’re good teachers,” Ball
said. He hopes he has enhanced the reputation of taking pride in
the teaching career as both a coach and teacher.
Within his years Ball feels his years working in OPS and football he feels he has definitely made his father proud, who passed
away 11 years ago. “My dad was always about doing things the
right way and I really think that we did things the right way here,”
Ball said. Ball’s first year coaching Central’s football team he was
able to have his father coaching with him at his side.
Ball graduated from Central in 1980. He feels being an alum-
Ch el s ea J o n es
The O-BOOK
Jay Ball addresses his AP Government class. In addition to retiring from football, he will also be leaving the classroom.
ni of Central is pretty cool. He is finishing his teaching career
from where he started. “Ironically the room that I’m in 241, is
the same room that I had my last class when I was a senior and
as a teacher I’m going to end it in the same room,” Ball said.
He says he was definitely ready to give up the position as head
football coach because of all the pressure. His main decision for
retirement is finding another job making some more money. “If
Pride of a community.
I could make that same kind of money as a teacher I would, no
doubt about it,” Ball said.
He has already applied with several other Omaha school
districts and plans to get another teaching job and even a job as
an assistant football coach. As for Central, Ball has nothing but
good memories. “It’s been a great 11 years,” Ball said.
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