Jorgensen joins elite company
Jim Jorgensen, who rowed and coached the men’s crew team at Orange
Coast College, has joined an elite group.
The full-time faculty member at OCC was named the 16th recipient
of the Oarsman award, presented annually at the team’s banquet. The
Oarsman is the most prestigious honor bestowed upon those affiliated
with crew at Coast. The award recognizes either uncommon athletic
endeavor or an extraordinary contribution to the program.
In 1967, Jorgensen was named captain of the freshman team at OCC
and a year later earned Most Valuable Player and Pirate of the Year
honors. That season, Coast earned its first-ever Pacific Coast
championship at the Western Sprints while also taking second in the
national championships.
Jorgensen, who teaches sailing and navigation at Coast, continued
his collegiate career at UCLA with four teammates from OCC. He
returned to Coast in 1973 to begin teaching and coached the sailing
team from 1973 through 1982. He then became an assistant with men’s
crew for the next 13 years.
In 1993, Jorgensen became head coach of the men’s team, but gave
up the post the following season. But he returned beginning in 1997
and held the post through 2000, giving him 18 years on the coaching
staff.
This fall he will return to coaching the sailing team.
Three former Coast presidents are among the previous Oarsman
honorees, along with longtime coach David Grant, whom the OCC
boathouse is named after, and several U.S. national team members.
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