This past weekend I received word of the passing of former SVHS coach and educator, Jerry Hart. Mr. Hart was a staple of the local sports scene for many decades for virtually all sports at all levels until his retirement. Perhaps most notably, (I say perhaps because no doubt area residents will have their own memories of Mr. Hart) he was the head football coach for SVHS from 1969-1981.

There is an old sports adage of never wanting to replace a legend. That was Mr. Hart’s task when he came to Star Valley after a two-year head coaching job in Green River. He was following Lew Monsen who had teams that dominated most of the 1960s. In 13 seasons, Jerry won 83 games and officially, a pair of championships. I say officially because the post-season of that era was a bit screwy or non-existent. On top of that, it was the practice of the Wyoming postseason to take just the top team from each conference. To give you an idea of how that would affect our last season, just imagine the Cody Broncs being done while Star Valley would have faced Douglas in the championship game. My point is, Mr. Hart may very well have won several more championships if his teams had been afforded the chance.

On top of that, he also coached the Star Valley Braves basketball team for a pair of seasons in 1970 and 1971 where he had a 24-17 record. I was always impressed by how long Mr. Hart held down the head football job too. In a sports-hungry community there is always criticism and to win for that long is remarkable to me.

Mr. Hart is someone I always felt deserved a spot in the Wyoming High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. They looked at his career but didn’t agree. I think they’re dead wrong.

In addition, I had Mr. Hart for multiple classes as a student from Physical Science, to P.E. to Drivers Education, I still remember and do things he taught me in school.

As a son, grandson and brother of teachers, I know that one of the more gratifying things that can happen is to have a former student strike up a conversation and say hello or give a compliment on how they affected their lives. I’m sure that as people reflect on Jerry Hart, they will have their own share of those types of memories. I had the chance to talk to him as he endured brutal health challenges after his retirement and I was always appreciative of his advice. Now, I will stop “milling around” and get back to work as I was told more than once. Thank you Mr. Hart, you made a difference around here.