Along the way, coach shares life skills, too

Jerry McGinn believes in Little Green men.

Little Green girls, too.

To date, the South Lincoln Track Club, dubbed “Little Green,” has served 60,722 youth.

But who's counting?

Jerry McGinn, that's who.

McGinn planted the seeds for the club and has nurtured its growth for 41 years.

On July 9, the nationally recognized coach and speaker will travel to Cedar Bluffs for the high school football camp.

“I'm going to focus on attitude - we can choose to have a good attitude,” McGinn said.

Cedar Bluffs head football coach Mitch Egger is the reason McGinn is making a point to be there.

“I watched Mitch play at Waverly High School. He was intense, hard hitting. That's the way his father, Bill, raised him - to be a team player,” McGinn said. “You don't win team championships without ‘team.' You always have individual stars, but they're part of a team.”

McGinn said his track club participants ran against the likes of Olympians Carl Lewis, Jackie Joiner-Kersee and Florence Griffith Joyner.

“We never beat them (individually) - but we never lost to their team,” McGinn said.

While in the press box at Nebraska Wesleyan University recently, McGinn recalled highlights spanning four decades.

Club member “Bump” Novacek of Gothenburg was the first high school boy to vault 16 feet and Marty Kobza of Schuyler is still the all-time high school shot put champ.

“Kathy Travis of Lincoln Christian - she was fast,” McGinn said.

Travis started with the club at age 3 and participated for 15 years.

The South Lincoln Track Club enjoyed 19 national championships.

But not without hard work.

McGinn's a hard worker himself.

“You don't achieve success without effort,” McGinn said.

The Lincoln Journal Hall of Famer worked for the City of Lincoln for 40 years.

He is also a former Nebraska State Athletic Commissioner and co-founder of the Cornhusker State Games.

“When I came up with the idea of the Cornhusker State Games, I went to get his assistance and support,” said O. W. “Bill” Smith of Fremont. “He was very enthusiastic. Through Jerry, we got then-Gov. Bob Kerrey on board and he helped us.”

It was also McGinn's persistence that brought the World Wrestling Federation to Omaha in the 1980s.

These days, McGinn is talking with youth about the issues they wrestle with.

One of the biggest struggles is peer pressure, he said.

At the Cedar Bluffs camp, McGinn will pin down some approaches to dealing with the issues youth face.

“Drinking, smoking and drugs don't go in the world of athletics,” McGinn said.

“The athlete must focus on himself - what he does and doesn't do,” McGinn added. “I'm going to talk about setting goals - and about some (athletes) that went the other way.”

McGinn said although he plans a positive and fun speech, he's going to challenge those in attendance.

“He is a fantastic individual. He devoted a major part of his career to helping youth,” Smith said.

McGinn has enjoyed the challenges of coaching and speaking.

Typically, McGinn accepts about 80 speaking engagements a year, earning him more than a little green.

Some secrets to his success?

“Jerry McGinn always surrounds himself with the best people available. Coaches have to be special people,” said McGinn emphatically. “They're hand-picked. I want my kids to be around good people - to look up to them.”

Former track club participants are now in all walks of life - doctors, lawyers and coaches.

McGinn said many keep in touch and even come back to help the current club.

He still learns every day from the young athletes.

“Every day I'm amazed at the ability they have,” McGinn said.

McGinn gives no sign of slowing down.

“I've been running like this for 70 years,” McGinn said.