Archbishop Murphy head football coach Jerry Jensen has been selected as the school’s new athletic director.
Jensen, who has coached the Wildcat football team since 2013 and served as the associate athletic director at the school, replaces Erick Streelman.
“It’s kind of one of those things that, if you can give back to your community and there’s a spot for that to happen you take advantage of that and try to help where your skill-set can help,” Jensen said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge. The timing isn’t the best. (With football and other fall sports starting soon) that’s going to be tough. But I think we can continue to do good things there with the athletic program.”
Jensen played football at Cascade under Terry Ennis, winning a state championship in 1991 and being named the Gatorade Defensive Player of the Year for Washington State in 1993. Jensen played collegiately at the University of Washington and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 1998 National Football League draft.
He retired from the NFL due to an injury in 2000 and coached with Ennis at Archbishop Murphy in 2005.
“There’s some comfort there,” Jensen said. “I think that any time you step into a new role there are going to be certain things you didn’t anticipate. I’m sure there will be some fires that I have to put out that I didn’t expect. But I’m hoping it’ll be a seamless transition.”
Jensen has a few goals as he sets out as athletic director. First and foremost, he wants to bring together Wildcat athletics across the board at Archbishop Murphy.
“I want to unite the programs,” Jensen said. “There’s been silos, at times, within the athletic world there and I think we can all work together for the common goal of providing a great experience for the youth. Getting great teachers and mentors in place to help our young kids get ready when they step out into the world.”
He also hopes to continue to improve athletic facilities for Archbishop Murphy students.
“Since I’ve been there we’ve gotten a new football surface and improved the baseball facility,” Jensen said. “Facilities are going to be another thing that we’re going to be focused on. … That will be a big push of mine: to continue to improve our facilities.”
The football coach was quick to disperse any notion that his new job will take away from the duties of the job that originally brought him back to Archbishop Murphy.
For the next three months it will be football first for Jensen.
“It better not (take away from football),” Jensen said with a laugh. “And I told them that taking the job. If one of the two is going to suffer during the season it’s going to be the role of AD. That’s why I have a strong assistant in place. I think our plan is about as airtight as can be.”
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