Longtime PV coach receives Bob Hurley Award
Jasper recognized Thursday night
Jeff Jasper speaks after having ‘Jasper Court’ named after him. On Thursday night, he received the Bob Hurley Award at the 2019 Dan Finn Foundation Charity Gala.
Jeff Jasper is one of the most accomplished high school coaches of all time, surpassing 1,000 wins, as well as winning six state championships and 14 sectional titles in his 46-year tenure as girls basketball coach at Pascack Valley. However, Jasper does not think his accomplishments are solely based on winning.
“My accomplishments are never about the winning and losing or championships or anything like that,” Jasper said. “My accomplishments are really about all the people.”
Thursday night, Jasper received the Bob Hurley Award at the 2019 Dan Finn Foundation Charity Gala.
Breathless about all this! https://t.co/rU4mBbdTVW
— Jeff Jasper (@jasperpascack) October 2, 2019
The award is named after Bob Hurley, one of two high school coaches in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and a man who is considered by many as the greatest high school basketball coach of all time.
“[Hurley] is recognized as the best high school coach ever,” Jasper said.
When Jasper found out that he was chosen to receive the Bob Hurley Award, the excitement that rushed through him wasn’t just for himself, but for all of his teams and girls who have played for his teams over the years.
“This is the first time a girls’ coach has been recognized on the level of Hurley,” Jasper said. “My teams deserve respect and admiration for what they do and how they do it.”
Being the only girls basketball coach that PV has ever had, Jasper has fought for equality and respect for his teams for years.
“It wasn’t just girls playing basketball. [They] just happen to be basketball players who are girls,” Jasper said. “I’m always pushing for young women to be opinionated, stubborn, strong, and courageous.”
“In a weird way, [Jasper receiving the award] is bigger than one person, but it is one person,” PV teacher Ken Sarajian said. Sarajian is a longtime friend and colleague of Jasper.
The realization that the Bob Hurley Award would add to the validation and credibility of girls basketball teams is what made receiving the award special for Jasper.
“[The validation and credibility] is why it became more than just another award and another place that I was going to give a speech,” Jasper said. “I’ve been recognized for lots of different kinds of things. Out of those things, some are way more meaningful than others. [The Bob Hurley Award] falls into one of those very special categories.”
Coach Hurley reacting to my zero technical fouls ever. His line: 2200 wins and 100 techs!
Hysterical pic.twitter.com/4Ki1ZGIt8E— Jeff Jasper (@jasperpascack) October 5, 2019
After being introduced by PV teacher and coach Al Coleman and then by Bob Hurley himself, Jasper gave an acceptance speech. In his speech, Jasper spoke about more than just his experiences coaching basketball.
“I spoke about how much I love my classes,” Jasper said. “I said ‘I laugh when I say that I’m a teacher, because truly I’m a lifelong learner.’ My classes teach me something every day.”
Jasper talked mainly about the people who have been influential to him, many of whom were at the event.
“When I got done [speaking], I said, ‘So that is why this has been a life that has been well lived. I just tried to make a difference every day,’” Jasper said.
According to others, Jasper has indeed made a difference in the community.
“[Jasper] is not an ordinary person,” PV history teacher Ken Sarajian said. “He’s a unique person who has taken his talents and done good things with them.”
Jasper hopes that he has been able to “engage the community” in what he does, similar to the way Bob Hurley did.
“I’ve watched him for 40 years, and yet, he’s still Jasper,” Sarajian said. “When I came [to PV], I was a young man that [Jasper] helped mentor.”
Just as much as he has affected the community, Jasper feels he has been affected just as much by it.
“I am defined by Pascack Valley,” Jasper said. “There isn’t a life that goes ‘here’s Jeff Jasper and here’s Pascack Valley.’ My life is Pascack Valley.”
Jasper feels that he is fortunate to have ended up at PV, due to the effects the community has had on him and his life.
“I don’t think there is another place that could have impacted me like [Pascack Valley] has,” Jasper said. “I go out of here as energized in the afternoon as I am when I come in the morning.”
Receiving the Bob Hurley award was one of Jasper’s biggest accomplishments, but he said it will not change anything.
“Getting the award doesn’t change my life any, but it does validate what I’ve done,” Jasper said.
Janet ( Stuart) Murray • Oct 29, 2019 at 5:35 pm
Hi and congratulations ! I was never a student of yours, Mr Jasper, but I do remember yours and your wife’s first year teaching at PV.. and coaching the Basketball team.. your friendliness in the halls with EVERY STUDENT.. and how everyone just loved you! You changed many lives with your coaching, and just being a mentor to many students. Best wishes to you and Lois in your future endeavors !
Bruce Bloch • Oct 9, 2019 at 9:04 pm
Congratulations, Jeff Jasper. You are a great coach, who achieved being a life-changer for so many!
Norbert F Wolff • Oct 8, 2019 at 7:30 pm
Back in 1976 I started PV and met Mr Jasper as my English teacher and enjoyed watching the PV girls basketball . congratulations to a great human being!
Robert Bromberg • Oct 8, 2019 at 8:50 am
I graduated from PV. However not being a girl or furthermore playing basketball at all you would think my interaction with Mr.Jasper would be limited. Teacher…. nope never had him as a teacher either, at-least not formally. I had the pleasure of experience the type of teacher he is outside of the classroom. I was friends with one of his sons. I’ve spent overnights at his house and weekends hanging out. He is also a great father and was always someone to look up to. He was the “cool” dad both having a wrangler and a motorcycle back in the day , what kid wouldn’t want that. Eventually I got both, but there was something special (non materialistic)he brings to everyone’s life around him. Maybe because he was cool or maybe for other reasons but he was someone you wanted to be like. So you wanted to do well in school, you wanted to be a good person , a good friend and eventually a good father, because that’s the person Mr. Jasper was.
Kelly Bailey • Oct 7, 2019 at 11:56 pm
Congratulations Coach! This warms my heart to know that you got this award!
There are several phases in my life that define me, and my time as a PVHS Womens basketball
Player is right up there. I was speaking with one of my karate instructors just last week, about how important
both ‘Finesse’and ‘Basics’ are, and where I first learned those two principles.
Again, Congratulations! Much love, Kelly.
Lori Adler • Oct 7, 2019 at 10:31 pm
I was on the first girls’ basketball team that JeffJadper coached.
He deserves all the accolades – congrats to him
Great man great coach??
Al Getler • Oct 7, 2019 at 7:02 pm
Jeff Jasper is more than a teacher and more than a coach on the court. He was a coach in life. His investment in me is something I have never forgotten.
Congratulations, Coach! So lucky to have had you in my life.
Class of 1979
Joanne Donnamaria • Oct 7, 2019 at 9:10 am
Congratulations Coach. Well deserved! So many great memories playing for Mr Jasper. Memories I will never forget.
1979-1982. Joanne (Talamo) Donnamaria
Tom Steindler • Oct 7, 2019 at 6:26 am
I was one of Jeff’s first students when he took over Ms. Solomini’s English Class in 1970. We were a wild bunch of kids and he was thrown into the fire and was a great teacher. We all enjoyed him, his sense of humor and his approach to getting a bunch of kids who didn’t really care to focus, participate and more importantly learn. Thanks Jeff you truly made a difference..