SOUTH WAYNE - When Black Hawk High School and its fans won the WIAA sportsmanship award following the girls basketball team's state runner-up finish last season, Jerry Mortimer was ecstatic that the school he coached at was on the map.
When it comes to basketball achievements, Mortimer doesn't like the spotlight, but he loves the respect and honors the school gets.
Mortimer coached boys basketball for 26 years at Black Hawk and he will receive the next honor as he will be inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame Saturday, Oct. 2. Mortimer compiled a record of 374-199 in his near three decades of coaching boys varsity basketball at Black Hawk. He led the Warriors to seven conference championships and three regional titles.
"I was absolutely shocked," Mortimer said when he was informed last year that he had been nominated. "It's the ultimate honor for a coach. It's an honor for all the guys who have played for me. I wouldn't be here without them."
He is in his 28th year at Black Hawk and 14th as an elementary-high school principal and also serves as athletic director.
In 22 of his 26 seasons, Mortimer's teams finished .500 or better. In 14 of his 26 years coaching his teams had 15 or more wins.
"I was a perfectionist as a coach," he said. "I was a vocal and intense coach. Not everyone liked that. I believed if I didn't expect it (perfection), I wouldn't get it."
Mortimer will always remember his first year as a varsity head coach. Black Hawk lost three straight games and then won 17 straight. In the regional final against Wisconsin Heights in New Glarus, a power outage hit and the game had to be postponed until the following day and Black Hawk won its first regional title.
"It's probably the longest regional game in history," he said. "It went over two days. It set the impetus for the kids to believe in the program. Your first team is always special to you."
Mortimer started his coaching career at St. Dennis Catholic grade school in Madison while attending Edgewood College. He coached former University of Wisconsin player Rick Olson at St. Dennis.
He coached youth basketball two years in the Alma School District and sophomore boys basketball in Waupun for two years before taking the head varsity boys coaching position at Black Hawk in 1983.
"Every year we had a competitive team," he said. "Basketball was my passion. Those teams became my family."
Mortimer had to balance several roles as a principal and coach. He maintained a balance of roles enforcing school rules, discipline and the athletic code as well as serving the role as a coach.
"During the school day, I'm your principal and when practice comes, I'm your coach," Mortimer said to his players.
Mortimer took pride in developing a small school team with players and parents who supported the game of basketball.
"I had offers to go to other Division 1 schools," he said. "I really loved it here."
Black Hawk girls basketball coach Mike Flanagan understands that Mortimer's expectations as a coach are what made his teams so successful.
"I think more than anything it was his desire to win," Flanagan said. "He demanded a lot from his players. He wanted to be competitive. It was his desire to win that drove him."
Mortimer has been a member of the WBCA for all 26 years he coached. He served as an assistant coach in the 1993 WBCA All-Star game and was the head coach in the first WBCA Division 4 All-Star game in 1999.
During his final year of coaching at the end of the 2008-09 season, Mortimer said every school that honored him was special.
"You never know if you are liked as a coach," Mortimer said. "You are the enemy. You are the guy they want to beat. It was the ultimate sign of respect. I will really cherish that forever."
After retiring from coaching following the 2008-09 season, Mortimer made the transition to working as a color commentator broadcasting high school basketball games on the stations of Big Radio in Monroe.
Mortimer said he plans to continue as a basketball color commentator as long as he is needed.
"When I did radio, I didn't have to worry about who would win or lose," he said. "It's interesting seeing it when you are not sitting on the bench. When I retire, I will have an opportunity to step it up even more."
When it comes to basketball achievements, Mortimer doesn't like the spotlight, but he loves the respect and honors the school gets.
Mortimer coached boys basketball for 26 years at Black Hawk and he will receive the next honor as he will be inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame Saturday, Oct. 2. Mortimer compiled a record of 374-199 in his near three decades of coaching boys varsity basketball at Black Hawk. He led the Warriors to seven conference championships and three regional titles.
"I was absolutely shocked," Mortimer said when he was informed last year that he had been nominated. "It's the ultimate honor for a coach. It's an honor for all the guys who have played for me. I wouldn't be here without them."
He is in his 28th year at Black Hawk and 14th as an elementary-high school principal and also serves as athletic director.
In 22 of his 26 seasons, Mortimer's teams finished .500 or better. In 14 of his 26 years coaching his teams had 15 or more wins.
"I was a perfectionist as a coach," he said. "I was a vocal and intense coach. Not everyone liked that. I believed if I didn't expect it (perfection), I wouldn't get it."
Mortimer will always remember his first year as a varsity head coach. Black Hawk lost three straight games and then won 17 straight. In the regional final against Wisconsin Heights in New Glarus, a power outage hit and the game had to be postponed until the following day and Black Hawk won its first regional title.
"It's probably the longest regional game in history," he said. "It went over two days. It set the impetus for the kids to believe in the program. Your first team is always special to you."
Mortimer started his coaching career at St. Dennis Catholic grade school in Madison while attending Edgewood College. He coached former University of Wisconsin player Rick Olson at St. Dennis.
He coached youth basketball two years in the Alma School District and sophomore boys basketball in Waupun for two years before taking the head varsity boys coaching position at Black Hawk in 1983.
"Every year we had a competitive team," he said. "Basketball was my passion. Those teams became my family."
Mortimer had to balance several roles as a principal and coach. He maintained a balance of roles enforcing school rules, discipline and the athletic code as well as serving the role as a coach.
"During the school day, I'm your principal and when practice comes, I'm your coach," Mortimer said to his players.
Mortimer took pride in developing a small school team with players and parents who supported the game of basketball.
"I had offers to go to other Division 1 schools," he said. "I really loved it here."
Black Hawk girls basketball coach Mike Flanagan understands that Mortimer's expectations as a coach are what made his teams so successful.
"I think more than anything it was his desire to win," Flanagan said. "He demanded a lot from his players. He wanted to be competitive. It was his desire to win that drove him."
Mortimer has been a member of the WBCA for all 26 years he coached. He served as an assistant coach in the 1993 WBCA All-Star game and was the head coach in the first WBCA Division 4 All-Star game in 1999.
During his final year of coaching at the end of the 2008-09 season, Mortimer said every school that honored him was special.
"You never know if you are liked as a coach," Mortimer said. "You are the enemy. You are the guy they want to beat. It was the ultimate sign of respect. I will really cherish that forever."
After retiring from coaching following the 2008-09 season, Mortimer made the transition to working as a color commentator broadcasting high school basketball games on the stations of Big Radio in Monroe.
Mortimer said he plans to continue as a basketball color commentator as long as he is needed.
"When I did radio, I didn't have to worry about who would win or lose," he said. "It's interesting seeing it when you are not sitting on the bench. When I retire, I will have an opportunity to step it up even more."
