JERSEY - Chris Skinner, offensive line football coach at Jacksonville High School, will be inducted into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame, becoming only the fourth coach from Jersey County to receive this honor in over 125 years of high school football in the region.
Skinner was a long-time multiple sports coach at Jersey Community High School.
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The announcement was made earlier this week, recognizing Skinner's extensive coaching career and contributions to the sport and community. Skinner expressed a mixture of surprise and gratitude upon learning of his selection, noting the overwhelming support he has received from former players, colleagues, and friends.
“Everybody knows you don’t get into coaching for money, but to help develop kids and make them good football players and good people who grow up and be good employees, good husbands, good fathers, and good people in society. Watching the kids grow and mature over time makes it all worthwhile,” Skinner said.
Skinner’s coaching career spans multiple sports and decades. He has coached football for several seasons throughout his career, baseball for 15 years, track for seven to eight years, bowling for several years in Jersey, served as the head wrestling coach for 10 years, and is currently also is an assistant girls' basketball coach. He is in his fourth year coaching at Jacksonville, having previously coached at Jersey High School.
Reflecting on his journey, Skinner highlighted the relationships he has maintained over the years, including longtime collaborations with colleagues like Mark Grounds, his college teammate and current Jacksonville head coach. Skinner also recounted conversations with former players and friends, emphasizing the lasting impact of coaching beyond the field.
“It is very humbling,” he said of the recognition, adding that the past week has been eventful personally, with the birth of his sixth grandson and his daughter participating in a tournament in Las Vegas.
Skinner credited his own mentors, including coaches Charlie Raich and Bill Smith, and colleagues such as Dan Bowman, Bill Breden, Dick Bidlack, Gary Carter, Dave Jacobs, Ric Johns, Mark Grounds, and Neal Taylor, for shaping his approach to coaching. He described coaching as a continuous learning process aimed at improving both on and off the field.
Despite the challenges, Skinner described football as one of the most rewarding sports to coach.
The Jacksonville High School community and Jersey County at large have expressed pride and appreciation for Skinner’s dedication to developing young athletes and contributing to the legacy of high school football in Illinois.
