Inductees

He grew up on a northwest Missouri farm helping to work 1,400 acres of row crops as well as handle hogs and cattle. But, eventually, the pull of coaching high school basketball tugged on his sweat-stained shirt.

Then again, why wouldn’t it?

Tim Jermain was coached by Don Edwards, attended a camp led by coach Larry Holley and years later met coach Gary Filbert. In order, they … earned 824 wins and three state championships (Edwards), coached for 51 years and became the winningest coach among Missouri four-year colleges with 918 wins (Holley) and secured 470 high school victories and assisted the great Norm Stewart at the University of Missouri (Filbert).

“I learned a long time ago you learn a lot more by listening than speaking,” Jermain said.

He took all that he learned and coached prep basketball teams to 802 wins, nine Final Fours and four state championships – all in 30 seasons – and the body of work is why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proudly inducted Jermain with the Class of 2020.

Jermain spent 10 seasons at Albany High School and then 20 at Jefferson High School, his alma mater and anchor of the Conception Junction community.

Overall, he is 662-192 as a boys coach, including 494 wins at Jefferson, which has earned eight trips to the Final Four (2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2019, 2020). Four of those teams won Class 1 state championships (2006, 2007, 2008, 2019). His teams also won 18 conference championships and 13 district titles.

In girls basketball at Albany and Jefferson, he was a combined 140-29, with Albany reaching the 2000 Final Four.

This for a coach whose siblings also are coaches: Scott (Raymore-Peculiar basketball), Kevin (Richmond basketball) and Shelly Jefferson (Platte Valley softball). Their mom played on undefeated teams at Jefferson before MSHSAA state playoffs.

Albany hired Jermain out of Northwest Missouri State without having any head coaching experience. Edwards, whom he played for on Jefferson’s first Final Four team (1984), helped guide him through his first decade in coaching.

Then, when Edwards retired at Jefferson, Jermain applied to coach Jefferson and become its high school principal.

Sure, some coaches steer clear of coaching their alma mater. At some point, they’ll have to hold a hard line against parents, many who were likely friends and classmates or had some connection to their family.

Yet Jermain saw the appeal: The Jefferson Conception community shows tremendous support for education and athletic programs.

So, in the summer of 2000, he headed home. His boys basketball teams soon became box-office draws.

“There were times we didn’t have the most flash or eye appeal, but they worked really hard,” Jermain said.

Jermain’s 2001 team was his first to reach the Final Four and placed fourth. The 2005 team was a state runner-up.

His next three teams were a combined 82-3.

The 2006 team (32-0) beat Class 3’s Kansas City Hogan Prep in a late-season game. Jefferson was led by seven seniors that year.

“That game probably propelled us,” Jermain said. “Up to then, we hadn’t been pushed like that.”

The 2007 team (31-1) featured six seniors, many who had had limited varsity experience. In the finals, Jefferson beat Bell City 66-65 as Jefferson converted 10 consecutive free throws down the stretch.

A regular-season loss to Maryville in which Jefferson was 23 of 42 on free throws had led to a refocused effort the rest of the way.

The 2008 team (29-2) beat future NBA player Otto Porter, Jr., then a freshman, and Scott County Central in the semifinals.

Jefferson included Doug Archer, a University of North Dakota signee, Jermain’s only NCAAA Division I men’s player in his coaching career, as well as William Jewell signee Craig Mattson, Kyle Schieber and Kevin “The Big Smooth” Moffit.

Looking back, Jermain thanks his wife, Terri, for her support as they raised Zach, Ben, Nathan and Matt. He also thanks his parents for their support and instilling the value of hard work.

Coaches Brad Conway and Tyler Pederson also were positive influences. Jermain and Conway started coaching at the same time at Albany. Pederson is a former assistant and current coach at Jefferson.

In his career, Jermain also coached softball and boys golf, with a 275-94 softball record that includes two state championships (2001, 2008) for Jefferson.

“The rewarding thing for me is to hear players years later say they still remember something I said, that stuck with them in their lives,” Jermain said. “I’ve been fortunate.”