A fixture in Crystal City athletics has moved on.
Ken Jones resigned in June as Crystal activities director and director of transportation and is the new transportation director for the Ste. Genevieve R-II School District. Jones, 47, oversees about 40 employees, including bus drivers and mechanics, and manages an expanded fleet through the district’s recent acquisition of Fallert Bus Service, Inc.
“I left Crystal on great terms,” Jones said. “It’s been an emotional month for me.”
Jones started teaching and coaching at Crystal City at age 23 and became invaluable at both. He was AD for nine years, director of transportation for 10 years and a special education teacher for 12 years. He coached the girls basketball program, at one time including his daughters Maebry and Makenna, to four district titles and the 2012 state Class 3 quarterfinals. He was the head boys and girls cross country coach for 15 years and led the girls to a Class 1 state championship in 2015, and two other top-four finishes. Jones was varsity assistant baseball coach for nine years, including in 2010, when he helped head coach Matt Holdinghausen (recently retired as district superintendent) lead the Hornets to the Class 2 state crown. Jones also coached track and field with Dan Ridgeway for one season in 2006 and the girls grabbed the Class 2 title.
“The reason I coached track that year was because I knew distance running,” he said.
“It was an absolutely wonderful and blessed 23 years. I will forever care (for) and consider myself part of the district. I’ll always pay attention to it and think the best of it.”
Jones plans to continue to live in Crystal with his wife, Lindsay and Makenna, who graduated from Crystal City this spring and will attend Jefferson College. Maebry was recently hired by the Hillsboro R-2 School District to teach fifth grade and be the head JV girls basketball coach.
“I’ll get my basketball fix that way,” Ken said. “I’ll be watching (Maebry), critiquing her. The timing worked out. Both kids have graduated and the situation in Ste. Gen was what I was looking for during the waning part of my career. I couldn’t pass it up.”