JIM JORGENSEN

Steve Virgen

When Jim Jorgensen injured his knee while playing football at Newport

Harbor High, he hardly expected it would be a blessing in disguise.

The setback gave him strength to overcome adversity, and was a

reason he became involved in rowing and sailing, which became his

true calling. The knee injury, which happened in 1965 in a game

against Corona del Mar, was also a life-saver, in a sense. He could

not fight in the Vietnam War, where he might have been killed.

Instead he went to Orange Coast College and joined the school’s

crew program. He quickly became an important part to the team’s

success, and continues to be in the same type of role but as a coach

for the OCC sailing team.

In the late 1960s he was rowing. At OCC, he was the stroke and the

captain of the crew. The Pirates lost their final race of the season

to Stanford.

“It was devastating,” Jorgensen said. “But the seeds of victory

were sewn in defeat. I came back in my sophomore year and we were

undefeated on the West Coast.”’

That meant OCC exacted revenge on the Cardinal, which especially

pleased Jorgensen. But that wasn’t the only memorable moment for him.

He helped the Pirates earn their first Pacific Coast championship at

the Western Sprints and the team took second in the national

championships.

Jorgensen earned Most Valuable Player and Pirate of the Year

honors. As if that wasn’t convincing enough that rowing was meant for

him, Jorgensen met and developed a strong friendship with his coach,

Dave Grant.

“He’s been a mentor for me,” Jorgensen said.

Also at OCC, Jorgensen developed talent and UCLA took notice. The

Bruins offered him a scholarship and Jorgensen became the varsity

captain the following year. UCLA won the varsity Western Sprints with

Jorgensen.

He earned his degree in economics, but coaching became his true

passion. He was an assistant at UCLA for three years, before moving

back to Newport Beach, where he became involved with yacht sales.

However, Grant later notified him that there was a part-time sailing

instructor position opened at OCC, and Jorgensen began his teaching

and coaching career with the Pirates.

He has taught at OCC for 31 years, and has spent 18 years on the

coaching staff for the crew program. There have been many memories.

Jorgensen is most pleased with the camaraderie and friendships

developed through the sport he loves.

“The most rewarding thing over the years was viewing not only the

students’ success in the sport, but viewing their success in other

parts of life, like going to weddings,” he said. “I’ve coached former

teammates’ sons and former team members children. I taught them, but

I’ve learned from them as much as they learned from me.”

Jorgensen said one of his most memorable moments was watching the

American flag being raised at the Rowing World Championships in 1994.

In the background, and among the U.S. eight were Chip McKibben and

Fred Honebein, former OCC rowers who were coached by Jorgensen.

“That was great,” he said.

Jorgensen recently earned the Oarsmen of the Year. He was named

the 16th recipient of the Oarsman award. The Oarsman is the most

prestigious honor bestowed upon those affiliated with crew at Coast.

The award recognizes either uncommon athletic endeavor or an

extraordinary contribution to the program.

Jorgensen, who lives in Newport Beach with his wife, Veronique, is

the latest honoree of the Daily Pilot Sports Hall of Fame. They have

one son, Clark, and one daughter, Kelly, who is expecting. He will be

a grandfather in February.

“I’ve been very blessed,” Jorgensen said. “Life is good. I’m truly

blessed.”

Jorgensen recently guided the OCC sailing team to a seventh-place

finish in Intercollegiate Sailing Association Sloop North American

championship at SUNY Maritime College in Throggs Neck, NY. To qualify

for the North American championship, OCC won the Pacific Coast

Intercollegiate Yacht Racing Association Southern Area Elimination

Sloop championships, Oct. 18. The Pirates earned a 13-point total

over six races and collected their first victory in the event since

the team was founded in the 1950s.