Legendary football coach Eddie Robinson once said, “Coaching is a profession of love. You can’t coach people unless you love them.”
When I think of Aurora area coach Jeff Swanson, I’m absolutely sure that sentiment applied to him. Hundreds of young men from our area lost their longtime football and baseball mentor when Swanson recently passed away.
But more than that, they lost a friend who was one of their biggest fans and supporters.
He was, first and foremost, a dedicated husband to his wife Shirley, and a dedicated father to his sons Nick, Andy and Ed. But he was also a knowledgeable coach and role model to the kids who played under him, and also to his fellow coaches.
Coach Swanson was a quiet leader, but skilled as a motivator. Using anger was not part of his persona — he did not yell or scream. But according to his son Nick, “if he ever did yell, it was time to get serious and take notice.”
Andy Swanson added that “he motivated and expected things from all the kids, and they responded to his style.”
Jeff Swanson coached football at Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Aurora throughout the 1990s as his sons progressed through middle school years there. He also assisted Athletic Director Dan Retterer with the multiple levels of sports at the school, a big job for a volunteer staff.
Over the years, he partnered with Retterer and other coaches with the football program, and was always the coach of the defensive team. He also coached boys basketball along the way, and helped with the girls program when it was short a coach.
Swanson and his wife and sons also volunteered countless hours in necessary fund-raising for the program. They operated concessions at the baseball fields and helped with the Cub Scout and athletic association pancake breakfasts.
When I spoke with Swanson’s sons recently, they had the unique perspective of knowing their dad in each of his roles as father and coach.
“We would make Mass every weekend. Dad had his values, and it helped instill values into us,” Andy Swanson said. “Family was always first, and sports and the teams were always second. He was always fair.”
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Ed Swanson spoke of his dad as a very generous person.
“Dad would sometimes take kids in here at home if they had a tough situation at their home,” he said. “We would have roommates as kids who would occasionally live here. Dad had expectations of them, but would never have kicked anyone out.”
Nick Swanson added that “he was almost a surrogate dad for all the kids who were over here, but he loved all the kids whom he coached.”
Coach Swanson transitioned to coaching baseball later in his career, volunteering for many years in Aurora’s American Legion League for 15- to 17-year-olds. It added another chapter to his time as an influential person for our young people.
“Dad started coaching Legion League baseball when I began, stayed with it when my brothers were in, and stayed even after that,” Nick Swanson said.
Shirley Swanson added that “he continued to coach Legion even after his cancer diagnosis in 2007 when his sons were no longer playing. He enjoyed it so much.”
“He continued to coach the kids even when we were done playing ball. He really had a passion for it. He kind of fell in love with baseball as time passed,” Andy Swanson said.
I asked the sons a difficult question: How would they sum up their dad for a short story such as this?
“Dad had expectations and would talk to us,” Ed Swanson said. “But it was both sides, high expectations and high praise. He wasn’t afraid to tell us that he was proud of us. He was happy and proud of us. I think he knew that he had made men.”
“He taught us how to be men, and good men at that, in my opinion,” added Nick Swanson.
The Swanson family has received many condolences recently, and Shirley Swanson shared one which came from the parents of a former football player.
It read: “Jeff surely lived a life of community service and touched so many lives. He certainly made the world a better place and will be remembered for all that he gave to so many.
“Our son remembers his football coaching and encouragement to never give up. His words and coaching made a difference not just to the kids, but to the parents as well. We appreciated the time he spent coaching, and bless him for giving his time to do so.”
Rest in peace, Coach Swanson. You will not be forgotten.
Tom Strong is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.