Panther blue for crimson: Skinner makes mark at Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE – Chris Skinner has changed his colors, but not his passion.

Skinner, who retired last spring after 34 years as a teacher and coach at Jersey High School, has traded his Panthers blue for Jacksonville Crimsons … Crimson. He’s been serving as offensive line coach for the Jacksonville High football team and longtime friend Mark Grounds, the Crimsons head coach.

“I’ve been having a great time, Skinner said. “I’ve had a chance to get to know a great new group of players, coaches and conference”

At Jersey, Skinner was the head football coach for five seasons, the head bowling coach for 12 seasons and the head wrestling coach for 10 seasons> He also assisted with football, the baseball team, softball and track. At Jacksonville, he’s sticking to football only.

Skinner and the Crimsons have advanced to the IHSA Class 5A playoffs with a 6-3 record and will travel to Metamora on Saturday for their postseason opener.

While football is football, no matter where you coach it, Skinner said there have been adjustments.

“The Central State Eight is a different conference and I had to get used to different teams after all those years in the (Mississippi) Valley,” Skinner said. “This season, our three losses were all to conference teams that are state-ranked. Week in and week out, it’s a challenge. The Central State Eight is a speed conference and the Valley is more of a punishing conference.

“The challenge every week helps you get prepared for the playoffs.”

With four Springfield high schools and two based in Decatur, the Central State Eight Conference has a larger-community look that the MVC. Other conference teams include Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Rochester, Chatham Glenwood, Decatur MacArthur, Springfield, Normal University, Decatur Eisenhower, Springfield Lanphier and Springfield Southeast.

“We’re the more rural school in this conference,” he said. “Next year, Lincoln is coming back in and down the line Peoria Notre Dame is coming in and they’re probably going to split into two divisions.”

The Crimsons’ losses were to Sacred Heart-Griffin, Rochester and Glenwood. SHG is ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, Rochester is No. 6 in 4A and Glenwood is No. 9 in Class 6A.

“We took care of business in the other games, but if we had been able ot get one more win, we could have had a home playoff game in the first round,’ Skinner said.

If  the Crimsons can win their opener at Metamora, they could face Mahomet Seymour in the second round. Former Jersey head coach Jon Adkins is in his fourth season as head coach at M-S.

Skinner, a 1983 graduate of Roxana High School, was a lineman for the late Charlie Raich. His senior season, the Shells finished  second in the IHSA state football Class 4A playoffs. Also, during his time there, the Shells won three straight MVC championships.

Going to Jacksonville is a familair trek for Skinner. After graduating from high school, he went to Illinois College in Jacksonville, where he played football four seasons.

He remained in contact with former Blueboys teammate and one of those former teammates, Grounds, approached him about coaching for the Crimsons.

“Mark and I have stayed in touch for over 30 years,” Skinner said. “He and I played at IC together. At Jerseyville, we used to play Jacksonville in our season opener for several years. In fact, Mark got his first win as a head coach against us.”

Skinner also was a teammate at IC with Jacksonville assistant coach Mike Sullivan.

Skinner, who lives in Jerseyville, works with JHS in-school detention as well. At Jersey, he taught history, government, economics and physical education.

He makes the 45-minute drive every morning to Jacksonville.

“It’s not bad at all,” Skinner said. “I usually leave my house by 6. It’s a good drive for a Diet Pepsi and good music. I get to school by 7.”

When meetings, practice or games occasionally mean late nights, Skinner has a standing reservation for an overnight room – at Grounds’ house.

“It works out great,” Skinner said with a laugh. “It’s nicer than just slumming on someone’s couch in college.”

While he’s enjoying his role as a Jax assistant coach, Skinner said there aren’t any plans to extend his coaching duties during other seasons. His stepdaughter, Sammie Malley, a two-time Telegraph Prep Bowler of the Year,  is a freshman bowler at Columbia College in Missouri.

“We want to be able to travel and watch Sammie bowl,” he said. “Plus, I think want time to be in a deer stand or on a golf course.”