Jeffers returns to coach Boone cross country

Daniel Boone looked to its past to name a new cross country coach. Len Jeffers, who led Boone to the 2014 state cross country championship, has returned to coach the Trailblazers for the upcoming season. Jeffers coached 33 years including 17 at Boone, during his previous stint. He is a Hall of Fame member at both Daniel Boone and Columbia Central High School. Jeffers has long ties to the Boone program, a runner on the team's first state championship team in 1981, coached by Karl Winkle. He was also a runner in track for George Moody, who led the Trailblazers to the 1998 state title. He takes over from his former all-state runner James Garst, who coached Boone the previous three seasons. Garst accepted a position at Sullivan County Schools. He left Jeffers and co-head coach Ray Jones with a loaded roster of 47 athletes. "It is a whole new group, although I know some of the seniors and one of the sophomores," he said. "As big a group that has come out, it's a small percentage." Jeffers coached 17 individual state champions previously as well as state runner-up cross country teams in 2012 and '13. His 2022 track and field team led by state champion thrower Eli Penix and a quartet of distance runners also finished runner-up. In addition, his teams captured 11 conference, region and sectional titles. He coached over 100 all-state athletes with five All-Americans, two national champions in Adam Barnard and Ben Varghese and a national runner-up. Much of those accomplishments came with former ETSU All-American runner Ray Jones as his assistant. Jones encouraged Boone athletic director Danny Good to reach out to Jeffers when the position became available. "We met and talked about what's coming up. It's a really good team," Jeffers said. "Ray and I have always had a great friendship and a great working relationship. We complement each other really well. His strengths and mine are different so it works really well. He has his avenue he takes care of, and I have my lane." Boone has a busy schedule starting with the Twilight 2-Miler Jamb at Johnson City's Civitan Park on Aug. 7. They're also involved in such meets as Run for the Hills, Cherokee Classic and East Tennessee Classic. The 54th Trailblazer Invitational is set for Oct. 10, followed by the Big 5 Championships at Bristol 10 days later. Boone hosts the Region 1-AAA championships on Oct. 27.