Jamie Townsend

Hall of Fame Class of 2011

Jamie Townsend (coach) – Jamie graduated from San Jose State University in 1969, and he holds degrees in English, PE, and Geography. His 41-year coaching career started at SJSU, where he was a graduate assistant linebacker coach in 1970. The next year, he transferred to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, to earn his Masters Degree in PE, and he also started-up and coached Cal Poly’s first men’s volleyball team. He then moved to Arroyo Grande HS, where he taught PE and coached the water-polo and swim teams. Missing surfing off the Santa Cruz coast, which he enjoyed while attending SJSU, Jamie returned to Santa Cruz County. Choosing Aptos HS as the school to call “home” for the next 34 years, Jamie taught English, Math, Geography, and PE at Aptos. He was also served as an assistant principal for five years. Jamie married Peggy in 1978, and together they raised their son, Cody (AHS class of 2001). Jamie started coaching football at AHS in 1973, serving as the Defensive Coordinator under head coach, Frank Lynch. Together, they brought Aptos its first SCCAL football championships (1978 and 1979). Jamie also coached the boys tennis team from 1977-1984, and they won our school’s first SCCAL tennis championships (1980 and 1981). These championships included a CCS Division IV Team Championship, and a CCS Doubles Championship, which remains the only CCS doubles championship in SCCAL history. In 1986, Jamie became Aptos’s fifth head football coach, and he led the Mariners to the CCS playoffs in three of his five seasons. Missing too many of Cody’s sporting events, Jamie resigned as head coach and coached freshmen and JV football for the next 14 years. As a frosh coach, he won 17 games in a row, the longest winning-streak in Aptos football history. Jamie became the boy’s golf coach in 2004, and his teams won five more SCCAL championships. His golfers also won SCCAL, CCS, Nor-Cal, and State individual titles. No other high school golf team in Santa Cruz County has ever accomplished this feat. In 2009, he accepted the interim head football coach position to allow AHS plenty of time to find a new permanent head coach, and he helped the 2009 senior football players to their first winning season in four years. Jamie was also selected as the SCCAL Coach-of-the-Year several times in football, tennis and golf. Jamie retired as a teacher/assistant principal in 2006, and as golf coach in 2010, but he is still coaching varsity football alongside new head coach, Randy Blankenship. In addition, he still serves as the AHS Advanced Placement Coordinator. Jamie bleeds Mariner Blue. Jamie was presented into the Hall by his good friend and fellow coach, Frank Lynch.