Legendary Athletic Director Dies

Fred Jacobeit is Remembered

By Nancy Bawolek and Donna McCoy

Our Trojan world was crushed on Sunday September 24, 2017 when Fred Jacobeit passed away. Although Fred was a teacher and coach for 34 years, he was most noted as the mild manner, Trojan spirited athletic director of Bloom for 14 years. His passion and dedication to the students and sports programs went well beyond the call of duty.

Fred arrived at Bloom in 1954 with a Bachelor degree from Iowa Wesleyan in Physical Education and a Master’s degree in Education Administration from Northwestern. He had much experience in sports as he played high school football at Morgan Park, a year at University of Illinois, two years on the Army football team, 3 years at Iowa Wesleyan where he was all-conference in 1948, and 6 years on the Central States semi-pro team; along with a year of college baseball in 1950. He married his college sweetheart, Barbara Henderson his senior year and was married for 67 years.

During his coaching career at Bloom he coached football, basketball, wrestling and was head coach of the baseball team. He taught Physical Education for the 34 years and was most remembered for his dancing classes. He also sponsored the Human Relations Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and started the Letterman’s Club.

His passion for dancing spilled over into the community as he and his wife taught ballroom dance classes for 57 years in the South Suburbs. Fred didn’t stop until several years ago when he had a mild stroke.

“Jake” was inducted into the IWU Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2016 he was also one of the first recipients of The Bobby Bell Awards which exemplifies dedication, passion, success, “giving back” and going beyond the call of duty for one of the loves of his life – Bloom Township High School.

Besides dancing and his Christian and Trojan spirit, two things people could say about Fred. One, he was a tough athlete, seen often in full gear when he coached and hitting the student-athletes as he encouraged them to hit back harder. Secondly, even in his later years, Fred could recite dates, times, points, events, individual successes from his Bloom days. He was a walking Bloom sports historian.

He followed his athletes as they attended college and beyond, often having to intercede for them with college coaches. Fred’s passion for Bloom sports never died. On his last few visit to Bloom Alumni events, he will be remembered grabbing the microphone, rallying the crowd and shouting as loud as he could… “We’re from Bloom Couldn’t be Prouder…..”

RIP Coach Fred Jacobeit; you will be truly missed but never ever forgotten!