Jeff grew up in Sedalia, Missouri. Sedalia is small and “country.” It is divided racially by railroad tracks. He went to an all-Black elementary/high school with about 30 in his class. When he moved up to middle school, it was desegregated. Jeffrey’s athletic career began there when he was recognized for skills in track & field, and traveled with an AAU program in which he was escorted to meets in other towns. He began honing aquatic skills as a child, teaching himself how to swim in Sedalia’s “public” park pool for African Americans.
Byrd’s grandmother raised him from two weeks on until he was 13 when he moved to Minnesota with his mother and four sisters after his mom found job opportunities here. Jeff went to Bryant Junior High where he was noticed for his swimming skills. He followed up on the encouragement of a coach, Mr. Cross, to become a member of Central High’s swim team. The family lived near Central High where Jeff qualified for the varsity football and basketball teams as a 9th grader. Accomplishments included:
Football: All City in Football from 1979 to 1980.
Basketball: All City in Basketball from 1978 to 1980; participated in State Basketball
Tournament in 1978 and 1979.
Track & field: All State in Track & Field 1977 to 1980. Tied Minnesota State best time 100-yard
dash record (.96) in 1978. The record still stands today.
Won the 100-yard dash as a sophomore in 1978. Took 2nd in 220-yard dash in 1978.
Central’s Relay Team of K. Whitlock, D. Lewis, JW Hollins and Jeff Byrd shattered the MN State Record for the 440-yard relay in 1978 which Jeff anchored. This record still stands today.
Won MVP Trophy in the Bloomington Track-O-Rama meet in 1978. Won the 100-yard dash and the 200-yard dash.
MVP in the 1979 State Track Meet. Won the 100-meter dash. Won the 200-meter dash.
Teachers who had the most influence on Jefferey’s life were Mr. Cross, the gym instructor at Bryant that he beat in a swim match; the late Richard Robinson, his social studies teacher at Central; and Coach Levin Carter, who talked about life.
Coach Byrd chose to join the staff of Henry High in 2001 as an associate educator because he liked their sports programs. He joined the union, became an officer and served as credentials chairman. Jeff is currently the head track & field coach and an assistant football coach at Henry. He likes working with kids with their different attitudes and different stories. “Byrd,” as he is called by many, tells students about himself and about his son who also works in schools. The younger Byrd won four championships at USC, was in the NFL, and has degrees in African American Studies and Administration.
Jefferey Byrd Trivia
Favorite kind of music: R & B, gospel, jazz, Spotify
A favorite musician or group: Kenny G
Favorite movies: The Matrix, Action Packed
Favorite hobby/hobbies: Collecting sayings of wisdom, printing them, and passing them out to
youth such as after sport’s practice
Favorite food he likes to prepare: Porterhouse steak and potato, barbeque
Favorite place to eat out: Fogo de Chao
Favorite activity on a weekend: Fishing, listening to music, being with my significant other.
One trip, adventure, or place I would be sure to include if I were to write a book about my life:
A trip to the Boundary Waters with 40 kids. Clear and fresh water, loons, no lights, seeing the stars, fresh air, wild animals, no watches.
Questions posed to Jefferey Byrd
Coach Byrd rarely misses work. His reply to the question, what motivates you to get up and go? was, “I’ve got to be there. If I don’t, who will? They notice when you’re gone.”
Having had interests in several sports as a teen, what advice would you give parents who have a child with many interests? “Do not focus on just one sport as each sport works on different muscles. Go to the child’s events. Know his/her friends.”
What do you want your legacy to be? “Being easy going, fair, and knowledgeable.”
What is the most important decision you have made in life? “The most important decision I have ever made in my life is to love life, embrace everything that comes with life.”
What is one piece of advice you have for teenagers? “If you change something, something changes.”