The athletic career of Jeff Morris is a lot like wine. It has gotten better with age.

Morris followed up a good high school career with an even better collegiate and coaching career.

A 1980 graduate of SCHS, Morris participated in both baseball and football in high school. His best sport was baseball where he earned All-North Egypt Conference honors as a junior and led Salem in hitting with a .353 average. He also led Salem in hitting during his senior season.

Morris landed an opportunity to continue his baseball career at Kaskaskia College.

During his two years at Kaskaskia, Morris hit above .300 every season except his fall freshmen campaign where he saw limited duty. As a sophomore he established a school record that still stands for most triples in a season with nine. During his fall sophomore campaign he hit .391 for the Blue Devils and was an All-Southern Illinois Conference selection. Morris was also selected to play in the North/South Illinois All State Game held at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Morris transferred to Southeast Missouri State in 1982 where he continued his baseball career.

As a junior in 1983 Morris hit .324 with a team high 50 runs scored for a squad that went 29-10. The 50 runs scored in a season was a school record. As a senior in 1984 Morris batted .333 and again led Southeast Missouri State in runs scored with 32. His play helped Southeast Missouri State win the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship and earn a berth in the NCAA Midwest Regional.

Morris received Honorable Mention to the All-Missouri Intercollegiate Team in both 1983 and 1984.

After graduation from college, Morris has been in the coaching profession for the past 16 years.

From 1985-93 he served as assistant football coach at Paris, Tennessee High School. He then moved to Milan, Tennessee High School were he again was an assistant football coach in 1994 and 1995.

He took over the head coaching duties at Milan in 1996. Since that time he has compiled 51-13 career record. His 1998 squad went 13-2 and won the Tennessee Class 2A state title. In 1999 Milan went 15-0 and won the Tennessee Class 3A state title.

This summer he will serve as the head coach for the Tennessee All-State All-Stars in a game against Kentucky All-Stars. He served as an assistant coach in that game last year.