Annis Enjoys Wearing Multiple Hats

ST. PETER, Minn. – The schedule of a Division III head athletic coach is a hectic one. Daily practices, bi- or tri-weekly games, recruiting trips, and fundraising are just a few of the many tasks that each coach likely undertakes for their individual programs.

However, Gustavus Adolphus College head softball coach Jeff Annis enjoys wearing multiple hats and doesn’t mind putting on a few more. He’s served in a dual role for the past 10 years, as he is also employed as athletic director in the Maple River School District. Recently though, Annis has thrown on one more layer, as he has taken one of his favorite hobbies, curling, and turned it into a commitment that has secured he and three teammates a spot in the World Senior Curling Competition that will take place in Karlstad, Sweden from April 15-23.

“It’s a lot of hours,” said Annis of his roles as softball coach, athletic director, and lead for Team Goodland. “However, I’ve been doing this long enough where I’m usually able to work a season ahead to be ready to go when that particular season does roll around. Lately too, technology has allowed me the flexibility to be in these multiple roles because almost everything is online and I can do so much of my work from anywhere.”

Except curling. Annis’s love for the sport began at an early age, backed by his hometown of Mapleton having its own curling club, despite a population of less than 2,000 residents. He has continued to play competitively ever since, including a stint as the lead on Team Farbelow that took second at the 1998 United States Olympic Trials. Annis has also served as President of the Minnesota Curling Association and has recently helped incorporate curling into the physical education curriculum at Maple River.

After a short hiatus, Annis returned to curling this past year, after being asked by Team Goodland to serve as their lead. Annis accepted, and the team has found success, earning a national title in January over 18 other qualifying teams from around the United States including Minnesota, North Dakota, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and California.

“It’s part of what I do,” said Annis of his love for curling. “Not just personally, but also as a teacher… I take pride in exposing the kids to what I think is a cool sport.”

But don’t expect curling to interfere with Annis’s passion for Gustie softball. The Gustie skipper has built a tradition of excellence on the diamond during his nine-year tenure, directing the team to an overall record of 309-128-1. In all but one season of Annis’s tenure, the Gusties have finished in the top two in the MIAC with an impressive conference record of 179-40-1, including a MIAC playoff championship last season, the first playoff title under the direction of Annis and the first time a team other than the University of St. Thomas has won the playoff crown. He also became the winningest coach in Gustavus softball history last season, surpassing former coach Tom Witty’s all-time mark of 293-211-3 with a 7-3 victory over St. Scholastica on April 27. However, these accolades don’t satisfy Annis, but rather fuel him.

“I always expect my teams to aim high,” said Annis. “We’ve built something pretty good here, and want to keep that going, no matter what I have going on the side.”

Now, with a little more than a week before the World Championships, Annis credits having great assistants at both Gustavus and Maple River that can “keep the ball rolling” during his absence.

“Sometimes the schedule can become daunting, but I’m always quickly reminded of how lucky I am to be in a job I love and surrounded by great coworkers and student-athletes,” said Annis. “Those things are what have kept me going all these years.”