Chris Fechner moves from head boys’ basketball coach to assistant at Cedar Rapids Jefferson

CEDAR RAPIDS — This is not a resignation in the traditional sense. Chris Fechner is not bailing on the Cedar Rapids Jefferson boys’ basketball program.

“I’m just changing the view a little bit,” Fechner said. “I’m not stepping down. I’m stepping over.”

Fechner confirmed Wednesday that he has relinquished his position as Jeff’s head varsity hoops coach after just two years. He will continue on as an assistant for someone.

The reason for this change is his other career. Fechner is a member of the Iowa Army National Guard, specifically the 224th Battalion stationed in Davenport. He found that hindered his ability to devote the time needed to lead a program at the Class 4A level.

Fechner came to Jefferson after a successful stint at Tea Area High School in South Dakota, where his teams made it to the Class A state championship game (the middle of South Dakota’s three classes), winning two titles. He moved to Iowa because his wife had a teaching position here, and one of their sons was a student at Upper Iowa University.

“This just gives me a little more flexibility with summers, and the summers are so important,” Fechner said. “Last summer, I was on COVID duty all summer for the military, so I hardly got into the gym at all … It wasn’t fair to the guys and assistants to take all of that on. My military duties are probably going to continue to take up some of my summers, so I just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing for the program.”

Jefferson went 7-15 in Fechner’s first season and was 2-18 in 2020-21, losing its final 15 games. It was a young and undersized team, and Fechner believes better days are ahead.

He wants to see them.

“So if there’s a young coach who is looking to get into it at a larger school, this certainly provides them an opportunity,” he said. “A great opportunity at a great school. I want to continue to be a part of it, I’m not leaving the program. I’ve only been here for two years, but it certainly does mean a lot to me. I want to see this thing get built back up, and I want to be a part of that.”

Jefferson Activities Director Chris Deam said the school has begun its search to find a new head coach.

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