Joliet Native Named JJC Bowling Head Coach

The Joliet Junior College athletic department is pleased to announce Jeff Bailey as the Wolves’ first men's and women's bowling coach. JJC will begin competitive bowling with the 2023-24 school year. 

Bailey, a Joliet native, brings a wealth of experience and success to the Wolves program. He has coached high school bowling in Illinois for 13 years, spending the past nine as the Joliet West girls coach and the four prior as the Plainfield South boys coach. 

"I am so excited to bring in Jeff Bailey as the college's first ever head bowling coach,” Director of Athletics, Gregg Braun, said. “Jeff's passion for the game of bowling and the student athletes he coaches immediately came out during our conversations. His excitement to move to the collegiate level and begin the bowling program here at JJC was tremendous. 

“Coach Bailey's commitment and pride in the Joliet community is really amazing – I cannot wait to watch him grow this program here at Joliet Junior College and within our community.” 

He is the only Illinois high school bowling coach to win a state title as a girls and boys coach. In 2016, he led the Joliet West girls team to a championship, and in 2010, his Plainfield South boys team won the state title. 

Bailey looks to keep that championship mindset in District 525. 

"I'm deeply honored to be selected as the initial bowling coach at Joliet Junior College," Bailey said. "I look forward to building the program into one of the top competitive schools in the country. There is so much great talent in the Joliet and surrounding area, as it is the premiere area for our sport in the state." 

Bailey's West teams qualified for the state finals in all but one year and placed in the top 10 five times in addition to the 2016 state title. This year his West team placed second at the state finals. His West teams won five conference, three sectional and three regional titles. 

"Bowling has been a part of my life for a long time, and I have learned so much from coaching on the high school level and following my daughter's collegiate career," Bailey said. "I feel I have many resources to build a winning tradition at JJC." 

Bailey is a lifelong resident of Joliet and is manager at Town & Country Lanes in Joliet, which will serve as the Wolves’ home house. His daughter, Taylor, lives in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and is the assistant coach for the Arkansas State University women's bowling team. Taylor was an all-state bowler at Joliet West and was a member of the 2016 state championship team.

For media inquiries, contact Communications and Media Manager Katie Smith at 815-280-2844 or katherine.smith@jjc.edu.