Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (March 9, 2018)
MARCH 9, 2018, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE D5 ‘The second I got done playing… I started coaching’ Flores carries torch in service to education, family KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald Jason Flores (middle) hoists a clock given in honor of his service at the Keizer First Citizen Ban- quet in January. By DEREK WILEY Of the Keizertimes Jason Flores, the 2017 Ser- vice to Education Award winner, couldn’t techni- cally coach Little League until he was 18. But that didn’t stop him from making sure his younger brother had a coach who knew what he was doing, even if that meant join- ing forces with his older brother, who knew nothing about baseball. “The second I got done playing Little League, I started coaching for my little broth- er,” Flores said. “I was 17 and just felt like my little brother deserved more, he deserved what I got, which was really good coach- ing, and at the time I felt like he didn’t have it.” Flores continued coach- ing at Parrish Little League in Salem through 1997. After a short break, he began coach- ing his daughters, Audri and Kaelie, at Keizer Little League in 2001. He continued coaching them as well as his son Ri- ley until they were in high school. Flores didn’t just stick to softball and baseball. He Sit Back and Relax Introducing Wave Therapy NEW CUSTOMERS RECEIVE ONE FREE TREATMENT Expires June 30, 2018 also coached all three kids at KYBA, even though basket- ball wasn’t his game. “I’m a resourceful guy so the fi rst thing I did was latch on to the best coaches that I knew (Ron Hittner and Bob Cavell) and sat in the practices and took notes and emulated them and I consider myself today pretty knowledgable about basketball,” Flores said. Flores, who also served on the KYBA Board of Directors for 10 years and was president for two, coached Kaelie from fourth to eighth grade on a team that included Reina Strand, Madi Hingston and Sydney Hunter. All four girls went on to sign with colleges and as high school teammates at McNary fi nished fourth in the state in 2016. “I just did it because I thought that was the best thing to do,” Flores said of coaching. “I look back now and I had really good mentors, re- ally good coaching and that’s what helped me be successful throughout, so I wanted to give that back. They’re always shorthanded, Little League, basketball, they’re always needing coaches.” Flores grew up in Keizer but moved to Salem and at- tended Parrish Middle School and then North Salem High School. He moved back to Keizer with his wife, Keri, in 2000. Flores started Celtic Homes in 2013, building new custom homes. “Our mission is to be suc- cessful and then bring every- one around us to have success as well and then give back,” Flores said. “If I’m successful, then I give a lot back. I don’t have a set amount. I don’t have an equation for it. I just stay in- volved.” Along with donating to McNary Athletic Boost- er Club’s turf fi eld project, Flores helped install the goal posts and revamp the old scoreboard, fi xing lights and painting. “We were going to have opening day on the turf with this old crudy scoreboard,” Flores said. “I couldn’t let that happen. We couldn’t do an opening day on a brand new turf fi eld with an old score- board with lights not work- ing.” When the booster club started an Adopt a Celt pro- gram in 2016 for McNary athletes who couldn’t afford to play, Flores took the entire bill, $2,000 for 40 athletes, the fi rst year. “It didn’t go over very well so I just adopted them all that year,” Flores said. “I just said give me the bill. I like that fundraiser. Whatever they need in that bucket, I’ll make sure it’s full. I never want a kid that wants to play sports not be able to play because of money.” Through Celtic Homes, Flores also helped build new softball dugouts at McNary and this summer he plans to team up with Salem Electric to install a new scoreboard at the turf fi eld. “It’s based on my prosper- ity,” Flores said. “The Lord has blessed me. We’ve done really well the last few years.” Flores was stunned to re- ceive the Service to Educa- tion Award on Jan. 20 at the Keizer Chamber awards ban- quet. “There’s a lot of dads that are just like me,” he said. WHAT IS Wave Therapy? Low frequency acoustic pressure therapy with proven health and performance benefi ts. A transducer immersed in water sends pressure waves that penetrate and stimulate every cell in the body. Health benefi ts may start immediately. FDA cleared - Class 1. Safe, non-invasive, drug free. WHAT AILMENTS CAN IT HELP? Accelerated Recovery (Surgery & Injuries) • Age / Liver Spots Atherosclerosis • Arthritis • Bruising • Bursitis • Carpal Tunnel Chronic Fatigue • Chronic Infl ammation • Diabetes • Drop Foot Edema • Fibromyalgia • Headaches (Cluster, Migraine) • Lupus Multiple Sclerosis • Neck & Back Pain • Neuropathy • Numbness Peripheral Vascular Disease • Poor Circulation • Tendonitis • Vasculitis SCHEDULE TODAY! CALL 503.990.8642 1740 Liberty St SE, Salem • SoundWavePainRelief.com These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Wave Therapy is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. 70 YEARS OF SERVICE 1948 – 2018 SUNDAY, MAY 13 Mother’s Day Breakfast TUESDAY, AUG 7 National Night Out MONDAY, OCT 8 Fire Prevention Open House SATURDAY, NOV 17 Car Seat Clinic SUNDAY, DEC 9 Santa Breakfast SATURDAY, DEC 15 Candy Cane Day • www.keizerfi re.com 503.390.9111 Facebook.com/KeizerFireDistrict
