With spring approaching, coach Dan Jurkowski is ready to start up the boys’ volleyball season. Jurkowski is a tri-sport coach who coaches girls’ Varsity Volleyball, boys’ Varsity Volleyball, and boys’ JV Basketball at Malden High School.
All three of the teams coached by him have found success in each of their respective seasons, with both of his Varsity Volleyball teams qualifying for the MIAA D1 State Tournament and his JV Basketball team having a solid rebuilding season.
Not only is Daniel Jurkowski a prominent coach for Malden High sports, but he is also a very appreciated physical education teacher here at MHS working alongside other Phys-Ed teachers like Mark Gagnon, Jonathan Currier, Nancy Wentworth, and Mary-Jo Urquhart.
Growing up in Belchertown, MA, Jurkowski was a tri-sport athlete playing varsity soccer, basketball, and volleyball. However, he was most impressive on the court playing basketball. Standing at the height of 5’11 he was their star shooting guard holding the school record for most made 3’s in a single game with 10.
Before becoming a physical education teacher and coach here at Malden, he attended UMass Amherst where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management. Following his graduation in 2007 he got his first job as a video coordinator for basketball at UMass Amherst.
In the Fall of 2015, Jurkowski began working as a physical education teacher at the Salemwood School, where he met many great student-athletes that he would go on to coach and mentor at the high school.
Becoming a coach is not linear for Jurkowski, however, when he was offered these positions he knew he had to do it. “I grew up playing these sports and my love for these sports is what encouraged me to coach,” Jurkowski expressed. His passion for coaching and the sport was passed on to his players, too.
To Jurkowski, a team is more than just their record. “As I get older, the aspects of coaching I enjoy the most are building relationships with my players, and hopefully allowing them to love basketball and volleyball, and being part of a team and culture as much as I did.”
Girls’ Varsity Volleyball Captain Alina Dao said, “I appreciate how Dan doesn’t make it entirely about winning the game, he makes it an enjoyable place to be and bond as a team. Although we always wanted to win, some things just didn’t go our way.”
Around the school, Jurkowski is often described by many students as “the GOAT,” “funny,” “a mentor,” and many more kind words that show how much he is appreciated around the Malden Community.
