JERRY BLEISTEIN
- mercertrackhall
- Sep 22
- 1 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Steinert High School -- Coach
Jerry Bleistein coached the Spartans cross country teams from 1969-1994, and guided the girls track and field squad for 18 seasons. He started the first winter track program at Steinert, and began the junior high cross country program with Reynolds, Nottingham and Grice from 1973 until the middle school alignment in 1981.
Known as "Bly" by his athletes, he achieved the ultimate in 1987 when his boy’s cross country team went undefeated (16-0) in dual meets, were victorious at the Mercer County and CJ Sectional Championships, and won the NJSIAA Group III state championship.
Other achievements for the boys program were four Central Jersey titles, six Colonial Valley Conference championships, including three in four years from 1991-94, and three undefeated seasons. Girls’ highlights featured a CJ title, seven CVC crowns, including five straight from 1978-82, and three undefeated seasons, including two straight in 1977-78.
Bleistein coached seven individual Mercer County champions, and was named Cross Country Coach of the Year six times by either the Trenton Times or Trentonian. In 2000, he was named the CVC’s Cross Country Coach of the Decade, and in 2003 was recognized by the NJSIAA with a cross country sports award for contributions to the sport.
Bleistein is also a member of the Steinert Athletic Hall of Fame.
