Mizzou Mourns Passing of Hall of Fame Gymnastics Coach Jake Jacobson
5/6/2026 4:00:00 PM | Gymnastics
Charles "Jake" Jacobson, "the father of Missouri gymnastics," passed away Tuesday, May 5, surrounded by his daughters and family, at the age of 89.
Jacobson began the gymnastics program at Mizzou in 1979 and retired after 20 years at the Tiger helm. In his final campaign, the Tigers won both the Cat Classic and Corvette Cup, qualified three all-arounders to the NCAA Region 3 Championships, hosted the Big 12 Conference championships, where he was named the 1999 Big 12 Coach of the Year and established or tied 29 school records.
"I am so saddened on Coach Jacobson's passing," Mizzou gymnastics head coach Shannon Welker said. "He was a pioneer in collegiate gymnastics and at the University of Missouri. Jake paved the way for Mizzou Gymnastics and the opportunities so many women and coaches have been afforded. He was an innovator in creating events that attracted some of the largest crowds in the country to gymnastics competitions in his tenure. We will miss his presence at Mizzou Gymnastics events as will the many alumni he inspired."
Jacobson's introduction to gymnastics came in 1962 as a physical education instructor at Grand View College in Iowa. Intrigued, the veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps started a competitive program in 1964 that won 80-odd meets and placed in the nation's top-10 three times.
When Missouri added gymnastics to the athletics program, Jacobson brought his entire Grand View team to launch the program at Mizzou.
His success in Columbia included his vision for the promotion of the sport and the creation of three premier meets – the Cat Classic, the Shakespeare's Festival and the Corvette Cup. All were recognized nationally as some of the most prestigious gymnastic competitions.
"I would have to say my greatest thrill at Missouri is the development of these meets," he said upon the occasion of his retirement. "I have seen women's gymnastics at Missouri go from non-existence to a sports which draws nearly 20,000 annually."
The beginning of the Cat Classic dates to 1981, Jacobson's second season at Missouri. The Cat Classic utilized the theme of feline mascots, which coincidentally allowed Jacobson to invite some of the nation's most competitive Division I gymnastics opponents. The Tigers won it in 1990, '94 and '99. The two-day meet was a crowd favorite, and in 1987 it drew a record attendance of 10,562.
Displaying pioneer vision once again in 1991, he spearheaded the first-ever Shakespeare's Festival – a combination of gymnastics and theatre.
In 1994, the Corvette Cup became Jacobson's newest innovation – including a display of Corvette automobiles that made the trek to Coumbia from all parts of the United States.|
"I always believed in bringing the top gymnastics teams to compete in Columbia," Jacobson said. "We created an excitable and enjoyable environment not only for our fans, but also for the teams that came to Columbia to compete. We enjoyed having them and they enjoyed coming."
In 20 seasons at Mizzou, Jacobson compiled a 229-198-1 record. In 33 years overall of collegiate coaching, he had a 361-223-1 career slate.
Jacobson guided the Tigers to a Big Eight Conference championship in 1992, three second-place conference finishes and an NCAA Central Region Championship in 1981. He coached 30 all-conference gymnasts and five regional champions. Four of his Tigers qualified as individual to the NCAA Championships, and his 1981 team placed 16th at nationals.
He was inducted into the University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.
Jacobson's wife of 61 years, Nola, passed away in 2020. They are survived by their three daughters, Julie Sparks (Dale), Jackie Jacobson (Carl Slate) and Jill Marron (Tim), and four grandchildren. Jacobson's family is planning a celebration of life that will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made in his name to the Mizzou Gymnastics Booster Club.
