Director of Athletics Dr. Mahina Hannemann-Gago selected Jackson Wyatt as Parker’s new Head Varsity Softball coach for the 2024 season.
Jackson began coaching softball as the Assistant JV Coach at the Academy of Our Lady Peace. After Jackson’s first season of coaching softball, he was promoted to the Head JV Coach position, which he held for nine years.
With a desire to coach at a higher level, Jackson accepted the Varsity Head Coach position at Chula Vista High School, his alma mater. He remained for 14 seasons, going from one previous playoff appearance in school history to 9 consecutive, including three league championships and reaching the CIF quarter-finals twice. In 2019, he stepped down from his position to begin coaching his then-six-year-old daughter, Natalie, as she started her own softball journey.
When Jackson started coaching softball, he had only a baseball background and immediately realized he had much to learn as a young coach. He committed himself to professional development opportunities and became a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, where he has had the privilege of learning from the top collegiate coaches in the country. Through the NFCA’s National Fastpitch Coaches College, he has attained the 3-Star Master Coach Certification.
Jackson has also coached at the travel ball and recreational youth levels. In 2008, Jackson and his wife, Nicholle, founded the Chula Vista Fastpitch ASA Youth Softball League, which grew to over 400 players and 30 different teams.
“This combination of experience and education inform my coaching philosophy, which emphasizes a growth mindset and learning without fear of failure and an orientation toward excellence,” Jackson says.
Jackson believes the most important qualities he brings to his coaching role at Parker are his immense love of teaching and learning, commitment as a core value, and patience. He has been a classroom teacher at the same school for 29 years, spent at least 10 years at each stop of his coaching career, and has been married to his wonderful wife Nicholle for 23 years and counting.
“You could say I am commitment-oriented,” Jackson says. “In terms of softball, I enjoy the idea and challenge of developing a long-term vision and building a program that will see that vision to fruition. Some coaches want simply to coach a great team, whereas I want to lead a great program.”
Jackson has had the privilege to work with dozens of players who have gone on to play at all levels of collegiate softball. Seven of Jackson’s former players are coaching high school softball, which he is very proud of. However, Jackson thinks his most outstanding coaching achievement is his 11-year-old daughter Natalie, who just moved from rec league softball to her first travel club team.
Welcome Coach Jackson to the Lancer Legion!
