JACKSON BASKETBALL

[Dundas]

Travis does live in Jackson..and he has been teaching at VC and helping out with the ball teams since I was in hs.

[Dundas]

If Coach Combs came to Jackson..the Ironmen would be yearly contenders. He is one of the best coaches in SEO, if not the best (currently) I dont see Combs leaving for Jackson though, just for the fact that if he did decide to leave VC, he could get a MUCH better gig than the Ironman.

[bump in the road]

The problem won't be filling the coaching job it will be finding the coach a teaching job probably.

[theassassin]

this'll get interesting

[Ironman92]

Any coach out there will have difficulty in being atop the SEOAL and D2 at Jackson. Our big guys are 6''2 and 6'3 and our best athletes tend to focus on football or other sports....and of course we've had just 1 league title in 40 years, 1 district final appearance.....maybe 3 sectional titles in that same timeframe. In the same 40 year timeframe we have had 3 1,000 point scorers but 3 or 4 transfer away.

It CAN be done.....Dustan Ford was on his way to doing it......Tony Bornhorst gave it a good run and Jordan showed moments of doing it.

Whoever is hired needs full support and about 5 years.

[Pavilion]

I92 - I agree. Hopefully they will select someone with a lot of energy to put some time in at the lower levels and someone who plans to stay a while.
Not taking anything away from Ford during his tenure, but the schedule he played doesn't even compare to the schedule of the last couple of years.
This years team was the only one to beat Athens in the regular season and also beat a good Vinton County team. Had we been in that conference we would have had a much different record.

[nickle back]

What Ironman92 just said about sums it up. There will probably be little interests in this job and with the quick turnaround in coaches at Jackson it will be hard for someone to invest time at the elementary level, after a few years they will probably be on their way out, better worry about the kids they have right now and win. Hopefully they find the right guy.

[Ironman92]

Agree with the 17-3 record for Ford and the schedule....but that team went up agaisnt a very talented and battle-tested 17-3 Logan Elm team in the sectionals and played their tails off. Ford had those players playing harder than any other team I've ever witnessed at Jackson. I'll watch Jackson play like that regardless of their record or who they are playing.


I'd rather see 7-13 with maximum effort than 11-9 with eye-rolling and the attitudes.


There weren't many attitudes on Ford's teams.

[Out of Bounds]

Hopefully now with an administration change the support of the program will be better. The previous Super and AD folded at every complaint heard by a parent. It was a miserable place to coach. Now with Mr. Howard and Kight at the helm, two very professional hard working administrators, I think you can honestly apply for the job and feel you have the support of the school system. The football program and basketball program need to work together and fully support each others athletes. I for one (if I was a coach there) would love for the basketball players to play football and baseball or track. Keeps the kids off the couch and x-box and staying active. Jackson doesn't have the athletes to lose to just being a one sport athlete. I know the football team has several kids that can help the basketball team and I know the basketball program can send a kid or two to the football team. One or two good athletic kids can make a huge difference in both sports. In the past I don't think the programs have done this.

[bump in the road]

If you remember Ondera and Borden left Jackson during a coaching change. Hope good players don't leave again

[Out of Bounds]

I would truly like to see Heath McKinnis apply. He got rail-roaded by the last administration and a select few parents that knew nothing about basketball. They just had a good relationship with the superintendant. He is young and will work his butt off and has the ability to communicate with the kids. I would say after his stint as an assistant with Rio Grande, he has even more knowledgable and experienced. Plus, no problem finding a teaching position, he already teaches there.

[bump in the road]

Jackson needs to put alot of time into the lower levels or have a talented class come through to get things rolling. The issue is keeping a coach long enough to develop anything. A coaching staff that stays together for a period of time usually starts a good program.

[PacJones61]

i also think Heath McKinnis would be a great choice, we need a young coach that demands the most out of his players

[Ironmanfan01]

Heard that Dustin Ford was actually considering coming back to Jackson. Word is that he is sick of playing 2nd fiddle to Groce at Ohio and he wants to run the show somewhere again. Wouldn't be surprised to see him on the sidelines in Jackosn come next season. Heard he has expressed interest, but probably won't hear anymore until Ohio is out of the NCAA tournament.

[DUSTIN FORD FAN]

Ironmanfan01....ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!! Ford's next stop is a head coach job at D1 college level, probably OU after Groce moves on to bigger and better things....get your gibberish off this site

I like McKinnis but I say lets start scratching around OU and find the next Dustin Ford eh?

[NewEra]

How many applicants, I have heard of a few names that are applying. Are they even accepting applications currently?

[Pol pot]

Heard that Dustin Ford was actually considering coming back to Jackson. Word is that he is sick of playing 2nd fiddle to Groce at Ohio and he wants to run the show somewhere again. Wouldn't be surprised to see him on the sidelines in Jackosn come next season. Heard he has expressed interest, but probably won't hear anymore until Ohio is out of the NCAA tournament.

Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea......stay off of the hard drugs they ruin the mind. Dustin is very happy at Ohio University and loves the college game. Dustin enjoyed his time at Jackson but that is just what it was, time.

I think a dark horse here is the wonderkid David Kight.

[bump in the road]

Is Dustin Ford Fan TJ May or someone else????

[Pavilion]

What about Tom Barrick for the job? I was told that he and Howard are friends and that he went to college with both Howard and Hemsley the high school principal.

[prepstar18]

tom barrick would be a great hire but i dont see him leaving burg for this job