Symone Jackson

Attending Central Baptist College, Symone Jackson is the newest art teacher and assistant coach on campus. Recently, Wingspan sat down with Jackson to talk her time on campus and what it’s like to balance teaching and coaching.

Wingspan: What inspired you to become a coach?

Jackson: “My kindergarten teacher. She actually inspired me to be a teacher and then my 9th grade coach inspired me to be a coach because of how much he helped me and um, taught me leadership and how to be a leader.”

“

Give everything you got, learn, and find things you can use in that sport outside of life, like leadership, time,

— assistant basketball coach Symone Jackson

Wingspan: What sports did you play when you were younger?

Jackson: “I played everything. I played soccer, I did basketball, volleyball, track. I think that’s it. That’s pretty much it.”

Wingspan: When you were younger did you always want to teach or coach, if not then what did you want to be?

Jackson: “When I was younger I wanted to be a therapist for kids. I guess I still wanted to be with kids but not as like a teacher.” 

Wingspan: What is your strongest belief when it comes to coaching and why?

Jackson:  “I always want, for like my athletes, to give me 110 in everything they do and be passionate about what they are doing. I feel like you only get four years in high school to actually do a sport and you wanna make sure you use all of that time. Like you don’t want one practice or one year to be like I wasted this year. Give everything you got, learn, and like find things you can use in that sport outside of life, you know, like leadership, time. Just being with different people also helps you.”

Wingspan: How do you like to handle challenges or adversity with students?

Jackson:   “A lot of times I try to build relationships before and like get to know them and then take them off to the side or like out in the hallway to be like ‘Hey what’s going on? I’ve seen you change’ or things like that.  I am always trying to get to know y’all.”

Wingspan: How long have you been coaching?

Jackson: “I have been coaching for six years like as middle school and high school but I actually started when I was 19. I don’t know how long that is though, like years wise, I would have to count back. So about 10.”

Wingspan: How do you like to adapt practice the day after a game?

Jackson: “Where we struggle at the most. A lot of times our struggle come from little things that we can fix, so I try to make drills that are working on that but also other things that we can work on in the game, if that makes sense. Like talking; every drill we can talk on but maybe we aren’t good at serving or serve receive, that’s the things we need to put together.”

Wingspan: What is some of your favorite hobbies? 

Jackson: “I like to read, I like to paint, I like to hang out with my friends, work out, run  and be with my family.” 

Wingspan: How do you motivate your players and team members when the game isn’t going as planned?

Jackson: “I try to lighten the moment, like lighten the mood up, not be so serious because they already know they’re messing up. I try to be more goofy, I know that makes no sense but just for them to relax.”