THE BIGGER PICTURE: JACKSON VAUGHAN
LEARNS TO ENJOY MORE THAN JUST WINS
Story by Logan Brandon, Sports
Editor, McMinnville News-Register, Aug. 2, 2019. Photo by Wildcatville.
Finding a more accomplished Division
III head softball coach than Linfield College’s Jackson Vaughan would be
challenging. The Baker High School graduate and Wildcat alum, who recently
completed his 18th season, continues climbing the all-time coaching ranks.
Vaughan’s career record of 665 wins,
169 losses and two ties places him in the top-25 most victories by a Division
III softball manager. When calculating the winningest coaches by percentage, Vaughan
soars to the top-six all-time.
The longtime manager’s success isn’t
simply defined by the Wildcats’ two national championship seasons (2007, 2011),
but also by a commitment to consistent national contention.
Though Vaughan has enjoyed rare
levels of achievement since his hiring in 2002, his tenure hasn’t been without
change and improvement.
What makes Coach Vaughan a
tremendous softball coach?
It started with his athletic
upbringing in Burnt River, a small 1A school.
Jackson Vaughan played prep
football, basketball and one season of baseball at Burnt River High School. The
small eastern Oregon town of Unity located on Highway 26 wasn’t exactly a
thriving metropolis, according to Vaughan.
“We were a super-tiny school,” he
remembered. “We had about 27 kids in all four grades.”
Growing up, Vaughan proved a
passionate athlete. When his family moved to Baker City, Vaughan completed his
senior year at Baker High School. In football, he was named the Greater Oregon
Defensive Player of the Year in 1993.
Playing sports against four younger
brothers and sisters, Vaughan felt his start in coaching originated with his
siblings.
“I was essentially playing against
and coaching them while we grew up,” said Vaughan. “With the age difference, we
always wanted to direct and help them. When we wanted to entertain, we’d set up
relays in our yard.”
Following high school, Vaughan
enrolled in the accounting program at Linfield. He completed his bachelor’s
degree in 1997, graduating with honors. However, after a few job interviews, he
decided the accounting field wasn’t his ideal career path.
He returned to Linfield in 1998,
enrolling in a fifth year to earn a teaching certificate. He searched for
social studies openings at the high school level.
During his time at Linfield, Vaughan
played one season of football before sustaining a career-ending injury. As a
junior, he joined the Wildcats’ coaching staff.
Before he could locate a suitable
teaching position, Linfield offered him an opportunity to join the football
coaching staff as a part-time assistant. Entering the 2019 season, Vaughan has
served in that capacity for 24 years, the past 14 as the ‘Cats’ defensive
coordinator.
In 2015, athletic website
FootballScoop named Vaughan Defensive Coordinator of the Year.
While Vaughan’s pedigree and
knowledge of football proved evident in his time at Linfield, which path led
him to managing softball?
“I was just doing football at the
time, but the head softball coach at the time, Laura Kenow, wanted some more
help with the program. The athletic director spoke to me about creating a
football/softball job, which created a full-time opportunity for me,” noted Vaughan.
“I obviously had a lot to learn
about softball. I worked with Laura for four years, and she certainly taught me
a lot in those couple seasons. Laura decided to get back into teaching, so our
players approached the (athletic director) and asked if I could take over for
her. I figured I’d give it a shot and see how it went.”
When asked about early struggles, Vaughan
cited his experience as a football coach. Managing the team was an initial
strength because of his background with the football program, he said.
Vaughan still needed to adapt on the
fly. His ability to teach hitting and fielding grew in his early years.
“Without much background in the
game, I was just trying to learn as much as I could,” noted Vaughan. “I wanted
to make sure I could coach our hitters, which has become a passion of mine.
Obviously, I wanted to become a well-rounded coach, so I could teach all
aspects of the sport.
“Baseball and softball are such
unique games in that they have specific, yet different components between pitching,
hitting and fielding. There is certainly a lot to learn, especially at our
level where you have to teach every player.”
In his initial seasons, Vaughan
admits winning constituted his primary focus. A fiery competitor, Vaughan’s
commitment to the program started with consistent regular- and post-season
success.
He coached the Wildcats to two
Division III National Championships in 2007 and 2011. During those title
campaigns, Vaughan earned the NFCA Division III Coach of the Year, adding to
his 11 Northwest Conference Coach of the Year awards.
As Vaughan evolved in the manager
position, he experienced a transformation in his coaching perspective. Wins and
losses still mattered, certainly, but he ignited a commitment to player growth.
“As a coach, you always hope you
improve at delivering your message. I’ve learned how to not over-coach some
things, and how to be short and succinct in my messages to our players,” said Vaughan.
Vaughan recently met with the
News-Register to reflect on his coaching career, his approach to leading young
athletes and the legacy he hopes to leave at Linfield.
N-R:
How have you changed as a head
coach?
Vaughan:
With my years as a coach and having
kids of my own, I’ve learned to look at the bigger picture. In my early years,
I was ultra-competitive and I considered the big objective was to win.
As I’ve grown older, I realized this
was likely the last chance for our student-athletes to play the sport they
love. I wanted to give them the greatest possible experience during their time
as college athletes.
Obviously winning helps create a
more positive experience, so that’s still a priority, but putting them in
situations to enjoy playing alongside like-minded teammates is an objective
now.
N-R:
Are there challenges in coaching
both men’s and women’s college sports?
Vaughan:
Not necessarily. It’s mostly a
challenge in coaching two sports overall, not because it’s males and females.
People are people; our softball
players are motivated just as much as our football players.
We want to give our athletes
opportunities to get better, so that’s a goal in both sports.
N-R:
What does it say about Linfield that
so many former athletes return to coach the next generation of Wildcats?
Vaughan:
Loyalty is a big part of it. We have
many coaches here who have been here a long time — there isn’t much turnover.
So a lot of the players who come back to coach are doing so because they know
the values and culture haven’t changed.
Linfield provides a lot of
opportunities to return as a coach. Many of our former players want to give the
positive experiences they enjoyed to the next group of athletes.
N-R:
What advice would you have for a new
coach?
Vaughan:
Keep your perspective. Remember
what’s important to you as a coach and what’s important to the program.
You should keep your main goal at
the forefront. Don’t get frustrated by the workload or the pay — that’s when
you can lose perspective.
N-R:
What makes coaching softball
enjoyable?
Vaughan:
At the top of the list is seeing
kids and the team improve. It’s especially rewarding to see kids come in who
are just okay as freshmen, but then make a large impact as all-conference
players in their last couple seasons.
Developing relationships with these
players is a great part of the job, too. I’ll go to about three or four
weddings each summer for former players. It always reminds me of the reasons
why I coach.
N-R:
What do you want your legacy at
Linfield to look like?
Vaughan:
I want people to recognize what we
stand for – that we always did things the right way. When I walk away, it’s
important to me that our athletes were always given a chance to work hard and
find success.
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