New Basketball Coach at Jay High
The Jay High Boys Basketball program will soon welcome only its third head coach in 58 years, as Coach Jacob Jordan assumes the role. He’ll be taking over for Lance Youngblood who is stepping aside after 22 years to focus on his position as Athletic Director at Jay. Youngblood became head coach in 1990 after Coach Clarence Smith, who coached 36 Jay high teams from 1952 until 1989.
During his tenure, Smith led the Royals to an impressive record of 613 wins and 375 losses. For his efforts, Coach Smith was inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1991. Smith was a natural coach, so much so that when no coaches were available to fill the position during wartime, his own high school team voted him Captain and Coach. When Smith started coaching at Jay under a paid position, the team only had outdoor courts. He remembers, “once riding the bus to the state championship series along with Chumuckla, both teams made it to the semi finals and lost, it would have been an interesting bus ride back if we had played each other, one the winner and the other the runner-up.” Coach Smith remembers his years at Jay fondly, and hopes all players will continue show loyalty to the team and to the school.
Coach Youngblood had some big shoes to fill, but he kept the focus on the team rather than himself. He stresses that the fundamentals, like layups and free-throws, are what win basketball games. He has led the Royals to many district play-offs, and coached several young men who have gone on to play at the college level. Leaving the position is bittersweet for Youngblood. He says, “Firing myself as head coach, was the easiest and the hardest thing to do.” He too will remember his years coaching the Royals fondly. In his own words, “I have the best job in the world.”
e and his wife Heather are expecting their first child in September.
Jordan had the following to say about his experiences with the game of basketball, “I have played and coached under some really great and knowledgeable coaches. I played under Murry Rutledge and Tim Short at Milton, and I just remember how hard they pushed us there. Our practices were very difficult and I remember being prepared for anything. I also coached under Tim Short at Milton and had the opportunity to be an assistant on a state runner up team. I also gained a ton of experience under Lance here at Jay, and I hope to be able to put together everything I’ve learned from all three of those very influential coaches in my career.” Jacob has coached 2 years at Milton and 6 years at Jay, and will use that experience as he moves forward. “ I have learned a lot from Lance in my years at Jay. He has given me a lot of freedom to teach and learn hands-on. He has let me make mistakes and let me learn from those mistakes, “Jordan said. As he looks to the future, Jordan says his goal for the Royals is, “for us to improve every time we step on the floor, whether it is in practice or in a game.”
