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Often in high school coaching, former players come back to help out their own teams or take over as head coach.

The name of West Stanly’s new head coach, the 18th different head coach since the team’s inception in 1962, can still be found in the school’s football record books.

Ralph Jackson previously coached North Stanly from 2010 to 2014 and helped the Comets post back-to-back nine win seasons, which also started a run of winning seasons for North. Since 2013, the Comets have not finished with a sub-.500 season mark.

The new West coach comes to West after coaching nine seasons with Anson County, which included a Rocky River Conference title in 2019.

Jackson takes over for Brett Morton, who missed three games last season with health issues as the Colts went 5-6 overall. The team reached the 2A playoffs but lost in the first round.

1) The pressure to be successful for you coming back to your alma mater must be intense. What are your expectations for this first season as a new head coach, and coaching the Colts?

Jackson: There is always going to be pressure to win and coach. I personally feel by me coming home to coach at my alma mater is, first, a blessing and a privilege.

Second, as it has always been, I want to make a difference in the lives of the young men that I come in touch with on a day-to-day basis.

My expectation is to create and sustain a competitive environment for our players.

2) West Stanly has traditionally played a very specific smash-mouth football style. Your teams at North and Anson played a more wide-open style. What has it been like this offseason to bring a new offense to West?

Jackson: We have made some changes to the offense. As a coach, you want all your teams to be physical; we are trying to capitalize on that part of the culture.

3) Who are the team’s returning starters/important players and the Colts’ most promising newcomers to the team this season?

Jackson: The word team means a lot to me. To me each person needs to put the team before their personal accomplishments. Each person needs to know that everyone that dresses out on Thursdays and Fridays are all important to the team. Our freshman class is just as important as our senior class to me.

4) You have been a coach for many seasons in the Rocky River Conference. What do you feel is the landscape of the RRC this season and how will West Stanly fit into that picture?

Jackson: The RRC is a great conference to be in. Monroe and Forest Hills have owned the conference for a long time. I would like to see West Stanly challenge for that spot.

We are going to work to make that a reality. We want to be in the thick of things, and we are not going to shy away from that at all.

5) What would you consider to be a successful season for the Colts?

Jackson: (A successful season would be for) our guys to prepare every day and compete in each game, both JV and varsity.

West Stanly Schedule
Aug. 23 – South Stanly
Aug. 30 – at Carson
Sept. 6 – Albemarle
Sept. 13 – at North Stanly #
Sept. 20 – at Mount Pleasant #
Sept. 27 – off
Oct. 4 – at Piedmont *
Oct. 10 – Forest Hills *
Oct. 18 – Parkwood *
Oct. 25 – at Anson Co. *
Nov. 1 – Monroe *

* RRC Games
All games at 7 p.m. except # is at 7:30 p.m.