Texas Sports Center

By Michael W. Love of TexasSportsCenter.com 07/12/2012

Jasper's first year Head Softball Coach Val Weldon turned in her resignation on Thursday afternoon. She is the latest coach to make a move in what seems to be an exodus from the JISD school system. It might make you think that there is something wrong with the district. Whether it may or may not be, many have moved for various reasons, and not bad ones for that matter.

Coach Weldon spoke to Texas Sports Center just minutes after her resignation and she is moving back to be closer to her home and family. She and her husband have a home in Roman Forrest near Houston, and she is taking the head softball coaching job at MacAthur Senior High School in the Aldine ISD area just 20 minutes from her home. She and her daughter, Megan Weldon, came in August of 2011 to coach softball with Megan as one of her assistant coaches. Coach Megan Weldon took the head softball coaching job with Davis High School, a brand new facility also in the Aldine district that will only have the 9^th and 10^th grade this year then expand to all high school grades next year under the 5A classification.

Coach Val Weldon said it was a very difficult decision because although she was only in her first year, she really loved the kids, the parents, and teachers here and enjoyed working with them. She also made a recommendation that Jasper girls softball Assistant Coach Maritza Martinez be offered the head coaching job, because she believed she was ready to do the job and do it very well.

The most recent most unexpected departure since Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Garrett Morgan made his announcement in April of 2012, was long time Head Baseball Coach Shawn Mixon who turned in his resignation not more than a week ago after 10 years of a highly successful and high profile baseball career in Jasper. His long time Assistant Coach Steve Smith also stepped down from coaching, but will remain in Jasper and continue teaching as always. Coach Mixon took the head softball coaching job in his hometown of Woodville where his teenage daughter will be playing.

Many of the assistant coaches that came in with Coach Garrett Morgan began to explore other opportunities, not knowing if a new athletic director would bring in his own coaching staff as is common in the coaching circles. Some have take jobs equivalent to what they were doing in Jasper, and some have improved their positions by taking new jobs. Whatever the reason, they are not because of a broken school district.

I wish Coach Weldon and her daughter all the best in their new jobs. They are well liked in the Jasper community and did a great job in their coaching endeavors, giving Jasper a successful season with more than 20 wins and playoff appearances in 2012.