FB: Jackson Set To Return To Shiner St. Paul

By Jon Walk
Lone Star Christian Sports Network

They say you can't go home again, but Dr. Mike Jackson is getting the opportunity to go back to his coaching home - just in the time for the start of the 2023 football season.

With Shiner St. Paul Catholic School athletic director Jake Wachsmuth needing to take a step back from his head football coaching responsibilities, which have included 10 trips to a TAPPS state championship game - with eight wins, the school is bringing back the architect of its first-ever state football champion from 1992.

"I am thrilled to be back in Shiner and to bring my family into the town and school that had the faith to hire a 22-year-old head coach 32 years ago," Jackson said.

Jackson, who led the Cardinals to three TAPPS state championships in the 1992-1993 school year including girls basketball and softball, will look to add to his 212-114-4 mark as a 30-year head football coach in a 32-year career in education.

His most recent stop of his seven head coaching positions - having never been an assistant - was at Conroe Grand Oaks, a program he was able to start from the ground-up and go 29-16 in five years at the UIL 6A level.

"Our plan was to retire and sit for a year, then return under the retire/rehire provision and coach my son and daughter in a small school setting; or if a private school became available to go that route this year," he said.

Jackson first won a state championship at Shiner St. Paul in 1992, defeating Dallas Tyler Street Christian, 8-6, in the TAPPS Division IV title contest, and then moved to Houston St. Pius X the following year and won the TAPPS Super 3A title, sharing it with Addison Trinity Christian after a 26-all tie.

While many coaches have won titles at two - and in some cases, three - different schools, he is believed to be one of only two to win a state title in back-to-back years with two different schools.

Chuck Curtis won state titles in 1962 and 1963 with Jacksboro and Garland, respectively.  He also added a third title in 1964 with the Owls.

And if the Cardinals are able to make it back to the TAPPS Division IV state championship game in December and avenge the loss to Lubbock Christian, Jackson could join the likes of G.A. Moore, Jr., Tim Buchanan and Jerry Burkhart, who won state championships at Celina, Aledo and Richland Springs, respectively, in two distinct stints.

He has coached at every level - Shiner St. Paul (1A), Houston St. Pius X (3A), Robstown (4A), Charlotte (2A), Houston Chavez (6A), La Marque (5A) and Conroe Grand Oaks (6A), taken four of those schools to the fourth round of the playoffs, and has been in the playoffs 21 times in his 30-year head football coaching career.

What he hasn't had the opportunity to do, though, is coach his kids in the school setting.

"We took a leap of faith and put it in God's hands, deciding to retire so early," he said.  "This move is about finding the right community and right school to raise our three children in and continue working with kids in a much more personal setting than 6A."

He will be joined in the move by his wife, Tracey, with whom he is celebrating his 20th wedding anniversary today, and children, Mariah, Jericho and Maverick, who will enter the 11th, seventh and first grades, respectively.

Mariah had a stellar sophomore season at Charlotte in 2022-2023, excelling in three sports - basketball, softball and track, and since Jackson will also once again work with some of the girls teams at Shiner St. Paul, he'll move from being her cheerleader in the stands to being involved in coaching her in practice and competition.

Jackson will report for duty with the Cardinals on Monday, July 31 for the first day of practice as they open their 53rd season of playing Texas high school football.

The Cardinals, who are still looking for a week three opponent, open on the road Friday night, August 25, against the Flatonia Bulldogs, who were 11-2 regional semifinalists last year and are the favorites in UIL District 13-2A, Division I.