No matter what sport it may be, the players are only as good as the coach they have guiding them. Talent can be possessed and chemistry can exist, but it is how a coach uses their team’s potential to get the most out of their players on and off the court.

This is no different for Medway High School Boys Basketball Head Coach, Shane Jackson. Jackson has been coaching for 17 years through the high school and collegiate level, but found a home leading Medway Boys Basketball.

“I began as an assistant coach for Dean College Women’s Basketball before joining Medway as the JV coach in 2016,” Jackson said. “That same year, Dean made the national tournament for the first time in school history, and my first son was born. That was a turning point for me — I knew it was time to step away from college coaching and pursue my long-term goal of becoming a high school boys varsity coach.”

Jackson, who also teaches the 5th grade at Woodland Elementary School in Milford, has a type of experience that is unique to what typical high school coaches possess. “Growing up, I spent a lot of time around basketball watching my father coach at Dean College while also serving as the athletic director,” he explains. “I truly believe teaching and coaching go hand in hand. Both of my parents were educators, so that mindset was instilled in me early on.”

Coming into the season, Jackson and the team were hoping to start the season off fast. “I have high expectations every season, and this group was no different,” he details. “Our goal is always to push players to reach their full potential.”

Medway’s season thus far has not always been smooth sailing. “We faced a challenging stretch where we dropped to 5–8 after four straight tough losses,” Jackson explains. 

However, led by Jackson’s unique coaching approach, he helped his team stay focused and ultimately began to turn their season around. 

“A big part of that turnaround came from conversations around mental toughness, confidence, and mindset. We conducted a mid-season player survey that gave us valuable insight into where we could improve, and that shift in mindset helped spark a big road win at DS,” Jackson explained. Since that moment, Medway began a 4-game win streak as February approached.

Despite the early struggles, Jackson always knows what he is getting out of his players. He notes, “They show up every day ready to work, and they’ve continued to push through challenges without backing down. That resilience has defined this season.”

Of course, on-court success is one of the main goals, but one of Jackson’s biggest goals as a coach is to teach his players how to be good players but even better men.

“I hope they take away the importance of belief — belief in themselves, in their teammates, and in the process,” Jackson explains. “I want them to understand that growth comes through effort, accountability, and resilience, and that those lessons extend far beyond basketball.”

A great aspect of what makes a great coach in Jackson’s mind is also, as a coach, learning from his players. He believes, in order to best connect with the players, a coach needs to be open to feedback and open to learning about themselves through those he coaches. 

“If you’re doing it right, you’re always learning from your players,” Jackson claims. “They’ve taught me to continue trusting them, to keep investing in what they want to improve, and to never count them out.”

Along with his open-minded coaching style, Jackson’s ability to get feedback is something that he never shies away from, but rather embraces in order to put his team in the best position to win.

“We use Google Classroom to gather player feedback through forms, surveys, self-scouting, and even favorite drills,” he said. “That feedback helps everyone feel invested, regardless of minutes played. In addition, we make a point to check in with players individually throughout the week to maintain open communication.”

Coach Jackson is the type of coach and person any player would want to play for. He believes in his players and trusts in their ability to fight through adversity and stick together through the highs and lows. 

Jackson said, “Belief in your players is one of the most powerful tools a coach can have. When players know you believe in them, they give it back in return. I couldn’t be more proud of this group, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue coaching them for as long as this season allows.”