Meet New Kent Middle School baseball coach Jonathan Jesse

NEW KENT, Va. — New Kent Middle School celebrated back-to-back Bay Rivers Championships in 2021 and 2022. The team was coached to both championships by Head Coach Jonathan Jesse. Coach Jesse played ball in high school and was able to continue playing ball when he attended a Division III college. After graduation, he was able to move his passion from playing to coaching, which he has been doing for twenty years now.

Though the team has had two winning seasons, Coach Jesse teaches his athletes that it is not all about winning.  In fact, he believes that in order to learn something, you first have to fail at doing it. The team has consequences if they do not perform, these are in place to motivate them to meet their goals both on and off the field. Coach Jesse also has the players simulate game speed and situations so that during the game they are prepared and know what to expect.

While proud of the two championship seasons, Coach Jesse says that any close game where they have had to work hard and overcome adversity sticks out in his mind as being a memorable game.

Coach Jesse says that the biggest reward from coaching comes when he is told he has had a positive impact on one of the athletes.

Though winning is important, Coach Jesse hopes that he is teaching the players more than skills on the ball field, he hopes that he is preparing them to be successful in life. He wants them to be accountable for their actions, learn from these mistakes and grow as a person.

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