By Matt Phelps
Mercer Island High School athletics are known for a lot of things. State titles, high scholastic achievement and collegiate participation after graduation, are just a few of the trade marks. Over the past four decades three coaches have had a big hand in creating that reputation: Ed Pepple in basketball, Paul Jackson in wrestling and Dick Nicholl in football.
Jackson announced his retirement this month after leading the wrestling team to its second consecutive 3A KingCo title.
“I don’t think it has hit me yet,” said Jackson. “It will hit me this winter. There have been a lot of high lights but my proudest moments have been seeing the kids become successful after high school.”
Jackson has been one of the most beloved mentors at the high school over his 27 years, including as a physical education teacher and as the football team’s defensive coach for 22 years.
The transition will be tough for Jackson, as wrestling has been a part of his life since his days at Franklin High School in Portland, Ore.
“My dad was a wrestler but he discouraged me from trying it,” said Jackson, who has three older sisters. “I don’t think he wanted me to have the pressure of competing with what he achieved. He was a good amateur wrestler. But he let me do my thing.”
Growing up, Jackson’s thing was baseball. During high school Jackson played football as an offensive lineman but gained a passion for wrestling.
“I didn’t turn out for wrestling my senior year of high school and I missed a good year,” said Jackson, who didn’t get along with his high school coach’s way of disciplining tardiness.
Jackson earned an academic scholarship to Oregon State University, but instead decided to attend the University of Washington and walk on as a wrestler.
“My dad worked for the Oregonian (newspaper) and they had a labor situation,” said Jackson. “I just wanted to get out of Oregon.”
Jackson graduated from the UW in 1964, where he was a co-captain of the wrestling team. He lettered three years and finished third in the Pac-10. Jackson served as an assistant coach at the UW in 1966 and 1969 before taking a job at South Mercer Junior High.
Jackson’s 27 years as wrestling coach at the high school has been marked by individual state champions, six KingCo titles and the team breaking down social gender barriers.
During his first season at the high school, Jackson coached Jeff Wilson to the state title at 177 pounds.
Trevor Howard took the state title at the 215 pound weight class in 1997; 1998 brought Ben Madahvi the heavy weight state title.
Jay Jackson, the coach’s son, took the state championship at 129 pounds in 1990 by just one point during the finals.
“The highlight for me that year was when he beat this kid in Canada who was a freshman in college,” said the coach. “That kid had taken second in the world.”
All three of Jackson’s children went on to attend Stanford University, a fact that he attributes to the academic standards of the high school.
Jackson’s strong commitment to family, his reason for retiring, helped to make the wrestling program at the high school more of a family environment. Many families on the Island have had multiple generations wrestle for the coach.
“He has been a role model that doesn’t do the right thing sometimes; he has been a role modle that does the right thing all of the time,” said John Frazier, who is currently an assistant coach at the middle schoo.
Frazier, along with all four of his sons, wrestled for Jackson at Mercer Island High School.
Many wrestlers voluntarily comeback from college to help out with the team every preseason and winter break.
“I never asked them to do that,” said a puzzled Jackson. “I guess the team concept is really strong.”
Jackson received the “coach that makes a difference” award this year from a local TV station.
“It validates a lot of things,” said Jackson, who has been in two of his former wrestlers’ weddings — Wilson and Ed Katz. “It’s not always easy for people to express those things, so it meant quite a bit to me.”
27-year career
One of the biggest changes for Jackson and the program has been female wrestlers. Jackson has had three female wrestlers: Margaret Bohanan; Darian Dey; and most recent and most successful, is Jean Laschever.
“I was apprehensive about it,” said Jackson. “They were great because they didn’t have an agenda. They wanted to compete and they all worked really hard.”
The idea of coaching girls never entered Jackson’s mind, especially during his days as a football coach.
In 1977, Jackson became the high school football team’s defensive coordinator under Dick Nicholl. The pairing of Nicholl and Jackson would lead to some of the Islanders’ best seasons, including 1985 when the football team had eight shut-outs and made a run at the state title.
“We had some good kids but we never had a big team,” said Jackson. “We set up the defense to take advantage of their speed.”
That year the team set a record of six consecutive shut-outs in league play.
“Dick guided me,” said Jackson. “It was fun wrecking other teams’ offenses.”
In 1983 the junior high wrestling and football programs were dropped.
“We could have competed at the state level more often if the program was still intact,” said Jackson. “I wish we could have done better at the state level.”
Jackson’s passion for his athletes left them loving him and some of his opponent’s fans disliking the coach.
“The Mount Si fans wont be disappointed I am leaving,” said Jackson, who was the 163.5 pound senior national wrestling champion at age 36.
During a critical meet at Mount Si, Jackson showed why he is so beloved by his wrestlers. The coach took an adamant stand for one of his wrestlers against a referee’s call. The conversation that ensued, with the Wildcat fans jeering Jackson all the way, resulted in the ref reversing his decision.
Brad Rorem, who wrestled for Jackson at Mercer Island High School, was an assistant coach under Jackson during the past two seasons. Rorem decided to stop practicing law to become a teacher and coach two years ago.
“Coach Jackson was a great mentor for me as I made my transition to teaching and coaching,” said Rorem. “As he did with all of his wrestlers, he has made me a better person.”
