The Ralph Jackson era at West Stanly as head football coach is about to begin in full when the 2024 regular season opens Aug. 23 at home against county rival South Stanly.

Jackson, who joined his alma mater in January as head coach and a P.E. teacher, hosted a youth football camp on a sweltering afternoon last Saturday at Oakboro Park.

Approximately 20 children joined college athletes R.J. Jackson, Jadyn Dickens and former West Stanly standout Malik Jackson, whom Coach Jackson said organized and ran the camp.

“I thought the camp was a great success,” Coach Jackson said. “The kids had a great time and were exhausted at camp’s end. I had several parents come up to compliment the young college athletes that ran the camp…these young men are going to be stars.”

Jackson returns to the school from which he graduated after coaching stints at North Stanly and Anson County. The new coach said his players have been working hard in the offseason.

“We are a long ways away from where we need to be as a program, but as long as the guys continue working, we will let the circumstances take care of themselves.”