Claremore names new volleyball coach
Dec. 1—There will be a new Claremore High volleyball coach next fall.
Claremore Public Schools announced the hire of Derek Jackson on Tuesday afternoon, beginning a new era for the Lady Zebras. Jackson, a Kellyville native, takes over for Kim Mabbott, who coached the program the past two seasons and led Claremore to the Class 5A state tournament in 2021.
This will be Jackson's third head-coaching gig, for he previously served at Clinton for two seasons and Sand Springs for three seasons. He also coached at Stillwater Junior High for one season.
Jackson compiled a record of 51-49 at Sand Springs, where he had the second- and third- winningest seasons in school history from 2019-2021, earning him the Frontier Valley Conference Runner-Up Coach of the Year in 2020.
Before that, he went 35-26 with Clinton from 2017-2018 and was named the VYPE Southwest Oklahoma Coach of the Year his final season with the Lady Red Tornadoes.
Earlier this year, Jackson was among only 30 coaches in the nation to be recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association Thirty Under 30 awards program.
He is married to Skylar Jackson, who coaches at Broken Arrow High School.
"I look forward to creating a championship culture in Claremore and taking us to the next level," Jackson said in a post released on the Claremore Lady Zebras Volleyball Facebook page. "It's going to be a great year in 2022."
