Jeff McClaskey is beginning his 22nd year at Northwest Rankin HS.   McClaskey had previously spent his coaching career at Porters Chapel Academy for three seasons; he compiled a 66-28 record.

During his tenure, McClaskey won two district Championships.  He was named Coach of the year twice and was selected to coach in the academy all-star game in 1988.   At Northwest Rankin, McClaskey compiled a 558-150 record. In his 22 years at NWR,  the Cougars have won eleven district championships and have been to the playoffs fifteen times.  In 1993 he was selected to coach in the 1st Annual State Games of Mississippi and the public school 4-5A All-Star game.

In 1998 and 2001, Coach McClaskey was selected as the BCA district 6 Groundskeeper of the Year.  In 1997 & 2005, he was selected as the Metro Coach of the Year.  In 2005 McClaskey received his highest honors to date.  He was selected the Mississippi Coach of the Year, the BCA District 6 Coach of the Year, the ABCA Region Coach of the Year, and also the ABCA National Coach of the Year. 

Twelve of McClaskey's teams have finished in the top ten in the state at the end of the year.  Seven out of the last eleven years, they have finished in the top five. Sixty-seven of Coach McClaskey's players have gone on to play college baseball and one is pitching in the majors.  In 2005 McClaskey won his first State Championship and finished number one in Mississippi and number six nationally. 

McClaskey is a graduate of Mississippi College and has a master's degree from Jackson State University.  He played college baseball at Hinds Jr. College and Delta State University. 

Coach McClaskey is married to the former Jean Weeks of Jackson. She is a graduate of Mississippi State and the University Medical Center.  She is currently a nurse at UMC.  They have been married for sixteen years and have one daughter, Meghan Elizabeth who will be eleven on May 2.

Chad Walberg is in his ninth season at Northwest Rankin High School.  Walberg played for three years under Jim Page at Millsaps College.  He has coached in Arkansas, Canton and St. Joseph in Madison.  Chad was raised on the baseball diamond.  His father Bill Walberg played baseball at Northwestern in the Big Ten.  Later Bill would become the voice of the Jackson Mets and Generals.  For Northwest, Chad is the head coach of the ninth grade football team and in baseball will work with catchers and hitters. 

Chad is married to the former DeAnne Perkins of West Helena, Arkansas.  She is a graduate of Delta State and a C.P.A. They have been married for thirteen years. They have two daughters, Darby who is eight and Morgan who is five years old.

Thad Bennett is in his eighth year here at Northwest. Thad graduated from Quitman High School in 1998 where he played football and baseball.  Bennett played his college baseball at Jones Junior College and Belhaven College and received a Bachelors degree in elementary education from Belhaven College.

Thad teaches Mississippi Studies and Economics.  He was a ninth grade football coach for five years, but will now put all his focus on baseball.  Bennett will step into the role of pitching coach for the Cougars this season replacing Coach Stein who is now serving as an administrator for Northwest.

He is married to the former Stacey Everhardt. Stacey teaches kindergarten at Highland Bluff Elementary in Flowood.  Thad and Stacey are the proud parents of Breelynn Anne Bennett who was born on November 17, 2008. 
 

Doug Lycette and his wife Karen are blessed to be the parents of four children - Jake, Luke, Lynden, and Emerie.

Coach Lycette marks his eleventh year on the Cougar Baseball staff.  This is his 23rd year in high school baseball coaching which includes nine years of experience as a head coach.  During his tenure as Head Coach, he earned 2 state titles and was named Metro Coach of the Year by the Clarion-Ledger.

Coach Lycette's other responsibilities at Northwest include teaching Mississippi Studies, serving as Assistant Coach of the Varsity Football team, and involvement in the leadership of the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes).

Lewis Bradford is in his fifth year with the Northwest Rankin baseball program.  Lewis graduated from Scott Central High School in 2000.  Lewis then attended East Central Community College where he played baseball and football.  He continued playing baseball at the University of West Alabama where he was part of the 2005 GSC Championship team at UWA.  Lewis received his bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences from UWA in 2005.