Barbara Jacket facts for kids
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 26, 1934 Port Arthur, Texas |
| Died | January 6, 2022 (aged 87) Richmond, Texas |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1965–1991 | Prairie View A&M |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1990–1995 | Prairie View A&M |
Barbara J. Jacket (December 26, 1934 – January 6, 2022) was a very important American track and field coach. She led the women's track and field team at Prairie View A&M from 1965 to 1991. During her time there, Coach Jacket helped her teams win ten national titles. She also became the athletic director for the university in 1990.
Beyond college sports, Barbara Jacket was the head coach for the American women's track and field team at the 1992 Summer Olympics. This made her the second African-American woman to lead a U.S. Olympic team. She also coached for the United States at other big events like the 1987 World Championships in Athletics and 1991 World Championships in Athletics. In 1995, she was honored by being inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame.
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Barbara Jacket's Early Life and School
Barbara Jacket was born in Port Arthur, Texas, on December 26, 1934. She grew up with two siblings. As a young person, she loved playing many sports. These included softball and track and field.
For her college education, Barbara Jacket went to Tuskegee University. She earned a scholarship to play basketball there. In 1958, she got her degree in physical education. Later, in 1968, she earned a master's degree from Prairie View A&M University.
Barbara Jacket's Coaching Career
Barbara Jacket started her coaching journey teaching basketball. She taught in Eufaula, Alabama, and her hometown of Port Arthur, Texas. In 1964, she joined Prairie View A&M as a swimming instructor.
The next year, in 1965, Coach Jacket started the Prairie View A&M Panthers and Lady Panthers track and field team. She became their first head coach. She coached at Prairie View A&M until 1991. During this time, her teams won ten National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championships. They also won fourteen Southwestern Athletic Conference titles in track and field.
Coaching for Team USA
Outside of her college coaching, Barbara Jacket also worked with the U.S. women's national track and field team. She was an assistant coach at the 1979 Pan American Games. She also served as a head coach for the U.S. women's team at the 1975 World University Games. She led the team at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics and 1991 World Championships in Athletics.
Her biggest role was being the head coach for the 1992 Summer Olympics team. This was a huge honor. It made her only the second African-American woman to be an Olympic head coach for the United States.
Athletic Director and Retirement
Besides coaching, Barbara Jacket also served as the athletic director for Prairie View A&M. She held this important leadership role from 1990 to 1995. In the 2000s, she taught health classes at the university. Coach Jacket retired from Prairie View A&M in 2010.
Awards and Special Honors
Barbara Jacket received many awards for her amazing career. In 1992, she was inducted into the Prairie View A&M University Sports Hall Of Fame. This honored her great contributions to the university's sports programs.
In 1995, she was named to the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame. This recognized her impact on women's sports around the world. Then, in 2001, she was inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association hall of fame. These honors show how much she achieved and how many lives she touched.
