A new level of excitement has taken over the Northrop girls basketball program since Katie Jackson was named the new girls basketball coach.
"The first two weeks we've had has been intense," Jackson tells the Parkview Sports Network. "Their attitudes have been phenomenal, attendance has been phenominal; and so, I think, the sky is the limit."
Jackson's twin daughters, Saniya & Nevaeh, have transferred to Northrop from Carroll to play for their mother. Saniya (9.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists) earned 1st Team All-SAC honors this past season, while Neveah (8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game) was selected Honorable Mention All-SAC. Younger sister, Swynn, is in middle school, but will eventually play at Northrop.
"I've coached them since they were little," Katie Jackson reflects on coaching her daughters in Always100 club basketball. "To be able to be with them every day in the gym and then also have kids that I've coached in AAU."
Jackson was also named assistant principal of Northrop at the Fort Wayne Community Schools board meeting on May 24.
Her hiring was approved by the Fort Wayne Community Schools board on May 24. Since then, Jackson has added former Northrop coach Andrew Wyss and former Homestead/IPFW/Saint Francis standout Lindley Kistler to her staff. The Lady Bruins started summer conditioning at the beginning of June, and will participate in their share of tournaments throughout the summer.
Jackson, a North Side graduate, is no stranger to the Summit Athletic Conference as a player or coach. She coached the girls team at North Side in the early-2000s. In her playing days at North Side, Jackson (then as Katie Bruening) became the program’s all-time leading scorer. She was also All-SAC in volleyball and softball, and was inducted into the North Side Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
Katie (Bruening) Jackson was a three-sport All-SAC athlete at North Side, and graduated as the school's all-time career scoring leader (photo: North Side Legend yearbook)
Jackson played her college basketball at Loyola University Chicago before transferring to IPFW, where she also played volleyball.
Northrop girls basketball finished 9-12 this past season, and advanced to the sectional semi-finals.
"In all reality, Northrop can be competitive for an SAC championship; and at least surprise some people," Jackson says.
Northrop is one of 25 high schools that partner with Parkview Sports Medicine for athletic training, sports performance, nutrition, athletic rehab and other sports medicine services for Bruin student-athletes. Learn more at www.parkviewsportsmedicine.com.