Spiro High School’s Jackson Spears
Spiro junior Jackson Spears has grown into one of the Bulldogs’ most dependable all-around baseball players, a blue-collar utility man who anchors both the lineup and pitching staff. Now a three-year starter this spring, he returns with more innings on the mound than any pitcher on the roster while also contributing at outfield and first base.
Spears said his steady approach and work ethic trace back to his biggest inspiration at home. “My dad because he instilled good work ethic in me,” Spears said. That mindset shows in his willingness to handle whatever role coaches hand him. Listed as a utility player, he understands the challenge that comes with bouncing between spots defensively. “The hardest thing is knowing what to do at every position,” Spears said.
In the classroom, Spears gravitates toward history and still remembers a middle school teacher who helped spark that interest. His favorite subject is history, and he points to Mr. Thomas, his eighth-grade teacher, as a lasting influence. Away from baseball and school, Spears keeps things simple, saying he enjoys “hanging out with my friends” when he has free time.
On the field, Spears buys into the game’s traditions and unwritten rules including one superstition he takes seriously. When asked for the best unwritten rule in baseball, he answered, “Don’t step on the line.” He also values the personality inside Spiro’s dugout, quickly naming Chase Killian as the most vocal teammate and Jacob Sullivan as the one who “makes everyone laugh.”
What he enjoys most about being a Bulldog goes beyond wins and stats. Spears said he appreciates “the coaches and the bonds you make with teammates” and loves “the way that they are always there for me when times are tough.” At the plate, he keeps his approach straightforward, saying his favorite pitch to hit is a “middle middle fastball,” the kind he can attack with confidence. Asked what athletics has taught him, Spears points to one lesson that applies well beyond high school baseball: it has taught him “how to push through adversity.”
