Jackson names Austin head baseball coach

Bryan Austin, an assistant baseball coach at Jackson High School the past four seasons, has been named head coach for the Indians beginning next season.

Austin, a 2002 graduate of Jackson High School, takes over for Tatum Kitchen, who coached the Indians the past four seasons but recently resigned from his physical education position at Jackson middle School to explore opportunities outside of education.

"It's great being a Jackson kid and now being the head baseball coach," Austin said Wednesday. "I know a lot of people in the area, and I coached a lot of these kids either at the junior varsity level or in the summer. It's a great position for me to be in."

Austin played college baseball at both Jefferson Junior College in Hillsboro, Mo., and Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kan. He also played three summers for the Plaza Tire Capahas under coach Jess Bolen. He earned a bachelor's degree in health and Human Performance and a master's degree in Sports Administration from Fort Hays State.

"It'll be a smooth transition," Austin said. "Coach Kitchen and I work very well together. We've got a good group of seniors who have worked very hard and we've got plans to take this as far as we can. We're not even thinking of this (change) right now. It'll definitely be a smooth transition."

Austin was the head junior varsity coach for both the Indians and the Jackson Junior Legion. He has been an instructor at baseball camps for the Plaza Tire Capahas, Missouri State University and the University of Missouri. He has also been an associate scout for the Kansas City Royals since 2010.

He and his wife, Mollie, reside in Jackson.