Sparkman joins Belgreen as assistant principal, coach

BELGREEN — Jacob Sparkman, a seasoned educator and coach, is stepping into a dual role this year at Belgreen High School as assistant principal and offensive coordinator for the football team.

He arrives with a decade of experience in classrooms and on the field, and a deeply rooted belief in servant leadership.

Originally from Trinity, Sparkman graduated from West Morgan High School where his father, Bruce Sparkman, served as principal.

“The transition’s been a little wild,” Sparkman said. “We’re still trying to sell our house in Harvest, so we may be commuting for now, but we’re ready. We’ve had our eyes on Belgreen for a while, and this is where we want to be.”

He and his wife, Kaitlin, a special education teacher who works with selfcontained students, have three children – Easton, 8; Rawlings, 3; and Harper, 1.

“Wechosethisschooland this community because of the values here,” he added. “Hard work, faith, service – that’s what we want to raise our kids around.”

Sparkman earned a degree in physical education and completed his administrative credentials. He has spent the past 10 years teaching a wide range of subjects, includingspecialeducation, math, science, health, STEM, career preparation and mass media. He has also coached football and softball.

AtArdmoreHighSchool, he helped launch a studentrun broadcast network that streamed football games and campus news.

“It really gave students ownership,” he explained. “They weren’t just watching the story, they were telling it. I’d love to build something like that here.”

He and his wife coached softball together for years. They thought they’d stay at Ardmore long-term. When their third child was born, things changed.

“We had runner-up finishes in softball two years in a row,” he said. “We thought that was our forever job, but the commitment was so intense. We wanted more time with our kids.”

His wife stepped back from coaching, and Sparkman pivoted back toward football and the administrative role he felt called to pursue. That desire to lead, and to keep coaching, is what ultimately led him to Belgreen.

“A lot of systems won’t let you do both, to be an administratorandacoach, but I’m not ready to give up coaching,” Sparkman said. “Franklin County gave me the chance to keep doing what I love.”

This year, he’ll serve as offensive coordinator for Belgreen’s football team, working alongside head coach Jonathan Raper.

“Football teaches kids how to grow up,” Sparkman said. “You don’t get instant results. You work all summer for something you won’t see until the season. It’s about grit, failure and coming back stronger. That’s life.”

Principal Megean Berryman said Sparkman’s experience and heart made him a clear choice.

“He’s taught so many subjects and that’s exactly the kind of support I need,” she said. “I come from an elementary school background, and his school experience fills a gap for us. Plus, his passion for serving others stood out right away.”

Berryman cited his football coaching as a bonus, but noted it was his mindset that sealed the deal.

“He wants to be here,” she said. “He wants to serve. And that’s what makes him a great fit for Belgreen.”

Sparkman’s leadership style is grounded in humility, faith and relationships.

“I believe leadership is service,” he said. “I’m not the kind of person who just delegates from a distance. I want to walk beside people – teachers, students, parents. I want to meet them where they are.”

“I’ve never written a student up,” Sparkman said. “Not because I’m easy on them. I’m hard on my kids. But they know I care. That relationship comes first.”

Sparkman credits much of his educational philosophy to his father.

“He was a coach, teacher and principal,” he said. “When I got upset with a coach in high school, my dad — who was also that coach’s boss — told me to do what the coach said. He said, ‘Fair or not, you follow his lead.’ That stuck with me. That’s how life works.”

Now, as a father and leader himself, Sparkman hopes to give his own children and students a similar foundation.

“We want this to be our last move,” Sparkman said. “I don’t want to move my kids again. I grew up in one place and graduated with people I’d known all my life. That matters.”

Asked what kind of legacy he wants to leave at Belgreen, he didn’t hesitate.

“I want people to see that loving and serving others is what really matters,” he said. “It’s not about what you achieve for yourself — it’s about how you treat the people around you.”

Sparkman said the welcome they’ve already received has only confirmed they made the right choice.

“Belgreen is a smalltown school with a big heart,” Sparkman said. “There’s pride here. There’s potential. It’s growing, and we’re excited to grow with it.”