Although he is an ISS teacher by day, his true passion lies on the basketball court.
Jay-Q Jones, known as Coach Q, is the newest basketball coach at West Chicago this year, and will be coaching the sophomore level. Jones has experience, as he coaches a travel basketball team and some of his players play for WEGO’s Varsity team. Jones is going into his third year of basketball. The West Chicago players who were coached by Jones on his travel basketball team had asked him to try to get a coaching job at the high school.
“I was able to get in contact with the Varsity basketball coach, and from there, I ended up landing here,” Jones said.
Jones is a welcome addition to the coaching staff.
“We are excited to have Coach Q join our program. Coach Q’s experiences make him very relatable to our players as he is a recent graduate from South Elgin where he was the basketball team captain. One of Coach Q’s best traits is his contagious, positive energy; he always shows up with a smile on his face, focused and ready to go! He has a strong work ethic and the right mindset to have a bright future in coaching. I hope that Coach Q’s WeGo experience is a fulfilling one, and I am excited to see the impact he makes within the Boys Basketball program and the WeGo community. We are lucky to have him,” Varsity boys’ basketball Head Coach, Roy Ramos, said.
Jones can be found in the gym during his free time. While there, Jones trains to improve his physical condition – not only for playing basketball, but also to stay in shape. Working out is one of his passions, as is attending sporting events. Jones has already shown he is ready to support the athletics at West Chicago Community High School.
“I like to go to high school football games and basketball games,” said Jones.
However, Jones is new to working in a school setting, and new to in-school suspension as well. He appreciates the new interactions he is able to have while working in a school, working with both his adult colleagues and also with the students around the school. One of Jones’ focuses as an ISS teacher is to create a safe space for kids who have maybe made poor decisions or made a mistake. Although working in ISS might seem like an undesirable job, Jones has a great attitude about it.
“They’re coming in my room, they may have made some mistakes, but at the end of the day, when they come in here, it’s a safe space for them to express themselves, but also understand it’s time for them to focus in,” Jones said.
