Editor’s Note: With the coronavirus outbreak shutting down spring sports, The Republic will be featuring senior athletes from Columbus East, Columbus North and Hauser whose final seasons were affected by the decision over the course of the spring.
Born into a baseball family, Jackson Paradise has played the sport for almost as long as he’s been able to walk.
Jackson’s father, Terrill, was a standout high school baseball player in Alabama that received attention from college scouts. While Terrill decided not to pursue a collegiate career, he had a very good reason: while attending an event in Indiana he met his future wife, Tonya.
The rest was history.
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Paradise, a senior at Hauser, credits his father for being one of his biggest influences in his young career, which will continue at St. Francis next year.
“(Terrill) has always told me stories about working out with minor league players down there,” Paradise said. “Those stories were all pretty cool.”
Paradise has two older sisters, Bailey and Libby, who both graduated from Columbus East. He grew up in Columbus, attending Richards Elementary before enrolling at Northside for middle school.
Paradise attended high school at East his freshman and sophomore years, where he was involved in the baseball and basketball programs, before transferring to Hauser at the beginning of his junior year.
“I always felt that I was a small-school kind of person, and I felt like (Hauser) would be more of a fit and I would feel more comfortable,” he said.
Transitioning to a new school had its ups and downs, but Paradise felt he fit right in at Hauser.
“I thought it was pretty easy for me. The good thing was, I already had some friends there, and they really helped me through with just learning the way around,” Paradise said. “Having Mr. (Jerry) Schoen there at Hauser, who helped with baseball at East, helped, too. I think that helped with easing my way in, and it made it more comfortable as the days went on.”
In his short time at Hauser, Paradise has made a lot of memories. One of his favorites happened during basketball season in January when he was crowned Homecoming King before scoring a career-high 41 points in a Jets victory.
Paradise wishes he could be back out on the baseball field and add some more memories this spring, but he understands that the health and safety of everyone is of the utmost importance.
Hauser baseball coach Nathan Long said it will be hard to replace someone like Paradise
“First and foremost, his glove is rock-solid in the infield. You can always count on him to be that guy that was always going to be in the lineup,” Long said. “His bat at the top of the lineup is another thing we’ll miss. He has great plate awareness, the ability to hit whether there are runners in scoring position or leading off. I’m going to miss those things the most. I’m going to miss him being able to teach the next guy up. That was going to be a big part this year his senior year.
“I’m going to miss all kinds of things about him. You don’t replace Jackson Paradise very often, especially at our small school.”At a bigger school, you can kind of replace guys with a lot more to pick from, at a school like Hauser, we don’t have many Jackson Paradise’s walking into the halls very often.”
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Q: Can you describe how you felt when you heard that your season was canceled?
"It was a bunch of emotions going on. I was devastated by it being my senior year, especially since last year was my first year at Hauser, I didn’t have the chance to play two years of baseball at Hauser. I knew that I had to make the most of it, and it really put a lot of things into perspective for me."
Q: What is your best memory with the program?
"I would probably say my first year being there is one great memories I have. Just thinking about it, it’s my first year and how much everyone was open to me coming into my junior year, the coaches and the players and all the friendships just how easy it was to transition."
Q: What will you miss most about your school and team?
"The atmosphere was just a fun, loving atmosphere, and it felt just like a second home to me.
Q: What lesson(s) did you learn from your time with the program?
"I definitely learned about how much hard work can really take you. No matter what, always keep my head down and keep working, no matter if I had the best game or the worst game, and if I just keep working, it’ll work out for me.
Q: What are your plans for college or the future?
"I’m leaning towards management with a minor in sports management, but just talking with my parents, the good thing is that I could change it, so really I’m trying to be open. If I’m not comfortable with something, I’m not going to force myself to be in it."
Q: What is your final message to the team?
"They’re all like brothers to me and I’m extremely appreciative for them, and I’m very thankful for all of the friendships that I was able to form with them. I’m always going to have their back, and I’m always going to be here if they ever need anything in the future."
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