Jack Parker will be starting his third year as the volunteer assistant coach with New Mexico State. Before moving to Las Cruces, Jack coached at Circle City Volleyball Club in Indianapolis, Indiana. During his time at Circle City he worked with teams in various age groups from 1997-2007, additionally; Jack started a strength and conditioning program for Circle City Volleyball Club. While coaching at Circle City Jack helped Kendra Lancaster earn a spot with the USA Women’s Sitting National Team. Kendra has competed in three Paralympic games (2004, 2008, 2012), and was named team Captain for the London Games.
Parker went in to the Navy following high school to be a Navy SEAL. Following a training injury, and failed attempts to rehab nerve damage in his hip, he was separated with an Honorable-Medical Discharge. Before his medical separation he played volleyball for the Naval Amphibious Base select team in San Diego, Calif., from 1994-96. He also continued to play in local tournaments around the Coronado, Mission, and Solano Beach areas from 1994-96. After 18 months of playing beach and grass tournaments he was asked to coach at SunWest Volleyball club, eventually changing its name to Epic VBC. While working for SunWest Volleyball club he also worked as a volunteer assistant coach at Mesa College during the 1994-96 seasons.
Originally from Greenwood, Indiana, Parker started playing volleyball in 1990. His volleyball career started in the gym at the local YMCA, and after three years of playing in leagues and open gyms a group of parents decided it was time to create a men's team. Once the team was created they lobbied to create a men's team at his high school. During his senior year in high school he was asked to be a student-coach with the women's team at Center Grove High School during the 1993-1994 season. The Center Grove Trojans won their Sectional before losing their Regional and dropping out of the Indiana State tournament.
Jack started his Doctorate in Performance Psychology in February of 2013. He is teaching at El Paso Community College, in addition to his teaching and consulting practice; he has been providing mental training services to athletes in the New Mexico State athletic department over the past three years.
Jack is married to Molly Parker, Molly is the diving coach (Springboard & Platform) for the NM State swimming & diving team. The Parkers have two sons, Atticus (8) and Leonidas (5), with another child on the way.
