March/2020
Rockdale H.S. Baseball
and Softball
Pending
Per UIL
____________________________________
(ROCKDALE)–ROCKDALE I-S-D HAS A NEW HEAD
FOOTBALL COACH AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, AND IT’S
A FAMILIAR FACE. JACOB CAMPSEY, FORMERLY
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR FOR THE ROCKDALE TIGERS,
TAKES OVER AS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AND ATHLETIC
DIRECTOR.
CAMPSEY IS THE YOUNGEST OF SIX CHILDREN.
HIS FATHER WORKED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
SERVED AS COUNTY JUDGE IN MEDINA COUNTY FOR
8 YEARS.
CAMPSEY GRADUATED DEVINE HIGH SCHOOL IN
2006. CAMPSEY WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY
HARDIN BAYLOR, PLAYING BASEBALL FOR ONE YEAR,
THEN WORKING AND BEING A STUDENT. CAMPSEY SAYS HE
HAD SOME GREAT EXPERIENCES MAKING CONNECTIONS
WITH A NUMBER OF COACHES, WITH ONE IN PARTICULAR
STANDING OUT…
“I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET HOOKED UP
WITH A LOT OF GREAT HEAD COACHES. I WENT AND
WATCHED FOOTBALL EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT. I GOT
HOOKED UP WITH COACH WALKER AT ROGERS, WHEN
HE WAS AT ROGERS AND I GOT TO KNOW HIM. SO,
AFTER U-M-H-B, I WENT TO ROGERS TO STUDENT-
TEACH. AND SO I STUDENT-TAUGHT THERE, AND
SPENT A SEMESTER WITH COACH WALKER LEARNING.
HE’S A SLOT-T GUY, BUT JUST LEARNING HOW HE
RAN OFFSEASON, HOW HE MANAGED THINGS. AND
THAT WAS HUGE FOR ME, WATCHING HIM. HE’S BEEN
SO SUCCESSFUL.”
AFTER COMPLETING HIS STUDENT TEACHING AT
ROGERS, HE EARNED HIS DEGREE FROM MARY HARDIN
BAYLOR IN 2011. HE GOT HIS FIRST COACHING JOB AS AN
ASSISTANT AT THRALL UNDER HEAD COACH AND A-D JEFF
DOEGE. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS THERE, HE CAME TO
ROCKDALE IN THE SPRING OF 2014. SERVING AS
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, CAMPSEY WAS AN ASSISTANT
AS THE TIGERS WENT TO THE STATE QUARTERFINALS
IN 2014, AND THE REGIONAL FINALS IN 2016. THEN,
CAMPSEY LED THE DEFENSE AS THE TIGERS WON THEIR
FIRST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN OVER 40 YEARS WITH A
45 TO 29 VICTORY OVER BROCK AT AT&T STADIUM IN
ARLINGTON IN 2017.
CAMPSEY SAYS HE UNDERSTANDS THE SHADOW LEFT
BY COACH JEFF MILLER OVER THE PROGRAM IS A BIG ONE…
“YEAH, THAT’S THE DEAL HERE. WHAT COACH
MILLER HAS DONE HERE IS UNMATCHED. AND WHEN
TALKING ABOUT THIS JOB, OBVIOUSLY I’VE LEARNED
AN UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT FROM COACH JEFF MILLER
THAT WILL FOLLOW ME MY ENTIRE CAREER. I CAN’T
TRY TO BE COACH JEFF MILLER, BECAUSE NOBODY
CAN. ANYBODY THAT TRIES IS GOING TO BE
UNSUCCESSFUL.”
CAMPSEY ALSO SAYS HE’S READY TO SET HIS OWN
INITIATIVE IN LEADING TIGER FOOTBALL AND THE
ROCKDALE ATHLETIC PROGRAM…
“WHILE I’VE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL FROM HIM,
I HAVE TO BE JACOB CAMPSEY. AND I’M EXCITED ABOUT
BEING JACOB CAMPSEY. AND THOSE LITTLE THINGS
THAT I THINK WE CAN DO DIFFERENTLY, OR MAYBE
BETTER. WHO KNOWS. BUT I’M EXCITED TO PUT MY
TOUCH ON IT, AND THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT.”
CAMPSEY SAYS MILLER WAS A GREAT MENTOR TO
HIM…
“I’M SO THANKFUL FOR MY TIME HERE WITH HIM,
BECAUSE I’VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HIM, HOW TO
DO A TON OF STUFF, AND SO I WOULDN’T BE THE COACH
I AM TODAY WITHOUT HIM, FOR SURE.”
CAMPSEY IS MARRIED TO WIFE JENAH, AND THEY
HAVE TWO ADOPTED TODDLERS, EMERIE AGE 4 AND
LEVY AGE 3.
