Times Observer photo by Steve Younger Newly named Eisenhower baseball coach Allan Jackson speaks to his team during a recent workout.

RUSSELL — The Eisenhower Knights have a new coach at the helm of the baseball program.

He may be new as a head coach, but he is very familiar with Eisenhower and the Knights.

Allan Jackson, a 2016 Eisenhower graduate, is a former catcher for the Knights.

To say that he is excited about the job would be a major understatement.

“I just could not wait to get started and for the season to start,” Jackson said. “There are quite a few guys coming back and a nice mix of younger players who are excited as well.

“I’ve seen most of the guys and I’m impressed with what I’ve seen so far,” Jackson added.

Jackson has been around the game since his Little League baseball days in Warren.

“I have great memories of coaches who passed on their love of the game to me,” he said. “I hope to pass that on to the boys I am coaching now.

Jackson will be assisted by another Eisenhower graduate, Rocco DelPrince, a 2009 graduate and a four-year letterman for the Knights.

When Jackson was asked about the type of team to expect from the Knights this season, he answered without hesitation, “you can expect to see a team that plays hard, is sound fundamentally and has fun doing it.”