For Coach Jared West, basketball is more than a game. It has shaped his life since childhood, long before he started coaching at Mount Vernon.
West grew up in New Orleans, where sports, discipline, and hard work were always present. While his first love was basketball, it was football that led him to college athletics. After graduating from Brother Martin High School, he played college football and pursued his dream of playing professionally.
However, in 2020, the COVID pandemic changed those plans—just as it did for many others. Instead of letting that setback dictate his direction, West shifted to education, taking on roles such as substitute teaching and driving a school bus in Louisiana. As he worked with students and sports programs, he began to find a new purpose in building a positive culture through coaching and education.
“I started leaning more toward the culture part instead of trying to continue playing football,” West said. “That’s when I started learning that my love for education, training, and culture was growing.”
Returning to New Orleans, West spent three years working at his old high school, Brother Martin. While coaching football remained his main focus, his basketball background continued to deeply influence him. Having played basketball through his senior year, he values what the sport teaches young people. His championship-level experiences taught him the importance of preparation, accountability, and togetherness during challenging times.
Now entering his third year at Mount Vernon, West takes on the role of head basketball coach, determined to strengthen a culture of family, discipline, and passion. He recognizes the influence and tradition of Mount Vernon basketball and embraces the responsibility to lead a program that shapes lasting memories and values for athletes, families, and fans.
“It means a lot,” West said. “It’s definitely a blessing and a great opportunity. I don’t want to take it for granted.”
West’s primary mission is to create a program built on family, discipline, and teamwork. He teaches his players that collective effort outweighs individual recognition, aiming for team unity reflected both on and off the court.
“I want the culture and team to be family-oriented,” he said. “Nobody is bigger than the team; the team comes first.”
He believes the family-centered culture should define how his teams play. West wants Mount Vernon basketball to stand for hard work, discipline, structure, and sustained effort. These pillars reach beyond basketball, shaping the character of his players, much like what he learned from his first coach—his father, John West.
“He showed me the ropes and showed me how to lead,” West said. “He also showed me how to be a worker, because in order to be a great leader, you have to be a great worker first.”
This outlook guides how he coaches. For West, being athletic begins with character. He wants players to become good young men first, knowing their off-court actions impact performance. Recognition should come through team success, built by players who work hard to help everyone improve.
“If you’re not a great young man off the court, it’s impossible for you to be a great young man on the court,” he said. “Everything is about the team. It’s not really about individual success. Individual success comes from team success.”
West extends these principles to what happens in practice. He creates challenging environments because overcoming tough situations prepares athletes for life beyond basketball. Habits learned through structure, teamwork, and accountability—he believes—will benefit students in their future careers, families, and communities.
“Life is difficult,” West said. “It’s impossible for us to go through life and expect things just to happen. Only disciplined people have success.” He added that the lessons learned through basketball “go years and decades further than just Mount Vernon basketball or high school basketball or sports in general,” reaching into the ways young men lead their families, pursue success, and become examples for those who come after them.
As he looks ahead to his first season leading the Tigers, West hopes the community will see a team that plays with energy and passion. He isn’t focused on comparing his program to past teams, but he believes fans will notice a unique style in how his teams play. He wants Mount Vernon basketball to be a place that brings students, parents, and fans together, creating a space where everyone feels part of the team’s excitement. love to come out and see every game.”
West is committed to building a family-oriented team culture defined by discipline and passion. As Mount Vernon basketball enters a new chapter, its focus remains on developing strong young men—on and off the court—who represent something greater than themselves.
