West Ashley announces George Jenkins as new head men’s basketball coach
from Staff Reports
Last month, West Ashley High School named George Jenkins as its next head men’s varsity basketball coach. Jenkins, who served as the assistant coach during the 2021-2022 season, is stepping into the role previously held by head coach Benjamin Snyder.
“West Ashley is excited to announce George Jenkins as its new head coach of our men’s varsity basketball program,” said West Ashley Athletic Director Jeffrey Fipps. “Coach Jenkins is a Charleston native with strong ties to the West Ashley Community. As a former student-athlete at Burke High School, Jenkins was a standout on the football field as well as the basketball court. He has done a phenomenal job as an assistant coach at West Ashley and we look forward to the same leadership as our new head coach of the men’s basketball program.”
Before joining the Wildcats, Jenkins served as an assistant varsity coach and the head junior varsity (JV) basketball coach at Lucy Beckham.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as the head men’s basketball coach for West Ashley High School,” said Jenkins. “We look forward to having an amazing season next year. During the previous season, we worked hard as a team to get to the playoffs and I am excited about what this coming season will bring.”
Jenkins began his professional coaching career in 2016 at Robert Lewis Magnet School in Natchez, MS where he served as the offensive coordinator for their football team and was the associate head basketball coach.
During his time there, Jenkins helped the magnet school become back-to-back region and tournament champions, ending the season 16-1.
He next took his coaching skills to Trinity Episcopal High School, again in Natchez, MS, as the head JV and assistant Varsity basketball coach. Jenkins helped lead the team to one of three district titles. He also served as the school’s head JV football coach and the defense coordinator for Varsity.
Varsity ended the season with a 21-4 record, 9-1 in the Region, and saw JV end their season with a record of 16-3. The team also won the South State Championship and the region, placing second in the Region Tournament.
Making the move back to South Carolina in 2018, Jenkins worked as the assistant Varsity football coach and the assistant Varsity basketball coach at CA Johnson High School in Columbia, SC before moving back to Charleston in 2020.
A standout athlete from 1992-1996 at Burke High School, Jenkins was a McDonald All American nominee, a former All-State player, was named Region Player of the Year, a former member of the All-Lowcountry Second Team, and was ranked in the state of South Carolina all four years he was in high school.
While studying at the post-secondary level, Jenkins received his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education / Sports Management from Johnson C. Smith University in 2000 before going on to earn his MBA in Business Administration from Webster University in 2004.
Jenkins played basketball all four years in college. Notable accomplishments include playing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament and in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Championship game.
“As a leader, I can truly say that I am invested in this program and I believe our scholar-athletes will achieve success in the classroom and on the court. ‘Every day is a chance to get better’ and that is our game plan to do the work it takes to get better. As Michael Jordan said ‘Just Play. Have Fun. Enjoy the game’. Thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to working with the Wildcat Family!”
