Staff Spotlight: Jackson Pierce, GCHS Girls Basketball Coach

By Chris Mitchell '95

Each Friday during the month of June, Granite City Community Unit School District #9 will highlight a new member of the Granite City High School coaching staff as we prepare for the 2026-27 school year.

This week's staff spotlight features Jackson Pierce.

Pierce will serve as both a GCHS Social Studies teacher and the head coach of the Girls Basketball program. He spent five years teaching and coaching at Webber High School before joining Okawville High School this past year as a Social Studies teacher.

Pierce brings more than five years of coaching experience in basketball, track and field, and cross country. At Webber High School, he served as the head coach of all three programs. In girls basketball, he spent three seasons as the junior varsity coach before leading the program as head coach for the following two years.

Coach Pierce shares what drew him to GCHS Girls Basketball, the values he hopes to build within the program, and what Warrior fans can expect this winter at Memorial Gymnasium!

What attracted you to the Granite City Girls Basketball position, and what made this the right opportunity for you and your family?
What attracted me most to Granite City was the community support, and the potential of the program. Granite City is a place where people care deeply about their schools and athletic programs, and that was something that stood out to me right away, as I wanted an opportunity to help build something special and create a culture that players, families, and the community could be proud of. For my family and me, it felt like the right fit because of the values of hard work, commitment, and community that are important to us, and I saw a chance to make a long-term impact, and that was very appealing. 

As you begin your first season with the Warriors, what are some core values and expectations you want your players to embrace both on and off the court?
The biggest values I want our players to embrace are hard work and hustle, as talent can help you win games, but effort, determination, and a willingness to outwork your opponent are things every player can control. On the court, I want us to be known as a team that plays with relentless energy, competes for every loose ball, and never takes a possession off, and off the court, hard work means being committed in the classroom, being dependable teammates, and taking pride in representing Granite City the right way. If our players consistently bring effort, toughness, and a positive attitude every day, I believe great things will follow. 

Who is a coach or mentor you look up to the most, and what lessons have you learned from them that you hope to bring to Granite City?

I’ve been fortunate to learn from several coaches throughout my career, but the people who have influenced me most are the coaches who emphasized relationships first. They taught me that players will work hard for you when they know you genuinely care about them as people. I’ve learned the importance of consistency, building trust, and setting high expectations while still supporting athletes through challenges, and those are lessons I hope to bring to Granite City every day as I want our players to know that I believe in them and that I’m invested in their growth both on and off the court.

What can Warrior fans expect to see from your team when they come to Memorial Gymnasium this winter?
Warrior fans can expect a team that plays hard, competes together, and never backs down from a challenge. We want to be disciplined, unselfish, and connected as our goal is to play with energy and effort every night, regardless of the opponent or the situation. I want fans to leave the gym knowing they watched a team that represented Granite City the right way and gave everything it had from start to finish.

Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of the Granite City Girls Basketball program, and what does success look like to you beyond wins and losses?
My vision is to build a program that is competitive every year and has a strong foundation from the youth levels all the way through high school, and I want players to be excited to wear a Granite City uniform and take pride in being part of the program. Success certainly includes competing for championships, but it goes beyond wins and losses, but success also means developing confident young women, building strong relationships, creating a positive culture, and leaving the program better than we found it. If our players graduate with strong character, great memories, and lessons that help them succeed in life, then we’ve accomplished something truly meaningful.