Jackson Pitcher ’19 is always striving to do better on and off the court. Having participated in three varsity level sports throughout his time at Deerfield, Pitcher continuously challenges himself athletically.
Above that, Pitcher distinguishes himself as a diligent student in the classroom and active member in the community, as he commonly engages in local events. Pitcher grew up in Deerfield, Massachusetts, where both of his parents have been dedicated faculty members for almost thirty years, and his father, Mr. Conrad Pitcher, has been a coach of the boys varsity basketball team for nearly fifteen years. Pitcher recalls having loved the game from an early age, saying, “My interest in [basketball] started from the day I was born, and I have to blame my dad for that. When I was really young, I used to be a regular at practices and games.” Pitcher’s first word just so happened to be “ball,” proving that basketball runs in the Pitcher family blood. His naturally tall stature al- lowed him to have an early ad- vantage over his competition. Pitcher soon was able to play basketball with his younger brother, Bennett Pitcher ’21. Recounting the countless times he played with his younger brother, Pitcher shared, “I had the most fun playing out in the driveway with my brother Bennett, who is one of the most influential people to the development of my game.”
Upon matriculating at Deerfield, Pitcher immediately became a tri-varsity athlete in soccer, basketball, and crew both his freshman and sophomore years. Unfortunately, he ran into a predicament his junior year as he had to choose between crew or playing spring basketball in order to pursue his goals of playing collegiate basketball.
Ultimately, Jackson chose spring basketball.
Reflecting on his decision, Pitcher shared, “My goal growing up was always just to play for Deerfield, as this place has been my home my whole life and I’ve always been Deerfield’s teams’ biggest fan.”
When asked about his most valuable lesson learned from his four years, Pitcher expressed, “Other than to not challenge my dad’s/coach’s judgement, I’ve learned to have a certain mentality while playing defense. If you believe you can guard anyone, you will be able to guard anyone.”
Currently, Pitcher is a captain for two varsity sports: varsity soccer and varsity basketball. His goal remains the same on both teams— to lead and inspire his teammates.
As first-year teammate and co-captain of the basketball team Jackson Selvala ‘19 shared, “He comes to practice early every day to put up shots. He has this awesome ‘looking to get better’
attitude which is super beneficial to the team and to himself as a player… He’s the ideal team- mate that every team wants.
Discussing the type of legacy he wants to leave, Pitcher shared, “I pride myself on my hard work. I would rather be remembered for my work ethic rather than my successes on and off the playing fields. I do not want to be remembered only as an athlete, I feel I have a lot more to give other than points and goals.”
Pitcher’s leadership and attitude can best be described by teammate and co-captain Jackson Selvala ’19.
Selvala spoke to Pitcher’s character saying, “He’s willing to do anything to win. He always makes the hustle plays whether it be grabbing offensive re- bounds, or diving for loose balls before the other team gets them.”
Selvala added, “He’s a fantastic shooter who can quickly change the momentum of the game. Jackson is definitely someone I want walking onto the court with me every game.”
But what bonds teammates more than athleticism, is respect for another’s character.
Selvala concludes by stating, “Off the court, he always has a smile on his face and brightens the mood of any room he walks into. Also, he has a rigorous course load showing his skills in the class- room.”Pitcher says he is pumped to play collegiate basketball at Middlebury next year. After watching many NESCAC basketball games when he was little, Pitcher says, “It really is a dream come true.”