Dempster Jackson will be in his first year as the Head Cross-Country and Track Coach at Dawson Community College. Jackson has spent the past four years leading the Phoenix College Cross-Country and Track programs. 

"I am very excited to join the Buccaneer family," according to Jackson. "I look forward to leading the growth and development of our student-athletes and the cross country and track programs." 

Jackson was born in Chicago Heights, IL and attended Missouri State University on a football scholarship, earning a Bachelor of Science degree. Jackson has coached cross country and track & field at the club, high school, prep school, and college levels since 2008. 

At the high school level, he was awarded CAA Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2017. He has coached teams to a Girls Cross Country State Champion, Girls Cross Country State Runner-up, and two Boys Cross Country State Runner-up teams.

While at Phoenix College, he led his Women's Cross Country team to a Region 1 Division II runners-up finish in 2021 and had seven individual NJCAA National Championship Qualifiers in 2021-2022. His 2022-2023 Women's Track and Field team was honored as an NJCAA All-Academic Team.  In 2021-2022 his Men's and Women's Cross Country teams and Men's Track and Field team were all honored as an NJCAA Academic Team of the Year.

He is a USATF Level 1 certified coach, USATF Cross Country Specialist, NFHS Track and Field Coach Level 3, Positive Coaching Alliance Level III Certified Coach, and NASM Youth Exercise Specialist.

"We are thrilled to have Coach Jackson joining our Dawson family," shared Dawson Athletic Director Joe Peterson. "He brings great positive energy, tons of knowledge and experience, and will be a dynamic leader for our cross country and track programs."