Legacy coordinator Reynolds lands head football job at Natalia
Jason Reynolds is ready to reach one of his career goals — even if it includes a bittersweet move.
Reynolds was named head football coach and athletic director at Natalia on Monday night, bringing his time as an offensive coordinator at Wichita Falls ISD to an end.
Reynolds had spent the past three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Wichita Falls High. He was named offensive coordinator and play caller at Legacy when the program begins in August.
Instead, Reynolds begins the next chapter in his coaching career, returning to a program with which he’s familiar. He was the offensive coordinator at Natalia under coach Ilyan Martinez from 2018 to 2020 before coming to Wichita Falls.
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“Natalia is where I got my first chance to be an offensive coordinator under coach Martinez,” Reynolds said. “For me, it was a no-brainer to go back to a town I loved. There’s already a great group of coaches in place. I couldn’t ask for a better situation.”
The Natalia job came open when Martinez left for his home town of Floresville to become the head football coach and athletic director.
Natalia, located 30 miles southwest of San Antonio, experienced the greatest period of success under Martinez, advancing to the playoffs in five of his six seasons there. Reynolds was there for two of those playoff trips in 2019 and 2020.
Despite fulfilling a personal goal of becoming an athletic director and head coach, the 37-year-old Reynolds and his family, including wife Valarie, 11-year-old son Joshua and 6-year-old daughter Jennifer, aren’t relishing their departure from Wichita Falls.
“It’s a bittersweet moment,” Reynolds said. “Our time in Wichita Falls was awesome. I love the coaching staff and the kids there. We made some great memories at Old High. You know, 2022 was the most memorable playoff run I’ve had in my career.
“But I set this goal for myself. I want to become an athletic director. I want to lead coaches and kids. It couldn’t have been a better opportunity for me to start doing it.”
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Jason Reynolds leaving WFISD for head football coaching job at Natalia
