Jackson College names Jon Gwizdala softball head coach
Jon Gwizdala has recently been named as head coach of Jackson College’s softball program. Gwizdala has a long career of playing and coaching softball.
Jackson College recently announced the new head coach for its softball program. Jon Gwizdala is a member of the USA Men’s National Softball Team, and will be leading the Jets moving forward.
According to an article on Jackson College’s website, prior to coming to Jackson College, Gwizdala served as the pitching coach at the University of Toledo from 2022 until 2024. He played softball in college at Delta College in University Center, Michigan starting in 2010. After college he went back to Delta to serve as a volunteer assistant softball coach for three years starting in 2013.
Gwizdala earned his associate degree from Delta College and then moved on to Central Michigan University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science. While there he participated in the softball program as a practice player in 2014. Then, in 2018 he earned his Teacher’s Certification in science and physical education at Saginaw Valley State University.
Gwizdala served as the assistant softball coach between 2019 and 2021 at Davenport University. While there he also worked to coordinate events and camps. He has also served as an assistant coach during the 2022 season at Western Michigan University. While there he also worked with the team’s pitching staff, improving their WHIP, ERA, and strikeout totals.
Outside of his collegiate coaching career, he has also served at the Great Lakes Baseball Softball Hitting Club in Saginaw, and as an instructor at Diamonds Sports Training in Grand Rapids. Between 2017 and 2019, Gwizdala also worked as the assistant director of scouting for RISE Softball Midwest Region, where his duties involved athlete promotion, managing media relations, and recruitment. He ultimately recruited 84 high school atheletes who then went on to play softball at the collegiate level.
Gwizdala’s playing career saw him being a member of the USA Men’s National Softball Team where he played in the 2019 WBSC World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, and the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru where his team won the silver medal. Then in 2022 the team won the bronze at the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, which saw the end of a 22 year medalless streak. Throughout that tournament, he pitched 13.1 innings, pitching 19 strikeouts with a 5.25 ERA.
Gwizdala also serves as an Elite Athlete representative for multiple USA softball committees.
Jon and his wife Chelsea have a daughter named Sadie.
More information about Jackson College can be found at the school’s website.