Tascosa baseball coach Jason Patrick announces his retirement after 24 seasons

After two plus decades Tascosa baseball will look to new leadership guiding the program into the future.

Through 26 years in the athletic program and 24 years as the head baseball coach, Jason Patrick, or better known by his nickname “Patty”, announced his retirement from the Rebels on Thursday morning.

“It’s been a longtime, but I’m ready,” Patrick said. “It’s been an amazing. The friendships, the coaching staff and the journey to where we started when we took over to where it is now. Tascosa baseball is always going to flourish but it’s been one memory after another. Seeing the athletes grow and the relationships that you make is why you do it.”

In his playing days, Patrick is still one of the all-time leaders in wins pitching at West Texas A&M ranking third with 22 victories and played professionally for the former Amarillo Dillas.

In his 24 years coaching the Rebels, Patrick accounted for a program-best 310 wins with 16 playoff appearances and three trips to the regional quarterfinals.

“Traditionally Tascosa may not be a stronghold,” Patrick said. “I do think what this coaching staff always did was teach these athletes the right way to play. That character always put us in the playoffs and puts us competing against better teams in the state of Texas. We always believed in ourselves and that took us a long way.”

Patrick coached multiple players to the next level and saw two of his pupils make it professionally in pitchers Thomas McIlraith and Tucker Davidson.

In his lifetime Patrick never thought he’d ever sit at World Series game let alone seeing one of his former players start one on the mound like Davidson did on Oct. 31, 2021, when Davidson tossed Game 5 for the Atlanta Braves against the Houston Astros at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga.

“It was pretty surreal,” Patrick said. “You watch those games on TV, and you don’t think about the atmosphere, and you see a kid that you’ve watched since seventh grade on walking out there to perform. It chokes you up. Seeing what he does in his career and to be a small part of it says a lot.”

Patrick and Davidson stay in touch to this day as part of the enduring relationships “Patty” has built throughout the years. As much respect as Patrick has for Davidson, Davidson has that much more for one of his all-time mentors.

“Coach Patrick is a special person,” said Davidson, who now pitches in the Baltimore Orioles AAA system. “He taught me how to be a team leader and to be the best person I could be. I think it’s his consistency and hard work that makes him successful. He is always there for his players whether it’s answering questions or working on mechanics. He’s a great friend, a true mentor and goes above and beyond for anyone.”