Jacqui Ranson

“One day, your child will sit across from someone and describe what it was like to be raised by you. Make sure it’s a story worth telling.” I’d say we have a pretty good one @Zaden07. This was one of the happiest days of my life. 2024 State Champions ❤️☘️🏀

I believe the best baseball path is built around the whole athlete. Academic fit. Athletic fit. Development fit. Social fit. Family fit. When families look at all five, the process becomes clearer.

The academic-athlete pathway is not about chasing prestige. It is about finding the right environment for the athlete to grow. The right school should challenge the athlete, support the person, and make sense for the family.

My father taught me without many speeches. Work. Responsibility. Resilience. Silence. Showing up. The older I get, the more I realize how much those lessons shaped the way I see baseball, parenting, coaching, and life.

Ivy League, Patriot League, NESCAC, and high-academic Division III recruiting are not just baseball decisions. They are academic-athletic fit decisions. Families have to understand the classroom, the roster, the admissions reality, and the athlete’s readiness.

A lot of families are not lacking effort. They are driving, paying, training, traveling, filming, emailing, and trying to do right by their athlete. What many families are missing is not effort. It is a clear, honest plan.

Here is an idea for parents of 2026-2028 HS parents: For the next 25 days, every day, count how many student athletes are A. After careful consideration, reopening their recruiting process. B. Due to unforeseen circumstances, seeking other opportunities. C Looking for opportunities and " officially entering the transfer portal FIT Matters, levels and divisions do not!

It’s Senior Night once again…one more time. Incredibly grateful for it all. 🥹❤️⚾️🏀⚽️🎓 @Zaden07

Love the Ranson family! @Zaden07 earned the highest honor and is one of my fave players. He gave a great speech to conclude the great event. And his mom and dad, @marknjacqui @MarkRanson14 are world class people!

I’m working to make Coach Beede a trusted resource for serious baseball families navigating development, academics, prep school, post-grad options, and college recruiting. My goal is simple: Help families make better decisions with more clarity and less panic. @bsblbluebook

A Heartfelt Request : This book is the most personal thing I have ever written. I wrote There’s an E at the End to honor my father and the sixteen years I had with him before he was gone. Those years shaped everything in me. They shaped how I learned to endure, how I learned to become a man too early, and later, how I learned to be a father myself. This is a story about fathers and sons, 1970s working-class life, family, loss, baseball, grit, and the quiet code a man can leave behind without ever needing to make a speech. It is also a book about something I believe with all my heart: blood alone does not always make a family. Love does. Loyalty does. Presence does. If you love deeply personal memoirs and would like to be considered an early reader, comment ARC or send me a message. booksirens.com/book/R9PQV25/C… x.com/i/broadcasts/1…

High-academic recruiting is different. Coaches are not only evaluating baseball tools. They are evaluating transcript strength, maturity, communication, projection, family fit, and whether the athlete can handle the academic environment.

Baseball can open academic doors. But only when the plan fits the athlete. Grades matter. Maturity matters. Development matters. Family fit matters. Timing matters. The goal is not chasing the most impressive logo. The goal is finding the right environment to grow.

Today’s edition (Sunday, April 26, 2026) of Wally’s & Wimpy’s Sports Digest is available now! Thanks for supporting Wally’s & Wimpy’s!

The West Virginia Sports Writers Association will host its 79th Victory Awards, Sunday May 3 at Charleston Town Center. 79th Victory Awards Tickets Information: A pre-ceremony VIP Red Carpet Honorees Reception will begin at 2 p.m. VIP Red Carpet Reception tickets are $50 each, which also includes admission to the Awards Ceremony. They must be purchased in advance of the event. By mail, send a check to: WVSWA 117 State Route 34 Box 6118 Hurricane, WV 25526 Honorees will have their photos taken on the red carpet with their families and individually. Honorees will also be interviewed briefly on the red carpet for broadcast. Appetizers will be provided to VIP Red Carpet Reception ticket holders. Honorees include the years winners in several categories, including high school football’s Kennedy Award and Randy Moss Awards (state's top football player and top receiver): Brad Mossor of Princeton; Sam Huff Award (top defensive player): Xavier Anderson of Spring Mills; Joe Stydahar Award (top lineman): Da'Ron Parks of Nitro; J.R. House Award (top quarterback): Maddox Twigg of Morgantown; Curt Warner Award (top running back): Brennan Wack of Wheeling Park; Chuck Howley Award (top linebacker): Marcos Kniska of University; Carl Lee Award (top defensive back): Jaleel Jones of Bluefield and Fulton Walker Award (top special teams): Jimmy Gregg of University. Other sports awards include the McCoy Awards (female and male track & field): Maysen Fletcher of Herbert Hoover and Connor Lambert of Wahama; John Lowery Award (high school baseball player of the year): Weston Smith of Hurricane; Softball Player of the Year: Mattie Carroll of Winfield; Volleyball Player of the Year: Ahaziah Smith of Herbert Hoover; Gene Morehouse Award (media): Tony Caridi of Mountaineer Sports Network; Furfari Award (College Coach of the Year): Mark Kellogg of West Virginia University; Dutton Award (top high school wrestler): Stephen Myers of Parkersburg; Ostrowski Award (girls high school basketball player of the year): Jeriyah Pryor of George Washington; Evans Award (boys high school basketball player of the year) Eli Sancomb of Wheeling Central and Noah Lewis of George Washington; Doug Huff Award (senior athletes who demonstrate "leadership, hustle and determination"): Tayveon Wilson of Huntington; Girls High School Soccer Player of the Year: Lily Larnerd of East Fairmont; and Hardman Award (amateur athlete of the year): Zaden Ranson of Charleston Catholic; Van Meter Award (High school coach of the Year) Mel Stephens of Wheeling Central and Boys High School Soccer Player of the Year, Bodie Jordan of Nitro. General Admission tickets for the 79th Victory Awards Ceremony itself which begins at 3:15 p.m. are $25 each and will be available on site.

Season stats 2026 through 14 games .386BA 1.005 OPS .545SLG 21R 7SB/ 18.0IP 3W 0L 1SV 12K 2H 5BB .777ERA plus 3 OF assists!

I went 7 for 10 on the weekend with a Grand Slam, Homerun, 5 Doubles and 10 RBI's. Proud of our team! Uncommitted 2027 / 4.42 GPA WV Hardman Award Winner WV Male Scholar Athlete of the Year Sullivan Scholarship Award Winner 6'3" / 205 Ibs C / 1st / 3rd 7 AP / 4 Adv. Honors / 7 Honors Classes CPop 1.94 / EV 102 WV State Champion ⚾️🏀⚽️ 1st Team All-State ⚾️x2 🏀x3 All-Tournament Team ⚾️🏀 1st Team AlI-KV ⚾️×2 🏀x3 All Defensive Team 🏀 YouTube: @zadenranson77" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">youtube.com/@zadenranson77... @BluebookBeede @DA_Baseball1797 @CDoyle1329 @HunterMoles @cchssports @ccirishbsbl_ @Deerfield @Deerfieldteams

Thank you Kyle Wiggs & Greg Hunter for your time and the opportunity to speak to @MetroNewsSports about winning the 2026 WV Hardman Award! Here is my interview on YouTube: ⬇️ youtu.be/1SaDelJ5jBQ @HunterMoles @BluebookBeede @CCHSontheHill @Deerfield

7.0 IP 2H 0R 4K CGSO win over Williamstown 1-0. #AGTG @Coach_Towers1 @SideArmNation @LaRocheBaseball

Charleston Catholic's Zaden Ranson claimed this year's Hardman Award, which is given to the state's top amateur athlete. He's the 2nd high H.S. athlete to take home this honor since 2000. Here's my story w/an exclusive interview & initial reaction: bit.ly/4mu6dmy

LETS GO!!! Elite Human! 💚