When you think of Amherst football in the early ’90s, you probably remember linebacker Jordan Hayslip, a four-year starter and anchor of the defense. But Jordan was much more than a gifted athlete. An English and Fine Arts double major, today he describes himself as a teacher, coach, and maker. I call him a Renaissance man who has woven together art, athletics, and community in ways that feel deeply intentional. After years teaching in Watts, working as a coach and educator in Hawaii, and experimenting as a furniture builder in Los Angeles, Jordan returned to Amherst in 2018 with his wife Sarah (a Hampshire grad) and their two children. He now works in the Amherst College athletic department, supporting student athletes’ development with a focus on mental health. Outside of that role, you’ll find him in his woodshop turning local trees into furniture, painting landscapes of the Pioneer Valley, and hosting classmates when they come back to campus. Jordan opens up about his own mental health journey, the lessons he’s drawn from coaching and teaching, and why Amherst — the town and the college — continues to shape his life decades after graduation. Conversation highlights include: Jordan lives at the intersection of teaching, coaching, and making, three pursuits that form the through-line of his life. On becoming a mental health advocate: Jordan speaks openly about his own mental health struggles and how they shape the way he supports Amherst student athletes today. The meditative power of making: Whether painting on trails or building furniture from local trees, Jordan sees his creative practice as both expression and therapy. The Amherst classmates he wants to hear from next To contact Jordan, email him at jordanhayslip72@gmail.com or jchayslip94@amherst.edu, or visit his website, jordanhayslip.com, to see his handcrafted furniture.
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