Jon Walker has been an assistant coach on the Cougars' staff since July 2009, serving as the program's pitching coach. Walker, a native of Danville, played three seasons for Averett as a pitcher.
Since joining the Averett coaching staff, Walker mentored pitcher Chris Moyer to 2010 USA South Conference Rookie Pitcher of the Year honors as a freshman, along numerous other all-conference pitchers during his tenure.
Walker was a successful pitcher during his playing days with the Cougars. In his senior season, he finished second in the USA South Conference with a 0.81 earned run average. He also tied for the team lead in saves.
Prior to transferring to Averett, Walker played one season at Division I Campbell University where he pitched 50 innings as a freshman, making eight starts in 17 appearances.
In high school, Walker was a standout at nearby George Washington High School, where he set the school record for career wins with a 24-1 record. He was named the Western Valley District Pitcher of the Year as a junior and senior and earned a scholarship to Campbell.
At Averett, Walker also assists with recruiting throughout the South region.
In 2011, Walker started the Virginia Reds 17U Travel Team. In two years of coaching the Virginia Reds, 23 of his players have gone on to play at the collegiate level. The Reds, sponsored by Nike Baseball, travel up and down the East Coast from June-October playing other elite travel teams at college venues to help expose good young high school players to college scouts. Walker has coached high school players from George Washington, Tunstall, Chatham, Dan River, Hargrave Military Academy, Bartlett Yancey, Morehead, Halifax, Person County, Appomattox, Greensboro Christian and Riverside-Durham.
In November 2012, Walker opened the Virginia Reds Training Facility in the Downtown Tobacco Warehouse District of Danville. The training facility is home to the Virginia Reds 12U and 17U travel teams. He is the founder/owner/operator of the facility, where he trains anywhere from 30-50 kids weekly to prepare for the upcoming season and continue to stay sharp during the summer travel season. The facility is outfitted with two cages, a weight lifting area, arm and shoulder strengthening station, speed/agility stations and indoor pitching mounds.
