Coaches/Staff

Jamie Parish enters his ninth year as the head girls basketball coach at Washington High School.  Parish teaches Physical Education and also coaches track at WHS. 

Career Highlights

• State Championships 2007 (Vermillion, SD), 2015, 2021 and 2023 (SF Washington)

• Parish has the unique distinction of coaching state tournament qualifiers in all three classes of South Dakota girls basketball, with championships in two. 

• Nominated as 2021 National Coach of the Year from South Dakota (GBB)

• Named SDHSCA Coach of the year 2015 

• Named the SDBBCA Region 5 Coach of the year 2015, 2021, 2023

• Named SDBBCA Region 5 Assistant Coach of the year 2014

• Named SDBBCA Region 6 Coach of the year in 2005, 2007, 2011

• Coached eleven Miss Basketball Finalists 

  • 2021 Miss Basketball Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda

2014-Current (Sioux Falls Washington Girls)

• In eight seasons with the Warriors:

  • 2015 state championship

  • 2016 runner up

  • 2018 fifth

  • 2019 seventh

  • 2020 qualified (no tourney - Covid)

  • 2021 state championship 

  • 2022 fifth

  • 2023 state championship

2012-2014 (Sioux Falls Washington Sophomore Boys)

• Varsity boys finished third at the 2013 state tournament.

2009-2012 (Centerville Girls)

• Lead Centerville to second state tournament appearance in school history. Finished fourth at 2011 state tournament. 

2002-2009 (Vermillion Girls)

• Lead Vermillion to three consecutive state tournaments. Finishing third in 2005, seventh in 2006, and won the 2007 state championship. 

2001-2002 (University of South Dakota Grad Assistant)

2000-2001 (Mount Marty College Assistant Women’s Basketball)

1999-2000 (Hot Springs, SD Assistant Boys Basketball)

Personal

• Parish is a native of Yankton, SD.  He received his Education Degree from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, a Master's Degree in Physical Education from the University of South Dakota, and an Education Specialist's degree from the University of Sioux Falls.  He is married to Laura (Johnson) of Wessington Springs. In April of 2014 they became parents to fraternal twins, Eli and Cora.

Alicia Hess is in her sixth year of coaching girls basketball at WHS. She coached the freshman team for three seasons and is now in her third year as the Junior Varsity coach. Coach Hess also teaches social studies at WHS. Previously, Hess taught social studies and was a head varsity girls basketball coach and assistant varsity volleyball coach for four years at Newell, SD. She has eleven years of coaching experience with ten years coaching girls basketball.

Career Highlights

2018-Current
Sioux Falls Washington Girls Freshman GBB (2018-2021) and JV GBB (2021-2024)

• Varsity girls placed seventh in 2019 state tournament, qualified in 2020 (canceled), won the 2021 state championship, consolation championship in 2022, and won the state championship in 2023. 

• 2021-2022 Sioux Falls Washington Assistant Coach of the Year

• 2023 SDBBCA Region 5 GBB Assistant Coach of the Year
  
  

2013-2018 (Newell High School Head Coach GBB) 

• Led Newell to consolation championship in 2014 and 2016, second place finish in 2015, and third place finish in 2017 at the West River Tournament.
  
  

Personal

• Coach Hess is a native of Stickney, SD, which has an estimated population of less than 300 people. She played four years of varsity basketball with the Stickney-Mt.Vernon Knights. In high school she participated in basketball, volleyball, track, and softball along with many other activities such as band, student council, chorus, oral interpretation, Quiz Bowl, and National Honor Society. She went on to South Dakota State University and graduated in 2013 with a bachelor of science degree in history and a specialization in secondary education. In 2020, Coach Hess earned her Master of Science Degree in Education with an emphasis in Teaching, Learning, and Leadership through Southwest Minnesota State.  Hess began teaching at the Newell School District in 2013. During her four years at NHS she was also the head basketball coach and an assistant volleyball coach. She moved back east to Sioux Falls in the summer of 2017. Coach Hess began teaching social studies in 2017 at WHS. She also coached volleyball and track and field for several years. She married Jordan Hess in July of 2017. In August of 2020, they welcomed their daughter, Oakley, into their family. 

Michaela Mayer enters her 2nd year on staff as the sophomores girls' basketball coach at Washington High School. She teaches Social Studies classes at WHS and also coaches track & field. Mayer was previously at Whittier Middle School in Sioux Falls. Overall, she has 4 years of coaching experience.

2019-2021 (Whittier Middle School)

• • Coached Girls' Basketball

2014-2019 (University of South Dakota)

• • Elementary Education (2018)

  • Masters in Technology for Education and Training (2019)

2011-2014 (Washington High School Student)

• • Top ten senior

  • Shot Put State Champion: 2012, 2013, 2014

  • Discus State Champion: 2014

  • Basketball State Champion: 2014

  • Softball State Champion: 2011, 2012, 2013

Personal

• • Michaela is a Warrior through and through. She is a 2014 WHS grad and she was a highly decorated student-athlete. She lives in Sioux Falls with her fiance, Dakota, and her 4 cats (Tiger, Margo, Bear, and Beanie).