Just In: US Open title favourite’s coach was shot at, stabbed and left homeless at aged 13
Jason Stacy overcame significant hardship on his journey to guiding Aryna Sabalenka to US Open glory. The high-performance coach has helped the 28-year-old reach her potential, as the two-time champion aims for a third consecutive title at Flushing Meadows.
Sabalenka has secured four Grand Slam triumphs in her career and has been ranked world No.1 for almost two years. However, despite being the favourite to win another US Open title, she can also be prone to disappointing performances and instinctive outbursts. Whilst not every coach may be able to bring out the best in Sabalenka, performance coach Stacy has proven to be the ideal person for the job. Yet Stacy was previously homeless at a young age and faced terrifying situations before forging a career path that has seen him work with some of the world’s top athletes.
Stacy became homeless as a 13-year-old in Tacoma, Washington, shortly after the death of his father. In an interview with The Times, Sabalenka’s coach recalled several of the dangerous situations he faced while living on the streets.
“Three of the concussions I’ve had were because of being hit with a gun,” Stacy said. “I’ve been stabbed. I’ve been shot at. It was a combination of being in the wrong place at the right time, the wrong environment, not out of choice but survival. A couple of times it was because I wouldn’t get involved in drugs. That was a boundary I wouldn’t cross.
Stacy explained that he sought sanctuary in a library and also developed a passion for mixed martial arts, with a dojo offering him a free place to stay for a year. He subsequently trained as a sports therapist, later became a strength coach and studied athletic medicine. He worked with Olympians and world champions before teaming up with Sabalenka in 2018.
Providing an insight into the world No. 1’s temperament, Stacy explained: “First and foremost, the fire that she has, the personality, someone’s strength can sometimes be their biggest weakness as well, if it’s not managed and you don’t learn to understand yourself and how you respond to things.
“A big part of what we’ve been doing is just her becoming more aware of herself and really developing as a person — not just as a player — so she can be who she is and be expressive.”
In an attempt to freshen up training, Stacy often uses bets and games as part of Sabalenka’s preparation, including getting a temporary tattoo on his head after she reached last year’s US Open final. However, a play fight during the Australian Open left Stacy requiring stitches beneath his right eye. Underneath his other eye, Sabalenka wrote: “I like pain.”
Stacy, whose book The Pressure Code is set for release next month, will hope to avoid a similar incident at the US Open. However, he will know what is required to get Sabalenka in the best headspace to defend her title at Flushing Meadows.
