Honoring Coach Jake Yates: A Legacy of Leadership and Love

Former Garden High School Coach Jake Yates from Oakwood, Virginia Passes Away!

He will be missed!

January 6, 2026

This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on January 6, 2026

Former high school football coach from Oakwood, Virginia, Jake Yates has passed away, leaving behind his children, including his loving son Cody.

Jake Yates coached at Garden High School in Oakwood, Virginia, for many years and led the Garden team to the regional championship as well.

He spent several years of his life coaching young talent and positively impacting the lives of many student-athletes.

Also Read:

Oakwood, Virginia, Community Mourns the Loss of Beloved Coach Jake Yates!

While the exact cause of death of Jake Yates has not been disclosed by the media, it is known that one day before his passing, his son Cody had asked for prayers for his father through a Facebook post.

Following Cody’s Facebook post on January 4, 2026, his father, Jake Yates, passed away on January 5, 2026.

After his father’s death, Cody shared a heartfelt post on Facebook announcing the news and expressing his deep sorrow. In the post, he said:

No easy way to say goodbye. Unfortunately we had to say goodbye to my dad Jake Yates about 30 mins ago. Well I said I’ll see you soon and Sawyer got to tell him he was staying busy which that’s what he always does and that he loved him What a wonderful grandfather he is!! God blessed us with extra time with him and time for him to get his heart right and everything be okay. I wasn’t always a great son but he lived to see me be a pretty good man I think. A lot of people loved Jake and Jake loved all of yall. Well at least most of ya. We will miss him dearly.

Following Cody’s Facebook post, many of Jake’s friends and former coworkers from his coaching years commented, expressing their sympathy and sharing memories of Jake.

One of Jake’s former coworkers from the Garden team, in a comment, said:

So sorry Cody . Prayers . Your dad and I coached together on the last garden team that made it to the regional championship game . We spent many nights washing uniforms at garden high school and many fall Saturday’s warning film . He will be missed . Let us know if you need anything at all

Now that Jake has passed away, he is remembered by many and is survived by his family, including his son Cody and several grandchildren.

At this time, the Yates family is mourning the loss and taking time to process this difficult period. Cody may soon announce the funeral and visitation details.

While everyone goes through their mourning, we would like to express our sincere condolences to the Yates family, friends, and everyone who knew Jake.

Rest in Peace, Coach!

Check other Articles on

Nishan Dahal writes sports with a human touch, covering breaking news, athlete lives, and the stories that stats can't tell. Nishan believes every athlete has a story worth telling. With the goal of bringing those stories to life with honesty, heart, and a touch of curiosity, he shares his insights through PlayerBio.

May 22, 2026

May 21, 2026

May 20, 2026

Comments

Comment: Please enter your comment! Name:* Please enter your name here Email:* You have entered an incorrect email address! Please enter your email address here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam.

- May 22, 2026 An Aledo ISD middle school student-athlete, Brayden Martin, passed away in a tragic accident. As per the source, the 8th grader, Brayden, was killed in...

- May 22, 2026 Concerns over safety and behavior at Jackson Playground in the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul have sparked heated discussion online after a resident described...

- May 21, 2026 Louis Anthony Chighisola III, a former basketball, soccer, and football passed away at the age of 49. He was born on May 7, 1976, to...

- May 21, 2026 A Franklin Park mother is speaking out against what she describes as ongoing bullying and administrative failures at St. Vincent Ferrer School, after months...

- May 20, 2026 A witness account posted to the Glebe Locals Facebook group has sparked a heated debate among residents after a group of schoolboys was seen...