Buddies turned brothers helps out Jefferson High baseball too

AUBURN — Jarett Jackson could have been the taut rope in an emotional tug of war. The pawn in a battle of affections.

When Jackson elected to go live with best friend Jason Summers and his family a year and a half ago, it could have strained relationships and severed bonds.

Instead, the move has created a positive environment that's working well for everyone. Especially Jarett and Jason, two baseball stars at Jefferson High School who were more like brothers than buddies anyway. They share a house, laughs and dreams about playing in the pros after college careers at Washington (Summers) and Washington State (Jackson).

"This was just a better place for me to live," Jackson said. "It's turned out to be the best decision of my life."

When Jackson celebrated his 18th birthday last month, John and Lori Summers threw a party that included Jarett's parents, Steve and Diane. It was the Jacksons' separation in 2002, after 17 years of marriage, that ultimately led Jarett to his new home.

"It's just a real positive situation," Jefferson coach Mike Church said of the living arrangement.

Even Jarett's mother is OK with the agreement, although she didn't let go of her youngest child easily at first.

"It was the most painful decision of my life," said Diane Jackson, who also has three daughters close in age to Jarett. "But that's what parenting is about, backing out your own ego and asking, 'What is best for my kid?' On paper, it might make you look really bad, but that doesn't matter.

"You really couldn't ask for a better situation for something that really could have been uncomfortable. It could have been ugly."

Diane and Steve, who regularly attend Jefferson's games, gave the Summers' legal guardianship of Jarett and pay child support.

"They just really opened up their house and their hearts to Jarett," Steve Jackson said.

Jarett and Jason had become nearly inseparable after playing on an all-star baseball team when they were 12 and discovering they only lived about a block apart. Jarett spent increasingly more time at the Summers' home, where males out-numbered females 4-1, counting Jason's older brother and Jarett.

"It was a place where I could go be in a guy's world," Jarett said.

Jarett and Jason, who look enough alike to occasionally be mistaken for twins, played baseball together in ninth grade at Totem Junior High. But the following year Jarett enrolled at Kennedy, a parochial school in Burien where his sisters were soccer standouts. Jason attended Jefferson, a Federal Way district school located on the outskirts of Auburn. Both became starters as sophomores, Jarett at third and Jason at catcher.

But Jarett missed his friends and decided to move back to the Federal Way District for his junior year. His parents had separated and he found himself increasingly at odds with his mom. Steve lived in Mercer Island and Diane had decided to move to Des Moines. Jarett wanted to stay put, and stay with Jason and his family.

"He was here most of the time anyway," Lori Summers said. "We said, 'Why don't you just move in?'

"They're really good for each other. They're no trouble. As long as I feed them, they're happy."

The two can eat, although they have been on a healthy diet since last fall as they concentrated on getting in better shape for baseball. Jarett, who is 6 feet 3, dropped from 245 pounds to 215. Jason, who is 6-1, went from 225 to 210.

Both have enjoyed outstanding baseball seasons in leading the Raiders into the playoffs. Jason, who hits No. 4 in the order, is batting .409 with eight home runs. Jarett, batting fifth, carries a .412 average with six homers.

They are more supportive than competitive with one another.

"If he hits a home run, I'm pretty much happy for him," said Jason, whose team opens the West Central/Southwest 4A bi-district tournament Saturday against Prairie. "I know my time will come."

For years, they figured they would play college baseball together. But Jarett was leaning toward WSU, where his father played football, and committed last July. The following month, Jason chose Washington, saying he had a better relationship with the Huskies' coaches.

That should make for some interesting Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners when they return on breaks.

"Jarett is just one of the boys," Lori Summers said. "Now he's got two moms and two dads."

Sandy Ringer: 206-718-1512 or sringer@seattletimes.com