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The Columbus Lions arena football team capped off their perfect season last Saturday with a 45 point win in the championship game.
Point University’s Women’s Flag Football coach, Theseus Jackson, played a part in helping the Lions win their third championship. Jackson has won championships in the past, but this one was different because he has been leading his own team while also putting on football pads himself. 

“Winning the championship is always a great feeling because you work hard and to see that hard work pay off in the championship game, it’s just a great feeling,” Jackson said. “Basically telling them like, you know, I put in the work to win a championship and y’all witnessed that.” 

Jackson believes that his players seeing him put his words to action on the field will help to add even more credibility to his coaching. 

“I don’t have a big ego, and I don’t just think I know everything,” Jackson said. “I just go and just try to let actions speak louder than words.” 

His players witnessing Jackson win a championship shows them that he clearly knows what he is talking about. Jackson did not tell his players that he was playing in the championship game, but he did show them pictures and he will be shifting his focus on coaching the players. 

In the past, Jackson has won conference championships as well as a national championship while in college. Jackson also won a championship last year in a different arena football league, and he has won championships in flag football. 

Despite all this winning, Jackson’s favorite season is still the 2012 season with Valdosta State. That season was Jackson’s senior year and he got the opportunity to go out the right way. 

“That was just a magical year for us,” Jackson said. “That one will always be special to me because that was actually my senior year of college and to win and go out on top, that was just the best feeling.” 

Even while playing arena football, Jackson has been hot on the recruiting trail for Point University. Jackson has added around 14 players to his team’s roster over the course of the summer. 

Jackson has not had to do a ton of talking to motivate this current recruiting class because they have been self motivated. 

“They’re coming in motivated,” Jackson said. “A lot of them have a chip on their shoulder already.” 

Most of the girls that Jackson has been recruiting feel like they have been doubted, and that doubt has given them extra motivation. Jackson said that some of the girls have already been keeping him updated on the work that they’ve been doing this summer. 

Jackson believes that many of the girls in this recruiting class already have the right mentality, and they have a championship pedigree. 

“All of them are very competitive,” Jackson said.
Some of the girls that Jackson has added this summer also play basketball for Point. Those players just won a conference championship last season. 

Jackson has also been working towards adding some local girls to Point’s roster. Point has already added players from Valley and Callaway this summer. 

Darcee Wright played basketball for Valley High School, but she will transition to playing flag football with Point. Jackson believes that adding local players is important because of the support that they will receive from the community. Also, many players just want to play close to home at the college level. 

Juggling coaching while playing would be too tough of a task for most, but Jackson was still able to put his coaching first while playing due to the support that he received from the Lions’ coaching staff. 

“I have to thank the coaches and staff for being patient with me…,” Jackson said.
Jackson would have to show up for the Lions’ practice late at different times because he was out recruiting. The staff for the Lions was understanding of his situation and made it to where he could do both. 

Another bonus of winning the championship with the Lions was that Jackson got to do it with another local product. Desmond Reece was also a contributor for the Lions. Reece is currently an assistant coach for Valley’s football team. Jackson mentioned that he wished he had remembered that Reese lived in Valley because it would have made carpooling much easier.