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FOOTBALL
VSU football coach finds new home in South Georgia
Before Tremaine Jackson found his calling in coaching , he grew up on 816 Paul Quinn St . in Houston , Texas .
When Jackson was hired as the 11th head coach – and the first Black head coach – in the history of Valdosta State University football , he fell face down on his bed and cried .
When he was introduced as the Blazers new head coach on Jan . 6 , he opened his press conference by saying , “ Forgive me if I get emotional . I ’ m not supposed to be here .”
Jackson , 38 , was raised by his grandmother , Clara Jackson , and his mother , Regina Miller . Jackson credits his grandmother as the biggest influence in his life .
“ My mom got married and moved out . I stayed and it became my grandma and me for a long time ,” Jackson said . “ It made me kind of an older soul . It made me see things like she was seeing them . You ’ re talking about a lady with just an 11th-grade education .
“ Since she was 17 years old , she had been working on a small country farm and made it
by SHANE THOMAS
... Jackson lived the three things that have become staples in his coaching philosophy – # DOG ; Discipline , Obedience , and Grit .
to the big city of Houston . She ’ d seen a lot and done a lot . She was an activist and did a lot in civil rights . I knew a lot of stuff your average 14- , 15- or 16-year-old didn ’ t know because I had sat around in those conversations with those women and older men , so it made me an older soul . It made me see things differently than most of the kids my age . I think that ’ s helped me a lot in coaching and being in this situation .”
Growing up under his grandmother ’ s watchful eye and spending countless Sundays in the church , Jackson lived the three things that have become staples in his coaching philosophy – # DOG ; Discipline , Obedience , and Grit .
“ Being disciplined – if you weren ’ t disciplined at 816 Paul Quinn , you were gonna get beat up . That ’ s what it was , and that was the first form of discipline I ever learned . You do what I tell you to do ,” Jackson said . “ I often think now we ask people to do things – players , kids , 5-year-olds , we ask them . I was told what to do , and I was told to get it done in a timely manner . That ’ s why we define discipline as doing what we say we ’ re going to do .
24 Valdosta Scene | July 2022