NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Former Old Dominion linebacker Jason Henderson was synonymous with dominance — the nation's leading tackler in back-to-back seasons (tackles per game) and a ball-carrier's worst nightmare. Last fall, an injury forced him to end his playing career.
"It's been the hardest decision I've had to make in my life," Henderson said. "Football is always something that I've done since as long as I can remember and it's something I'm very passionate about. It's been a huge love for me in my life."
Now Henderson is channeling that passion into the future — back on the field as a high school coach.
"Football has given me and done so much for me in my life and now I'm just excited to embrace that for myself and also pass that on to the younger generation," remarked the former Monarch.
Henderson, a first-team All-American who rewrote the ODU record books, is now coaching linebackers for the Christian Football Club — a team based at Norfolk Christian School for high school players without a varsity program. He also serves as the strength and conditioning coach at Norfolk Christian School, making him a natural fit to join the club team's staff.
Christian Football Club head coach Phil Boston said the transition has been seamless.
"He's able to acclimate himself with going from the college environment to high school and coaching up kids that sometimes don't have any football experience to kids that have been doing it since youth and pee-wee age," the head coach noted.
For Henderson, the adjustment from player to coach means shifting from taking direction to giving it.
"I'm so used to being a player where you're being coached by others," he pointed out. "They're telling you what to do and you just go do it. But now I'm the coach and now I'm going to tell people what to do and that's not something that I've ever really done before."
Rather than adopting a single coaching philosophy, the former Old Dominion star is taking a broader approach.
"I'm trying to not necessarily chase after one coaching style, but kind of be able to embrace all of them and then find out myself, figure out what kind of coach I'm going to be," Henderson said.
The players aren't the only ones benefiting from Henderson's experience. Boston said the entire coaching staff draws from his knowledge.
"Even as a coaching staff, for us to be able to pick his brain, like 'hey, what did you guys do when you were at ODU,' to our kids just looking back at his tape that we actually show in the classroom sometimes," noted Boston. "We look back at college and NFL tape and there have been times when he's popped up across the screen."
Henderson said being able to share what he's learned — on and off the field — is something he values deeply.
"To be able to just conversate with them and give them my experience and some tips of how to get through some things whether it's on or off the field, it's a nice thing to be able to do," Henderson said.
Boston believes Henderson's passion will carry him far in coaching.
"I think he's going to do a great job wherever he goes. I think he has a passion to coach young guys so whether it's high school, college or anything like that, I think he's going to do a great job with it," Boston said.
For the first-year coach, that passion is the throughline — from his playing days to what he hopes to build in others.
"Just being able to pass that along and really show that football, yes it's just a game, but to certain people there's a different level of passion for it and it's something that really, truly can carry you through life," Henderson said.
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