Denton resident
shares love of football
with youth by Dawn Cobb photo courtesy of Dawn Cobb
H
arold Jackson, a Denton County maintenance assistant for 38 years, still recalls his three years as a tight end for the Denton High School Broncos in the late 70s. The then 13-year-old from Tallulah in
northeast Louisiana found friends and a sense of belonging with his teammates both on and off the football field. It is that teamwork he has tried to instill in generations of southeast Denton youth for more than 20 years through mentoring, music, and football. Starting as a volunteer in 1985 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, not long after he graduated DHS in 1980, Jackson crafted a plan to create activities for youth at Fred Moore Park. Using money he collected from mowing yards as a side job, Jackson bought prizes to give away as part of a youth talent competition that he and Roger “Dollar Bill” Johnson called Apollo Nights. Each week, boys and girls gathered at the pavilion in Fred Moore Park to compete for prizes and showcase their talents. A short time later, Jackson and Johnson started the annual football tournament for kids of all ages as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations. Jackson said the evening celebrations left most of the day open, so it made sense to create something for the kids to enjoy during the afternoon. “We’d just start practicing, and they’d come out,” Jackson said, describing how the flag football tournament draws youth from across Denton each year. “Then, they’d come during the holidays.” 46 | LANTANA LIVING
| February 2020
Jackson worked with local businesses and organizations to cover costs for the annual tournament so that he could give each participant a t-shirt, snacks, and a trophy. He also made connections with former football players, who volunteer their time to mentor and coach. Mike Green, a former safety and cornerback who played eight years with the Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, and Washington Redskins, said Jackson’s work, “does a lot for the community. It brings kids together, teaching them leadership and teamwork.” Tramain Jones, who played defensive back for the Florida Bobcats, Orlando Predators, Carolina Cobras, and the Tampa Bay Storm as part of the Arena Football League, agreed. “It’s a great thing Harold is doing for the kids and letting the kids have fun.”
Both traditions continued for decades with the final Apollo Nights competition in 2018. The football tournament continues, finishing its 20th event this past January. In his spare time, Jackson saves all of the newspaper photos of the students he has worked with and frames them to present along with copies of DVDs from the Apollo Nights competitions. Both the keepsakes and the events serve as lifelong memories for the many youth who have enjoyed these neighborhood traditions over the past two decades. Dawn Cobb is the Director of Community Relations for Denton County. She can be reached at dawn.cobb@dentoncounty. com or at 940-349-4672. www.LantanaLiving.com
