NEW SIGNING | GATORS ANNOUNCE SIGNING OF VETERAN QB DEAN JACKSON
- gwentgators
- Jun 30, 2021
- 4 min read
The Gwent Gators are delighted to announce that former QB and current Head Coach of the South Wales Warriors Contact team Dean Jackson has signed with the club.
Spending time at all levels of American football in the UK and has a wide plethora of experience to go along with it, Jackson has had his fair share of work in the sport.
Flag
Jackson started his American football career in flag football in 2005, where he started as a WR, C and DB for the Newport City Saints which a year later merged with its local rivals to form the South Wales Sharks. The team in 2007/08 were flag national finalists.
Jackson continued with flag until 2010, where he set up a flag team within the South Wales Warriors contact setup before joining the kitted squad in full capacity.
Jackson attended and competed in the first two Marcus Price memorial tournaments in which he won both.
Uni-Ball
His first taste of kitted football was with the Swansea Titans starting in their associated season 2008-2009 and continuing to play as through his under/post grad years 2010-2012/13 and finished on the coaching staff in 2015.
Jackson has thrown himself into opportunities to share and gain knowledge of the sport. He predominantly played WR/DB and went on to coach the DBs (2013-2014), Special teams (2013-2015) and QBs (2015)
Jackson went on to win the Challenge Cup against Royal Holloway Bears in 2014 as a coach and furthermore earned his own Jersey retirement for service to club in 2013 and entered in club Hall Of Fame in 2014.
Senior Ball 2010-Present
Jackson first joined the Warriors Kitted as a WR in 2010 (Warriors were in Div 1). He joined alongside the flag team due to low numbers but ended up injured during his first game.
He went on to return full time as a WR as part of the Div 2 Brit-bowl winning team in 2011.
Although initially predominantly a WR, Jackson spent significant time at DB and LB until 2013 where he took over as QB (until present) and went on to lead the Warriors to the 2019 Div 2 Brit-bowl & scooped up the MVP award in the process.
In 2017 Jackson took over as OC and in 2020/2021 took over as HC
This meant Jackson's time with the team has been through 3 years in Div 2, 3 years in Div 1 and 4 in the Premiership respectively.
In action for South Wales Warriors (VIA South Wales Warriors FB)
After finalising the signing, Jackson told us:
"Being a former flag football player myself, having followed that avenue to get into the sport from the age of about 13. Given my new priority with SWW is to perform the duties of a HC.
It's tough to continue that whilst playing and developing new talent, this was an opportunity presented to myself to get involved as a player with a team that already has a great set up going forward.
The aims that I see for the team are to continue adding to the success that this young team has already seen on the field and help grow the already solid set up off the field too.
Aims for myself include performing well for the Gators whenever I get the chance and help continue to build on the great on-field performances.
I aim to pass whatever knowledge on that I can from the 15+ years I have in the flag and kitted game on whatever way I can. I'd like to also use my new involvement in the South Wales flag community to grow relations with the senior and youth set ups and the University clubs in the area going forward."
Head Coach Dale Davies was ecstatic with the addition:
"Dean is a great addition for the Gators and immediately goes into the Orange squad for the season. Having a wide array of experience collected over a 15 year career, through Swansea Titans university football and the South Wales Warriors contact teams, the latter of which he is currently the Head Coach of, but also has been a flag baller during this period.
Dean has played for the Newport City Saints and South Wales Sharks Flag Football teams and was a regular player whenever the Marcus Price Memorial Tournament was hosted, being part of the winning team on at least two occasions. There is also a rumor that he also played with the Cardiff Hurricanes in the past too.
All this goes to show that Dean has amassed a wealth of experience in his footballing life to date and this does not include his coaching experience whatsoever and it is fair to say that the Gwent Gators are more than happy to welcome Dean to the Swamp and we look forward to seeing what extra he can add to an already talented squad."
Jackson will wear the Number 5 and will join the Gators Orange for the Welsh Season.
The Gwent Gators Orange and Blue competed in the first weekend of the Welsh Division season. Catch up here.
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