By JERRY BYRD JR., Journal Sports
Centenary College athletics made history last Saturday by hosting its first-ever football camp, under the direction of new head coach Byron Dawson. The Gents won’t begin playing football until the Fall of 2023, but that hasn’t stopped Dawson from getting a jump start on using the game of football to make a difference in the Shreveport-Bossier community.
“I feel very honored that the city has responded the way it has,” Dawson said. “We have great young men here from junior high all the way up. We’re excited. We’re excited to be back on this campus, on this field doing football. This is the beginning of something great.”
Some of the great young men on hand were counselors that Dawson coached when he was at Evangel Christian Academy. The list included Los Angeles Chargers defensive lineman Jerry Tillery and Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen. Tillery was the keynote speaker at the Centenary Coaching Clinic on Friday and the lead instructor at the football camp on Saturday.
“Great example, to have a high-character young man,” Dawson said of Tillery. “A guy that not only excelled on the football field, but in the classroom. That’s what we represent here at Centenary. To have him come in and be our keynote guest, it was a great honor.”
Tillery, who begins his fourth year in the NFL this fall, enjoyed spending the morning with the campers. “It feels great,” Tillery said of coming home to give back. “Shreveport-Bossier needs outreach. I’m blessed to be in a position to provide that. These kids, they’re out here having fun. You know, it’s about 100 degrees out here, but they are still enjoying it. And that’s what it’s about.”
When he is not giving back to the community, Tillery, who had 51 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2021, is working on becoming the best player that he can be.
“It’s a hands and feet game, so that’s where it starts, right?” Tillery said. “Hand placement and footwork so that’s what we always work every year.”
Dawson, who was hired earlier this year to resurrect the Centenary football program, is bringing with him the knowledge he gained from coaching the defensive line at Tulane University.
“One of the things I learned is that football is football,” Dawson said. “Going from the high school level to the Division I FBS level. So for every youth coach out there, it’s a little higher, a little faster, but ball is ball.”
Like every other coach did, Dawson addressed the Centenary College football campers at the end of the day. His message to the campers was simple, yet powerful.
“Character over everything,” Dawson said. “You know, football is temporary. There are so many things that are temporary, but your character . . . having a good name. Keeping your word. Those are the most important things in life. This game teaches you character. It teaches you life skills. That’s the greatest gift you get from this game. It teaches you brotherhood. It teaches you accountability. And, most importantly, it teaches you how to work hard, like a man. That’s what I love about football.”
Dawson, who made a name for himself as a defensive lineman at ECA before going on to play for LSU, has seen football from every level in Northwest Louisiana. He is glad to see all of the NFL athletes returning to Shreveport to host camps in the summer.
“I’m so fired up about the other guys having camps,” Dawson said. “I think there are camps going on every weekend. And so that’s showing these guys that you can do great things out of the 318. So to be able to give back and invest in your city . . . make it better. You know, people talk about the problems, but who is going to do something about the solution? Whenever you can do positive things because positive, great people have come out of this city, I think it’s amazing.”
Contact Jerry at sbjjerrybyrd@gmail.com
Photo by JERRY BYRD JR.