Jack Dawson has gone from athlete to coach, from lead to leader, and from star to superstar.
Having just graduated in May 2025 with a major in Health and Exercise Science, Jack works a co-op as a strength and conditioning intern for Moeller High School’s football team. Typically, he arrives at the school around 5:45 a.m. and begins the day with a pre-session meeting alongside the other lifting coaches.
The role includes multiple tasks and demands a varied skill set–Jack reviews schedules and objectives with other football staff, sets up for outdoor field work, coaches drills, and designs the layout of the weight room to ensure lifting sessions run smoothly. After all sessions are complete, the day is wrapped up with a post-training meeting to review how everything went and discuss any adjustments needed moving forward. The co-op is incredibly rewarding.
Being in a position where he gets to mentor others is something Jack looks forward to everyday. “I wake up excited knowing I have the opportunity to make a real impact on a young person’s life—not just in athletics, but in helping them grow into better men.” Jack coaches aspiring youth and leads by example every single shift, but the path to coaching and leadership was not without its challenges.
Starting the Climb: Challenges and Triumphs
In the beginning, Jack never even intended on pursuing a college education. He had a job as a construction worker, and wanted to pursue this as his career indefinitely. “And I was okay with that,” Jack says. But that all changed on a random 7 a.m. when he got a text from Coach Corrill inviting him to visit the Mount to talk about the football program.
“I was so excited—I think the whole river knew about it,” Jack recalls. “I texted him back right away to figure out the scheduling, and then immediately called my mom and dad to tell them the news” That moment was the start of everything for Jack, and something he says he’ll always remember.
Visiting the Mount with his mom and dad, Jack immediately felt welcomed. “What stood out most was that the visit didn’t feel like it was just about me—it was about me and my family,” he explains. The coaches took the time to have real conversations not just with Jack, but with his parents as well. Even President Williams came over to sit down with them, and have a genuine, personal conversation. “That level of care and attention made it feel like more than just a school visit—it felt like I was being welcomed into a family,” Jack remembers. “That’s when I knew I belonged.” And with that, Jack joined the lion pride and began the transition of a construction-focused path to being a student athlete at the Mount.
The adjustment period wasn’t easy. “At first, I tried to just get by doing the bare minimum—putting in as little effort as possible while still aiming for decent grades,” Jack admits. “But that approach quickly caught up with me.” He especially struggled in his freshman year statistics class, in which his best grade was barely a 70 percent. Recognizing that he was struggling, Jack finally decided that he would give the Mount’s Learning Commons a try. He committed to just one hour, twice a week, and it made all the difference. “The tutor helped me actually understand the material, not just get through the assignments. I learned how to solve the problems step-by-step and built real confidence in the subject.”
Thanks to hard work, dedication, and resources offered by the Learning Commons, Jack finished the semester with a final grade of 97 percent in the class and even made the Dean’s List. “That experience taught me the value of asking for help, using the resources available, and putting in a little extra time to make a big difference,” Jack says.
Winning on and Off the Field With Mount Football
If the Learning Commons’ impact on Jack was monumental, then the impact of Mount football on Jack was planetary. Joining the football team completely changed his mindset—not just athletically, but academically and personally as well. Playing college football had been Jack’s dream for as long as he can remember, and he didn’t want to waste his shot. So, he pushed himself to train every morning around 5 a.m. with a coach in Nashville to prepare himself to play for the Mount. “Looking back, those mornings were some of the best moments of my life,” Jack reflects. “I grew a lot during that time and built friendships that I still have today.”
Although Jack struggled with college football at first, he kept the same intensity he trained with, learned, and improved. His freshman year came with a lot of challenges and moments that made him question whether he should continue with football at the Mount. But he kept going—and because of that, Jack feels the experience of football at the Mount has become one of the most rewarding experiences of his life.
“Academically, football kept me locked in,” Jack states. Knowing that if his grades weren’t up to standard, he wouldn’t be able to continue football at the Mount, Jack was encouraged to stay on top of his grades by the football program. That reality pushed him to take school more seriously and strive to be the best student he could be. “Football didn’t just make me a better athlete; it made me a better person,” Jack says. His coaches further encouraged him to succeed on and off the field. Whether it was connecting Jack with tutors, encouraging him to use campus resources, or just holding him accountable, Jack feels they pushed him to be better in every area of his life.
He remarks that the contributions of his teammates to his success as an athlete, student and person, were also impactful. He and his teammates held each other accountable, supported one another, and pushed each other to keep going even when things got tough. “Together, they’ve helped shape who I am today.”
Paying it Forward: Co-op Coaching
Now, as a strength and conditioning intern for Moeller High School’s football team, Jack hopes to have the impact that his coaches had on him on young athletes, and truly make a difference in their lives. “If I can be that person for even just one kid—if one athlete remembers me years from now for the way I helped them—that means I’ve done my job right.”
With aspirations to become a head strength and conditioning coach, Jack plans to continue growing himself as he helps young athletes grow. “I truly love what I’m doing right now in my co-op, and looking ahead, I hope to build on the opportunities I’ve had at the Mount to continue growing in this field.”
Football Program: Learn More
If you’d like to learn more about football at the Mount, read more here!