SASKATOON — Jarious Jackson could be excused if his mind wanders during the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ training camp.
Jackson’s father, Jarious Jackson Sr., was killed in a single-vehicle accident in Fayette, Miss., on Mother’s Day. He was 62.
The younger Jackson returned home to join his family for the funeral last week and was told by the Roughriders he could stay longer if he wanted to.
But Jackson felt a responsibility to be with the CFL team when it opened training camp at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus. So there he was Sunday, fulfilling his duties as the Roughriders’ quarterbacks coach on Day 1 of camp.
“It’s a great time for me to be among all these guys and be in busy mode to try and, not suppress it, but just try and cope with it a little bit,” Jackson said.
The elder Jackson played football at Alcorn State University and was a huge influence on his son when it came to the game.
“I remember the first bike he bought me was a Pittsburgh Steelers bike,” Jarious Jr., recalled. “I remember my toy box being (decorated) with all the 30-something NFL teams on it when I was a kid.
“Things like that are kind of going through my mind as the day progresses. But I try to just stay focused on the task at hand. I’ve got a job to get done and that’s what I’m trying to focus on.”
And that focus has been honed by the loss of his father.
Rather than going so far as to dedicate the 2017 CFL season to his dad, Jackson said he simply plans to use his emotions as motivation “in my own little way.”
“I’ve got my own goals and things that I want to attain this year, so (the loss of Jarious Sr.) is going to make me focus that much harder, let alone the type of season we had last year,” said Jackson, whose team went 5-13-0 during the 2016 season.
“To me, all this stuff is trying to play hand in hand. I have a lot of faith. Not to get too religious on you, but I just feel like God doesn’t put too much on you that you can’t handle or can’t bear. It’s definitely going to make me a stronger person in the end.”
Jackson’s co-workers have tried to help in whatever way they can, be it through moral support or offers of assistance. Chief among that group is Roughriders head coach-GM Chris Jones, who told Jackson to take as much time as he needed to grieve.
“Coach Jones was great about it,” Jackson said. “He and (Roughriders president-CEO) Craig Reynolds were both tremendously supporting, telling me, ‘Hey, if you need to take longer, take longer. If you want to stay around family longer, then stay and you can come in at any time.’ For me personally, I think I’d cope better being here, doing my job, staying busy every day and being around my second family, so to speak.
“The entire staff was very supportive, but a couple of days after we had his burial, I knew it was time. Knowing my dad and the way he was, that’s what he would have wanted me to do. He understands and I’m sure he wouldn’t have wanted me to sit around and be sombre and be ‘woe is me’ the whole time.
“But I still have my moments. Behind closed doors, I’m man enough to say I still cry at times.”
Jackson then laughed, admitting that romantic comedies can set him off, too. But he knows the memories he has of his dad — whom Jackson called his “guardian angel” — will be a comfort to him.
“Thinking about him at times and certain things we did — whether it’s hunting, fishing, just hanging out, cooking, whatever the case may be — I’m definitely going to miss all those times,” he said.
