Jefferson was an athlete herself, playing anything and everything she could: basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball and even trying a brief stint as a cheerleader. But organized football never was an option for her; football was for the boys.
She found ways to satiate the craving she had for the sport, including countless evenings (oftentimes as the only girl) playing pickup games with the neighborhood kids.
Jefferson often received praise for her athleticism, and she went on to play basketball at the D2 college level.
It wasn’t until after college when she found her way back to the football field.
Jefferson had been struggling to find her way, to decide on next steps, and found herself working at a local Pei Wei most evenings.
She one night served Dennis Freels, the founder of Flag Football X, and she’d never look back.
Freels invited Jefferson to suit up for a game, and the details of that matchup remain etched in her memory: stacking the defensive back and meeting eyes with the QB (Freels), tracking the pass overhead and reaching out in-stride to haul it in one-handed.
“That was my first catch with Dennis. He was like, ‘Yeah, you’re on our team now,’ ” she laughed.
Jefferson found joy again.
She continued working at restaurants to make ends meet, fitting in shifts around her football schedule, but soon realized she needed a better financial plan. So, Jefferson enlisted in the United States Army.
For 10 years, Jefferson served in the military — where she met her husband — and didn’t play football. Her service ended in 2020, when a medical condition was discovered that required Jefferson to have her aortic heart valve replaced. Her husband opted to re-enlist at that same time, however, and his assignment took the couple to Italy.