Dallas Elite, TEAM USA, Teams

Team USA – Odessa Jenkins, Dallas Elite

January 17, 2017

RB Odessa Jenkins
Nickname: OJ
Contact for Media Inquiry

Years Playing: 9
Height: 5’4″, Weight: 145
Age: 36
Birthday: 5/01
Birthplace: Los Angeles
College: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
High School: Bellflower
Favorite Sports Teams: Lakers, Dolphins, Cowboys, Elite
Full-time Profession: VP Client Services, YourCause.com
Hobbies: Football
Passions: Faith, Family, Football
College Sports: Division 1 Basketball and Track
How you got into football: Football was my first sport. I played in elementary and junior high
Pets: Jersey and Cali
Family: Wife – Chasity Jenkins, Daughter Cherish Johnson

Odessa Londell Jenkins (born May 1, 1980) is an American Championship athlete and coach. Jenkins is a two-time USA National Team representative (Women’s Football), and a two-time player of the year (Division I Basketball – Big West Conference). In 2010 Jenkins was elected as a USA team captain, representing the team on the 4th of July in the semi-final of the IFAF World Games.

Immediately after graduation, she started coaching and recruiting for Cal Poly Women’s Basketball; she led the program to it’s first ever conference tournament win.

Jenkins was a fan favorite at California State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), where she would go on to earn honors in both basketball and track. In 2008, Jenkins transitioned to women’s football, with a goal of driving the sport from amateurism to professional ranks. In her rookie season she was voted as the professional women’s football rookie of the year, and won a national title.

On July 5, 2013, she was named as the #1 running back in the world (IFAF ALL World Team), after leading Team USA to it’s second straight world championship in women’s football.

In 2014, Jenkins jumped back into coaching and into team ownership with the purchase of Dallas Elite Women’s Football (of the Women’s Football Alliance.) As Head Coach and co-owner she lead the team to two conference titles in back-to-back seasons. Today, the team remains undefeated in the regular season as Jenkins is working to establish Dallas Elite Women’s Football as a premier sports brand.

Additional background…

Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA; Odessa Jenkins is the youngest of four children. She was raised mostly by her mother (Lola Jenkins) in and around the housing projects of the south central Los Angeles. Jenkins learned the value of hard work very early on in life, watching her mother work multiple jobs.

Although she was the youngest, she was always given a leadership role in the home.

The family continued to live in inner city Los Angeles, until Jenkins was awarded a Division I scholarship to play basketball at California State University Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo. Odessa and her family eventually migrated to the central coast of California, where life began to change.

Following graduation, Jenkins tried a couple of professional jobs, before landing a management position with Medco Health Solutions; a cutting edge healthcare organization; which covers more than 6 million lives and repeatedly ranks in the Fortune 50. Today Jenkins is the Vice President of Client Support Service for YourCause (voted one of the top places to work in Dallas). She is among very few women of color in executive leadership (non HR positions) in the tech industry.

Jenkins was married her long-term partner (Chasity Jenkins) in a private ceremony in California in June of 2008.

Today the family resides in Allen, TX. Jenkins is committed to raising her stepdaughter, nieces and nephews; and driving them to be the best that they can be. “The future of my family is simple, if I love, lead, educate and train them, they will love, lead, educate and train others.” Jenkins and her family have overcome a tumultuous past, and are now committed to controlling their future!