Varsity football player and junior Deion Jennings has had the unique opportunity to enhance his work ethic while bonding with his father.

Jennings’ father, Christian Black, has been a professional wrestler for over four years now. Black wrestles for TWF, Total Wrestling Federation, and CWA, California Wrestling Association. Black also occasionally visits Roseville for fan meetups and events.

Black got his big break from a friend of his on Facebook, and saw the possibility to fulfil his passion and seized it.

“I’ve been a wrestler fan since before I was a teenager,” Black said. “I have some friends on Facebook that are already associated with it and they asked me to come out. I did some work and the owner of the company said, ‘this guy has some natural talent’ and it took off from there.”

Since then, both Jennings and his father have been helping further develop his father’s career.

“He films the promos, goes to Facebook live sometimes, he’ll run the Facebook a lot,” Black said.

So far, Jennings has attended two of his father’s events. He, along with the varsity football team, attended Black’s most recent event on Saturday.

“I like wrestling too and it’s fun to watch him wrestle sometimes,” Jennings said. “[His event was] on Saturday. The football team got tickets for it and it was a ‘fans bring weapons’ match.”

Both Jennings and his father are successful in their respective sports. Jennings and the varsity football team are 7-1, and Black has won numerous victories and achievements. According to Black, he feels confident in his abilities as a wrestler based on his track record.

“Being a two time PWS tag team champion, a first time PWS television champion and a CWS champion, it makes me feel good. Like nobody in the company can actually beat me,” Black said. “Six time PWS television champion currently and I’m gonna be defending my title this Saturday in Sacramento.”

Though this is Jennings’ first year at RHS, having transferred from Indiana, he has quickly adapted to the new school and made new friends.

“Roseville is a good school. It’s better than the last school I was at,” Jennings said. “We got great teaching, great programs and the football team is very welcoming. I really like it.”

Fellow receiver and junior Chase Baker noticed how well Jennings has adapted to the new school and team and appreciates Jennings both as a teammate and friend.

“He’s a great guy and a good addition to the team. Deion is fun to be around and is a cool dude to hang out with.   Ever since he moved out here and joined the team in August, he has blended right in with our team,” Baker said. “I look forward to playing the end of this season and next season with him.”

Varsity football coach Larry Cunha also notices how well Jennings has adapted to the changes presented.

“He has been a total team player, willing to help and assume any role in practice to make the team better. He’s also handled adversity very well when his transfer paperwork was delayed,” Cunha said. “He has blended right in and fit in with all the guys that have been working and on the team since January.”

Both Jennings and his father helped the football team bond by giving everyone on the team tickets to see Black wrestle last Saturday.

Black prefers staying local and impacting his community, rather than growing further and further into more out of state competitions.

“Career wise, I’m not trying to get to the WWE. I’ve talked to a few people with TNA a couple of times. I know a couple of people over there. They said I should just stay local and do an independent circuit. I walk around and people know who I am,” Black said. “I’ve been in restaurants with the wife and the family and kids will be like, ‘Hey, that’s the enforcer right there.’ I have to sign autographs now, which it doesn’t bother me at all. That’s what it’s all about.”

Black feels a sense of pride in his son because of the way he works and tries his best on the football field, despite being the new kid.

“I’m proud of the way he goes out there and plays, watching him in practice, puts in a lot of effort,” Black said. “Him being the new guy on the team, I’m just proud of him accepting it.”

Jennings hopes to one day go out and wrestle, just like his father. Black is optimistic about Jennings’ future in the sport.

“Hopefully I can get him into it, just once he gets out of school or whenever he turns 18,” Black said. “Hopefully I can put him in the ring.”