The saying “defense wins championships” is one that coaches reinforce throughout their programs. This is no different for Central’s football team. When Coach Curt Jones came to Central three seasons ago, he implemented a way to incentivize big defensive plays and motivate his entire squad.

Jones introduced a gold chain featuring an oversized purple “C” dubbed the “turnover chain”. It is awarded to players who make important defensive plays such as an interception, forcing a fumble, or making an important fourth down stop.

When asked about the significance of the turnover chain, Coach Jones explained, “It’s a great way to reward the guys and it gives them something to work for.”

During the game against Sequoyah, Sophomore Londen Martin earned the chain. Martin forced a fumble from Sequoyah’s running back and then recovered the fumble. This forced fumble and recovery proved to be crucial in Central’s clutch win against Sequoyah, with a narrow margin of 15-7.

“When I got it, it made me feel good because it let me know I had been doing my job on defense,” shared Martin.

Three weeks later, while playing against the Howard Hustlin’ Tigers, Martin forced another fumble that was recovered by the Pounders. Martin’s big defensive play earned him the chain once again and boosted the entire team’s energy.

“The turnover chain boosts everyone’s confidence and gets the team riled up,” shared Junior Issaiah Rogers. “It also gives the underclassmen a good example of the energy and effort they need to bring when they see somebody make a big play and get [the turnover chain].”

The Pounder’s football season has come to a close, but supporters can come out next year to see more big plays from the Central defense and the return of the turnover chain.