When it comes to the Jack family (son Myles and mother La Sonjia Jack) there seems to be nothing they can’t do. After spending 8 years in the NFL, former linebacker Myles Jack has proven to be a “jack of all trades”. We’ve all heard that before, but have you heard the entire quote? A jack of all trades is a master of none, but often is better than a master of one. That’s exactly how the Jack family thinks. Why play one sport when you can play more? Myles picked up a football for the first time when he was 6. He quickly became a super star in pop warner in both football and basketball then went on to break records in high school track and football. And why own one team, when you can have a stake in 4? Myles and his mother LaSonjia recently became the first African American ECHL majority owners of the Allen Americans Professional Hockey team and they are investors in 3 more. What used to be a long-standing tradition that parishioners of black churches found themselves engrossed in fizzled out in the 1930s when they were shut out of rented hockey rinks. The Jack family is breaking barriers in many ways.
With a phenom athlete and a c-suite mom, owning and managing a team is a winning combination. This purchase followed their joint investment partnership in the Jacksonville Icemen, the Savannah Ghost Pirates, and the Tahoe Knight Monsters. Since the acquisition, the Allen Americans have moved up to #3 in ECL attendance and engagement and are now in pursuit of their 5th championship, which the team hasn’t experienced since 2016. They credit much of their success to strong partnerships with people like Andy Kaufman and organizations like Zawyer Sports along with the support of Rev Entertainment.
Success runs deep in both the Allen American hockey history and in the Jack family legacy. Myles is an overachiever in many ways and is in training to be a pilot and has already earned his license! Myles isn’t the only superstar in the family though; his younger brother Jahlen Jack stands 6’ 4” and plays basketball for Fort Valley State University an HBCU in their home state of Georgia. The all-star duo has a key support player, their mother LaSonjia Jack. She managed to lead her sons to the big leagues and eventually on to own a piece of the pie all while leaning into her two-decade long stint in telecom where she has spent most of her time in the c-suite. La Sonjia plans to bring the skills she’s developed in the corporate arena into hockey, and the world once her book is released, “The LJ Way”. Which is a mix between a motivational piece and a career development tool.
LaSonjia and Myles look forward to not just winning championships, but also continuing the legacy of giving back to the community. Off the ice, they’re giving scholarships through the Myles Jack Foundation “Mylestone” Scholarship for students at Edward Waters University. They are also passing out school supplies and shoes to children in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club, and financially supporting organizations like: Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce (where LJ sits on the board), Girl Scouts of America, local ISDs, Allen Police, Fire Department and Children’s Hospital.
The main goal for Myles Jack and his family is to be able to use the talents that they have developed to enrich the Allen community and residents by giving them access to view these events in person– oh and another championship won’t hurt either!