ARLINGTON, TX – February 25, 2026 – Day one at Choctaw Stadium marked more than just the opening whistle of the 2026 season. It signaled the birth of the Columbus Aviators and the start of something entirely new.
Day one wasn’t your ordinary practice. It carried a different kind of energy, the kind that signals the start of a new era across the United Football League.
It was a crisp and nippy morning in Arlington as the Aviators rolled onto the Choctaw gridiron, the sun shining off of their baby blue helmets in their inaugural training camp session. Players jogged, skipped, and sprinted out of the tunnel, eager to begin building what this team will become.
All eyes gravitated towards first-year head coach Ted Ginn Jr. as he commanded his first practice. Ginn paced between position groups as drills began, observing their energy and commitment before settling in with the offensive skill players, his expertise.
Ginn wasn’t distant, he was involved.
Ginn ran routes, worked with receivers on releasing off the line of scrimmage, and jumped in to deliver passes himself. At one point, Ginn dropped a perfect 30-yard corner route into a receiver's lap in stride. The sideline exploded. “Okay Ted, you still got it!” someone from the offensive skills group murmured. It was a small moment, but it jolted a bolt of energy into the morning and reinforced the standard being set.
The practice concluded with an 11-on-11 run-through. Linemen battled in real time, receivers and defensive backs competed off the snap. Communication sharpened. For a team in its first official practice, there was an emphasis on doing things the right way.
After practice, Ginn gathered his team and preached his message – “doing your 1/11.”
“We are all individuals but we have to do this together, we have to do our 1/11,” Ginn said. “On the field, off the field, we need to be a team together. This was a great day, but let’s keep the energy going. Don’t make this a one day situation. Tomorrow we need to come out with the same enthusiasm.”
The huddle broke with purpose. For a franchise that didn’t exist a year ago, day one wasn’t about perfection, it was about identity. And in their first step forward, that identity will be built on accountability.