With Red Flannel Coffee Behind Her, Pro "Axer" Heads to World Championship

CEDAR SPRINGS - Cedar Springs’ Red Flannel Coffee Company is sending its first sponsored professional athlete to the world stage.

Angela “AJ” Jenson, a Texas-based professional axe thrower, will compete at the upcoming World Championships, backed by the local coffee company whose motto, “Roasted for the Resilient,” mirrors her journey.

Jenson began throwing in 2019 at what she describes as a frustrating first experience, with little instruction and poor equipment. Instead of walking away, she spent the next two years teaching herself, studying the mechanics of her throw and seeking out better tools. By 2021, she was ranked the third woman in the world in the "Big Axe" category and 31st overall, earning recognition as one of the top female competitors in Texas.

Her path to elite competition, however, has been anything but straightforward.

A former college athlete, Jenson has battled serious health challenges for decades. A viral infection in college left her with seizures, speech difficulties and muscle loss, sidelining her athletic career for years. More recently, she was diagnosed with leukemia, a condition she says has no cure and requires ongoing monitoring.

She qualified for the World Championships in 2022 but was unable to attend due to the physical toll of travel. This year, she said, she is determined to make the trip.

“If I qualify again, I’m going, come hell or high water,” she said.

Jenson trains and competes with Drengr Axe House, which she describes as one of the most competitive clubs in the country. She credits her faith, her teammates and small acts of support, including covered league fees and accommodations during tournaments when fatigue sets in, for helping her continue.

This season, however, Jenson said she has “hit the trifecta,” earning a World Championships bid in Big Axe after already qualifying in hatchet and duals, hitting the full slate of competitive categories on the world stage.

For Red Flannel Coffee Company, sponsoring Jenson was never about the rankings. “We began sponsoring AJ in 2024," said Red Flannel Coffee Co. owner Jake Watson. "When we say ‘Roasted for the Resilient,’ we mean people like AJ," he said. "It was never about championships. It was always about giving AJ someone who believes in her."

“They don’t just value the ones who win,” Jenson said of the partnership. “They value the ones who grind and put in the effort every day.”

The sponsorship will offset travel costs as she competes on the world stage.

Red Flannel Coffee says the partnership reflects its brand identity, rooted in perseverance and community. "AJ lives our values: grit, faith, perseverance," Watson said. "Like us, she pushes through the pain, moves past the criticism and lets her work do the talking. That’s the kind of story we want our brand connected to."

For Jenson, it represents something deeply personal. “It keeps me motivated and makes me stand up a little taller,” she said. “It’s because of them that I’ll be attending Worlds.”

As she prepares to step onto the championship stage, AJ said her focus is simple.

“Showing up is the hardest part,” she said. “So I show up.”

The World Championship is set to take place in April and will be moving its coverage this year from ESPN to the WATL YouTube channel for better accessibility.

There Jenson and Red Flannel Coffee will have the chance to share their story of grit and resilience on the global stage.

Red Flannel Coffee can be found online at www.redflannelcoffeeco.com or locally at The Cedar Chest Resale Shop.