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Coro: Jackson leaves mark at GCU
11/7/2017 5:20:00 PM | Men's Soccer, Paul Coro
Lopes soccer star Niki Jackson, family earned his way
When Niki Jackson's final Grand Canyon soccer game at GCU Stadium was approaching last week, he reflected on four years of Lope life.
Jackson thought about getting knocked off the ball as a 160-pound freshman. He pictured games at GCU Soccer Field before the campus stadium was built. He recognized just how far he has come as a young man who will graduate next month and a player who is leading the Lopes into their first Division I postseason play at the Western Athletic Conference Tournament this week.
"I'm glad I was able to do it here," Jackson said. "It's been awesome."
Jackson's trek to Wednesday's 7 p.m. first-round WAC Tournament game against Nevada-Las Vegas, the host, took more than how much he vested at GCU. From the time Jackson came out of goal at age 5 to score 11 goals in his first game to his career of 40 goals at GCU, Jackson and his family have been extraordinarily dedicated to fulfilling his soccer potential.
Since he was about 8 years old, Jackson played no other sports although Jackson's tumbling goal celebrations do pay homage to childhood gymnastics lessons and his mother, a former University of Memphis cheerleader.
Jackson's parents, David and Tammy, sent Jackson to Brazil for training intermittently over seven years, to the point where Jackson can speak Portuguese. They moved their family and sought clubs to give Jackson the best chance to advance. As a high school senior, he left Cactus Shadows in Cave Creek, Ariz., to train at the Real Salt Lake Academy.
"We did whatever we could to make sure that he was prepared for where he is today," Tammy said. "The sacrifices and the choices that we made when he is younger developed Nic and put him where he's had the level of success he's had.
"We spent all these years waiting and now this moment is here. He's ready for the next level. We're optimistic and ready what's next for him. His father and I are very pleased and very proud."
Jackson already has trained with three Major League Soccer clubs (Real Salt Lake, Portland Timbers and FC Dallas) during his collegiate career. Lopes coach Schellas Hyndman, a former MLS coach, already is hearing from agents and professional teams, but Jackson and the Lopes have work left to do.
With three wins over the next five days, GCU could advance to the NCAA tournament.
Jackson will approach the week with the same vigor he never has lost. Soccer became his social life and remained a passion.
"I never dreaded going to practice," Jackson said. "I always looked forward to training and being able to see my best friends."
When he came to Arizona as a high school freshman, Cactus Shadows coach Tony Vos told his athletic director that he had no room on varsity for a late-arriving transfer. Without two minutes of watching him play, Vos found room.
"He could excite games just with his skills," Vos said. "I've never seen a kid run faster with the ball than without the ball. Defenders in full sprints couldn't catch him. The best word to describe him is fun. He was fun to watch, fun to have at practice."
Jackson's penchant for scoring in important or clutch moments began there. At GCU, Vos has seen Jackson hit another level under Hyndman.
"Super-talented kids like that fade away into the sunset, but Niki's always motivated himself," Vos said. "He has played with this chip on his shoulder, like he's got to continue to prove something. It's good for his soccer development and as a person."
Jackson was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year as a junior, but his impact really resonated before this season. At a team meeting, each of the Lopes freshmen was asked to talk about themselves and what brought them to GCU. Many talked about how they had been watching Jackson for years.
"It really hit me once they started saying how much they've looked up to me and that I'm a role model," said Jackson, who ranks second in WAC history for career goals. "They want to break my records. They want to accomplish what I'm accomplishing right now."
That made him want to be a more responsible, independent leader for the team. It also made him want to make it harder for them to catch those records before he leaves GCU to pursue his plans of merging pro soccer and real estate investment.
"After all the travels, games, commitment and sacrifice over all these years, to see it come to fruition has been one of my most proud moments," Tammy said. "It's been worth it."
The Lopes set preseason goals to reach the WAC and NCAA tournaments. One accomplished goal gives them a chance at the next one.
"I wanted to put GCU on the map," Jackson said. "I really think I helped put us in a good spot, where we are now. To be able to make the postseason in our first year of eligibility is a huge accomplishment. It's been amazing."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
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Jackson thought about getting knocked off the ball as a 160-pound freshman. He pictured games at GCU Soccer Field before the campus stadium was built. He recognized just how far he has come as a young man who will graduate next month and a player who is leading the Lopes into their first Division I postseason play at the Western Athletic Conference Tournament this week.
"I'm glad I was able to do it here," Jackson said. "It's been awesome."
Jackson's trek to Wednesday's 7 p.m. first-round WAC Tournament game against Nevada-Las Vegas, the host, took more than how much he vested at GCU. From the time Jackson came out of goal at age 5 to score 11 goals in his first game to his career of 40 goals at GCU, Jackson and his family have been extraordinarily dedicated to fulfilling his soccer potential.
Since he was about 8 years old, Jackson played no other sports although Jackson's tumbling goal celebrations do pay homage to childhood gymnastics lessons and his mother, a former University of Memphis cheerleader.
Jackson's parents, David and Tammy, sent Jackson to Brazil for training intermittently over seven years, to the point where Jackson can speak Portuguese. They moved their family and sought clubs to give Jackson the best chance to advance. As a high school senior, he left Cactus Shadows in Cave Creek, Ariz., to train at the Real Salt Lake Academy.
"We did whatever we could to make sure that he was prepared for where he is today," Tammy said. "The sacrifices and the choices that we made when he is younger developed Nic and put him where he's had the level of success he's had.
"We spent all these years waiting and now this moment is here. He's ready for the next level. We're optimistic and ready what's next for him. His father and I are very pleased and very proud."
Jackson already has trained with three Major League Soccer clubs (Real Salt Lake, Portland Timbers and FC Dallas) during his collegiate career. Lopes coach Schellas Hyndman, a former MLS coach, already is hearing from agents and professional teams, but Jackson and the Lopes have work left to do.
With three wins over the next five days, GCU could advance to the NCAA tournament.
Jackson will approach the week with the same vigor he never has lost. Soccer became his social life and remained a passion.
"I never dreaded going to practice," Jackson said. "I always looked forward to training and being able to see my best friends."
When he came to Arizona as a high school freshman, Cactus Shadows coach Tony Vos told his athletic director that he had no room on varsity for a late-arriving transfer. Without two minutes of watching him play, Vos found room.
"He could excite games just with his skills," Vos said. "I've never seen a kid run faster with the ball than without the ball. Defenders in full sprints couldn't catch him. The best word to describe him is fun. He was fun to watch, fun to have at practice."
Jackson's penchant for scoring in important or clutch moments began there. At GCU, Vos has seen Jackson hit another level under Hyndman.
"Super-talented kids like that fade away into the sunset, but Niki's always motivated himself," Vos said. "He has played with this chip on his shoulder, like he's got to continue to prove something. It's good for his soccer development and as a person."
Jackson was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year as a junior, but his impact really resonated before this season. At a team meeting, each of the Lopes freshmen was asked to talk about themselves and what brought them to GCU. Many talked about how they had been watching Jackson for years.
"It really hit me once they started saying how much they've looked up to me and that I'm a role model," said Jackson, who ranks second in WAC history for career goals. "They want to break my records. They want to accomplish what I'm accomplishing right now."
That made him want to be a more responsible, independent leader for the team. It also made him want to make it harder for them to catch those records before he leaves GCU to pursue his plans of merging pro soccer and real estate investment.
"After all the travels, games, commitment and sacrifice over all these years, to see it come to fruition has been one of my most proud moments," Tammy said. "It's been worth it."
The Lopes set preseason goals to reach the WAC and NCAA tournaments. One accomplished goal gives them a chance at the next one.
"I wanted to put GCU on the map," Jackson said. "I really think I helped put us in a good spot, where we are now. To be able to make the postseason in our first year of eligibility is a huge accomplishment. It's been amazing."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
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