When it comes to soccer, Warren County High School freshman James Jackson is one of the top players in this community. Now he’s getting the chance to see how he stacks up against some of the best soccer talent in the world.
Jackson, as a member of the Tennessee Olympic Development Team, left Wednesday for an eight-day trip that will take him to Europe. While there, he will face some of the best players on the field, while also receiving instruction from some of the best professional coaches on the planet.
“I’m anxious to see what it’s like to experience that level of soccer,” said Jackson, who was the leading scorer on a Warren County Middle School soccer team that has won the last two conference championships.
James is being accompanied on the trip by his parents, Matt and Myra Jackson. Matt is the current WCMS coach who has worked hard to take soccer to the next level in Warren County.
“He will get to see the highest level of soccer in the world,” said Matt. “England is not even as big as Tennessee, yet it has 28 professional teams at its top level and it has four levels. It’s like the minor league baseball system here. Soccer is by far the main sport over there.”
The trip begins in the Manchester area, which is in the northwest portion of England. The Tennessee Olympic Development team will spend three days there working with Manchester City, one of the premier teams in the world.
After that, the team will make a stop in Cambridge, which is a university town. While there, Tennessee will face Cambridge United. The trip will proceed to London for three games and two training sessions with other elite teams.
Coach Jackson said this will expose James to some of his options after high school. He said James could opt to try out for a professional team in Europe after graduating from high school. He said going pro after high school is customary for soccer players in Europe.
In the United States, top soccer players normally opt to play in college then try for a professional career. This is an option for James as well.
Coach Jackson said Major League Soccer is growing in America with Atlanta scheduled to get a professional team next year. He said James has brought plenty of Warren County gear with him on the trip as players like to exchange jerseys and other sports-related items when they are done with games.