THESE DAYS, HAILEY JACKSON LIVES IN THE GYM. Last summer in Atlanta, I had a chance to watch her play in the Nike Tournament of Champions with Team Tulsa. She was in 8th grade at the time. Now, she’s a freshman post player starting varsity at Sand Springs High School.
I could tell that Jackson was holding back. After an intense game, she plunged into an ice water bath. Jackson was still suffering from pain and soreness due to breaking her hip in the previous season.
As I watched from the sidelines at the Georgia World Congress Center, I jotted notes on what I observed about her game.
She was good but timid. Athletic, but delicate. Resilient and strong.
Six months later, I’m in Oklahoma and have the opportunity to watch her play again. A lot has changed about her game since the summer.
She’s confident.
“Playing varsity as a freshman I had to step my game up and motivate others to keep pushing. I didn’t want to let anyone down,” said Jackson.
While it may look easy from the outside looking in, she had a lot of pressure on her.
Says Jackson, “A lot of people depend on me —coaches, teammates, and fans.”
I ran into her at another basketball game, we hug and share a quick conversation. Off the court, she’s humble, warmhearted and scholastic.
Jackson was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. She has a GPA of 3.8. Her philosophy is “Keep up your grades regardless of what’s going on.”
“After practice, I usually study and try to manage my time well. Academics are important to me because I care about my future and I want to acquire an athletic or academic scholarship to college,” said Jackson.
As I bring the interview to an end, I ask her one last question: What advice would you give the class of 2024 to survive their freshman year?
A beat passes, and thoughts-form. Says Jackson, “Make schoolwork a priority, you’re a student-athlete. Set aside time to study and keep your grades up before the season starts to ensure that you’re eligible and come ready to work hard because it won’t be easy.”