IT’S a problem that most of us want and few of us have. Local sporting talent Jared Jackson is driven to succeed and his achievements across cricket, rugby league and touch indicate he is someone to keep an eye on.
Jared’s mum, Aileen Jackson, spoke to GC&M News to talk about his recent achievements as well as his wide range of sporting talent in cricket, rugby league and touch.
“He has just been selected in the men’s U20s in the Sunshine Coast Fraser Burnett district to play in the National Touch League in Coffs Harbour in March 2023,” she said.
“He was also picked in the 2023 Queensland Youth touch academy in the Broncos U16s boys’ side in the Gold Coast for a three-day intensive program in February 2023.”
Jared has been playing cricket since he was four years old, playing for the Beerwah Bulldogs for four seasons, and has played touch since the end of 2019.
He has been playing touch at Chancellor for three years now in their touch academy, however found the sport through the social Witta Touch competition which he played with his mum Aileen and his brother.
In this time, he has been picked for several representative teams and competitions in all the previously mentioned sports, while doing them concurrently.
“He plays for the representative Sunshine Coast Scorchers cricket team, and recently won his U16s grand final for the Beerwah Bulldogs and won ‘player of the final’ in that game,” she said.
“He’s one of those kids where he has a lot of talent, he’s driven and that’s what makes a difference…
“You need a component of talent but that’ll only get you so far, you’ve got to be driven to improve if you want to succeed.”
Jared’s parents said they were very proud of his accolades in touch, cricket, and rugby league.
“He’s had some pretty amazing achievements and he’s still only so young, so he’s got a bright future ahead of him and his dad and I are super proud of what he’s achieved,” Aileen said.
“As parents we support him with what he wants to do, we are just lucky that we are able to support him… and we’re his biggest fans of course.”