Dominic Jackson started competing in rugby during his senior year at View Park. Jackson was also ASB vice president of his senior class last year.
The more he practiced the sport, the more he enjoyed it. Jackson played at the scrum half position, which allowed him the freedom to either run the ball or pass.
“It’s a physical game and if you’re not having the confidence to actually tackle someone, you will get hurt,” Jackson said. “Even if you win or lose, you have to have that confidence that you’re going in there strong, head up, shoulders back, strong heart, strong mind.”
With the boy’s rugby team, Jackson was able to visit Washington DC and Japan. In Washington DC, ICEF rugby competed in the Urban Rugby Championship where the boy’s rugby team placed third.
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“All of us worked really hard to get there and to win, everyone was super hyped about it. It was amazing,” Jackson said. “Throughout the whole entire time, we kept trying to lift each other up, kept saying “we got this” … we all had a great time there, great performances.”
The Urban Rugby Championship showed Jackson different styles of playing and coaching. Competing in Japan was a challenge due to the size of the team the ICEF played against.
“That’s the hardest competition I’ve ever played against in my entire life,” Jackson said. “I love the competition, it was all fun. We were tackling some big guys.”
Traveling has given him a broader perspective on his life. He is intrigued about building bonds with people from different walks of life. For Jackson, being a student athlete displays how he can be well-rounded.
“You always have to keep those grades up but that’s just showing that I can do more than just keep my grades up,” Jackson said. “Instead of just being book smart, I can be athletic, I can travel, I can do much more than just read my books and do my schoolwork.”
Outside of being a student athlete, Jackson has entrepreneurial experience. He has worked as a gardener and sold baked goods with his siblings and his mother.
“It was easy, it was fun. We had our own schedules,” Jackson said. “We could charge them whatever we fell like charging them as long as it’s fair.”
Jackson has a mindset of helping others; he aspires to be a firefighter.
“You’ll stay in shape the whole entire time,” Jackson said. “It also helps people out in life and I think it’s gonna be a very interesting and engaging job.”
