About Jackson Leary: Soccer Midfielder

---

One of the things I'm proud of is my versatility as a soccer player. As a versatile soccer player, I'm equally strong with both my left and right feet, and I've played every position on the field, including goalkeeper, although I haven't done that in a while. In my last year on JV, I played as a soccer midfielder, specifically in the attacking mid role, and led the team in goals and assists. After that, I was moved up to Varsity, where I played on the wing and at the 9 position. This past year on Varsity, we faced a lot of injuries, so my coaches needed me to step up and play defense. I ended up playing a lot of defensive back on the wing, usually matched up against the other team's leading scorer, and it was my responsibility to keep them in check. This challenge made me a better player. I think that's why I enjoy playing midfield so much, as it incorporates both offense and defense, allowing for scoring and passing while covering the whole field. On my club team, I play various roles including the 7, 10, 8, 11, and 9 positions, and I love each spot. Some of my favorite players, like Antoine Griezmann, Sergio Busquets, Lamine Yamal, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, are all over the field, inspiring my youth sports achievements.

I love soccer, particularly playing as a midfielder, but I've always had a lot of different interests off the pitch as well. I really like business, especially marketing and entrepreneurship, and I plan on majoring in business in college. Over the past year, a classmate and I developed a 'Shark Tank' style proposal for a new app that garnered a lot of interest from actual companies and VCs outside the classroom, which was really exciting. Throughout my life, I've been a versatile soccer player and have also played various other sports, like baseball, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, and tae kwon do. The most recent sports I've really gotten into are golf and pickleball. I've also always been involved in art; I've had my artworks exhibited in five different gallery shows at various times in my life, and one of my graphic illustrations was used by Bettendorf High School for the cover of its fall information guide. Additionally, I was a published author in grade school and co-wrote and illustrated five children's books with my father. I've volunteered for school hunger drives, participated in graphic design programs and clubs, and been a member of Young Christian Athletes. I'm also really into photography and video editing, which complements my youth sports achievements.