Jackson's sanctuary is Princeton's football field

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on November 28, 2014 1:51 PM

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PRINCETON -- While playing on a basketball court with Matt Wilson. Cam Jackson realized just how good he could be if he got his act together.

But not at basketball.

But at football instead.

A junior, Jackson left Cleveland High School in the middle of last year to attend Princeton HS. He struggled to stay out of trouble and cost himself the opportunity to play high school football every year.

PHS head football coach Derrick Minor wanted to give him a second chance -- as long as he could get on the straight and narrow.

"We knew that he had a bit of a rough background and he's a tough kid," Minor said. "But we believe that as a coach you don't turn your back and brush a kid like that to the side. You try to help them in any way you can.

"That's what your job is as a coach."

It started with teasing.

Minor said coaches would tell Jackson in a jokingly manner that he wasn't good enough to play football -- which they hoped egged him to join the team. Then they changed their tune and asked Jackson to come out to practice.

Jackson remained unsure.

Finally, coach Wilson challenged Jackson to a game of one-on-one on the basketball court. Jackson won.

Jackson, from that point, began to appear at practice..

"Next thing we know he's showing up to the weight room for workouts, hanging out with the guys and come August 1 he's out there with us and he hasn't missed a day since," Minor said.

Since then Jackson has become an integral cog in the machine that is Princeton football. He starts at wide receiver and safety. He's caught 30 passes this year for 592 yards and five touchdowns. On defense he has six interceptions.

Jackson has been one of the many Bulldogs flying below the radar this year due to running back Johnny Frasier.

In a second-round playoff game against Camden, Jackson had a coming out party -- he caught five passes for a season-high 86 yards, including the score that put the game out of reach. He recovered a fumble on that same drive to keep the possession alive.

Defensively, Jackson made two interceptions and broke up a pass that would have resulted in a Camden first down.

The touchdown, interceptions and pass deflection were all jump balls. Jackson loves those.

"That a situation where the ball is up and it's just let the best athlete go get it," Jackson smirks as if he knows he is the best athlete no matter who the other man going for the ball is.

"Let's go get it," he repeats.

Minor notes the difference that Jackson makes on the field. He's a player who can take the top off the defense because he's so athletic, which allows more options to open up for his teammates.

"I really do think he was the missing piece to the puzzle for us that could put us over the top," Minor said. "He gives us that athletic guy who can stretch the field get behind the defense and go up and make plays for us."

The on-field productivity is nice -- it's helping Princeton make a run at a state title -- but Minor stresses the way Jackson has turned his life around. He's made changes to who he is and how he acts.

Jackson doesn't note a specific reason. It's just like he flipped a switch and stopped doing the wrong things.

"I just had to stop doing bad things. Stay out of these streets and be here," he looks over at his two younger cousins who came to see him play. "I'm glad I've been doing better."

Maybe he changed for the family.

Maybe he changed for the 60 brothers he gained this fall.

Maybe he did it for himself.

No matter the reason, Jackson feels like he's turned the corner.

"I'm going to keep staying out of trouble," he said. "I got one more year of this (high school football) and I want to keep playing."