The University of Denver lacrosse team is off to a phenomenal 9-1 stat, with the help of a few talented freshman. One in which is local Colton Jackson, a Rock Canyon graduate and lacrosse super stud.

“I played for Rock Canyon High School under Coach Goldin. During the fall and summer I played for Denver Elite.”

It’s a good thing Colton had the opportunity to play for Denver Elite because he was recruited very early by top college programs. “It was the summer after my freshman year when I began to gain interest from numerous schools. I went and took visits at Maryland, North Carolina, and Air Force. I also had interest from Duke and Ohio State.”

But if he had so may opportunities to play at such good schools, why DU? “After visiting DU and having a few meetings with the coaches I knew that I wanted to commit to DU. There are a few different reasons that I chose DU over these other schools.

One of Colton Jackson’s biggest reasons for choosing DU was its location, “I am not a huge fan of the east coast as it is far from home and a very different culture from the west coast and Colorado.

Their were a few more reasons he chose DU over other top progrms. “Secondly, the coaching staff was a major deciding factor. I knew that DU had the best coaching staff in the country with Coach Tierney as the Head coach and Coach Brown as an offensive mastermind. Another deciding factor for me was the academics at DU. Even as a sophomore in High school I knew that I was interested in pursuing a degree in business and possible accounting. DU has one of the best business schools in the country and a very impressive accounting program. Therefore this was also a major deciding factor.”

The final reason was, “Lastly, as a kid growing up I always dreamed of playing at DU. I played for Denver Elite growing up and would attend every DU Lacrosse game that I could.” Not surprisingly, this did had an effect on his decision, “Playing for Denver Elite may have had a small effect in my decision due to the fact that I was constantly surrounded by Denver lacrosse. We practiced at Peter Barton Stadium and were coached by current DU players.”

“When I was presented with the opportunity to play Lacrosse at DU, I was not hesitant at all.” Colton said.

“So far I think that our season is going very well. Not perfect but very well.” During his first season his role has changed radically from the Fall to Spring, “During the fall I took on the

role of just being the typical freshman. I tried my best to just not make mistakes while I was out on the field and let the older an more experienced players make all the plays. However, now that I am a starter I have had to take on a different role and become more of a play maker when the opportunity presents itself. I still view my role as very team oriented yet now when I have the opportunity to make a play I am not as hesitant to step up as I was earlier in the year.”

Colton believes he has this opportunity to play based on one of his many skills, “I believe that my work ethic and smarts have allowed me to have a successful freshman season. In particular the ability to be a smart player has allowed me to get more playing time than a typical freshman gets. The talent on the DU lacrosse team is incredible. Every player on the team is extremely talented. However, I believe that I get more playing time over my other extremely talented teammates because I play smart and tend to not make dumb mistakes.”

He also said, “I think that the coaches trust me in situations like that because I trust myself and am confident that I can perform in important situations.”

 What inspires an athlete of Colton’s caliber? “I am motivated to honor God. I am a Christian who loves God and is constantly pursuing to have a better relationship with him. I believe that God blessed me with the athletic abilities that I possess. As a result I believe that it is my responsibility to bring God glory through my lacrosse abilities and to also use my sport to be a witness for him. Therefore this motivates me to always try my best to give Him the glory.” says Colton Jackson.

“Lacrosse has played a very important role in my life and I would consider it an aspect that defines me as a person. To me, lacrosse has provided me with the opportunity to attend the University of Denver with a scholarship. Lastly, lacrosse has provided me with the best friends I could ever ask for. Almost all of my best friends in life I have met through lacrosse and our passion for lacrosse has been something as a common interest.” Said Colton Jackson on how lacrosse has played a role in his life.

“My advice to any player trying to play college lacrosse is to become a student of the game and strive to not only be a talented player but also a smart player because in college lacrosse it is the smart players who succeed.”