Sophomore Sam Jackson recently transferred from Bolingbrook High School, filling a spot on Central’s varsity football team.  Jackson is the only sophomore to play varsity this year. Currently a receiver, Jackson is working closely with teammate Payton Thorne in hopes of becoming quarterback when Thorne graduates.

Despite playing the same position as Thorne, both players work together to make the team successful.

“We play the same position, but [because] I didn’t want to sit on the sidelines […] I tried to contribute to the team by [becoming a]receiver and being one of his main targets,” Jackson said.

Thorne thinks Jackson is a great addition to the team.

“Jackson’s a friendly guy and fun to be around and just a nice kid who enjoys playing football and enjoys winning, and when you do that, it’s not hard to fit in,” Thorne said.

With the transfer, Jackson has noticed a contrasting team bond between Bolingbrook and Central.

“The [team] environment was not that great at Bolingbrook, and I came here and it was totally different,” Jackson said. “It is fun being around people that lift you up all the time.The offense and the defense are like two separate teams at Bolingbrook. At Bolingbrook, things felt different. We were trying to play for ourselves instead of playing for each other.”

With this being his first year on varsity, Jackson feels the pressure on a new team. His adjustment hasn’t come easily with rigorous training and practices.

“Varsity is a whole different world,” Jackson said. “Everything is faster, and you have to do things quickly. The game is pretty fast.”

Jackson started playing football when he was four years old. He played throughout elementary school, junior high and plans to continue through high school. At the moment his top schools are University of Minnesota, University of California – Los Angeles and University of Southern California. He hopes to be recruited and continue playing football in college.

Being a transfer student, Jackson shares a similar background with Thorne, who transferred his junior year to Central.

“I kind of look up to Payton Thorne,” Jackson said. “He’s a great leader, and he knows everything about the game.“

Head coach Mike Stine is excited about Jackson’s transfer and enjoys coaching him.

“He’s a great young kid, and it’s been a great opportunity to get to know him as a person and a football player,” Stine said. “He’s fit in well with his teammates, and it’s been a pretty smooth transition. He’s extremely talented and the sky’s the limit for him.”