Donovan Jackson holds a weighted implement like a basketball Donovan Jackson
Junior Thrower Donovan Jackson has exceeded past expectations with his time at Saint Xavier and plans to continue growing as his college career nears its end.
Jackson was a multi-sport athlete while attending Rufus King High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Jackson participated in football in the fall, wrestling in the winter, and track and field in the spring. He also had an option to play baseball in the spring at one point.
“Truthfully, in the spring time I was looking more to play baseball for the first time. I enjoyed the hitting to get to base. It felt cool to use my strength to do so,” shared Jackson.
When Jackson was in 9th grade, he was introduced to track and field. Some of Jackson’s teammates from football introduced him to shot put, which made him give track and field a shot.
“Many of my fellow football teammates got to do these strength events and had fun ways of getting the chance to prove it. Seeing the implements fly through the air and travel far had me engaged entirely,” said Jackson
After graduating high school, Jackson’s love for sports led him wanting to pursue a focus on one of the three sports he was involved in.
When Jackson attended his first year at Saint Xavier University (SXU) he decided to walk-on for SXU’s track and field team. Mainly due to the fact that SXU doesn’t have a wrestling program and throwing was still something he loved to do.
“I did enjoy wrestling in high school as well…However, I knew regardless of a wrestling season track was something I would engage with [when] spring came,” stated Jackson.
Jackson went on to talk about how the diversity of the track and field community is something he admired, and continued about the high-sense of competitiveness that it has in store.
Jackson would later realize that this choice would pay out for him long term. As of now, Jackson holds the university’s record in weight throw at 15.85 meters, which he did last year during the indoor season.
Jackson calls this his biggest accomplishment due to him struggling his first year. He came back his sophomore year and claimed something as high as a school record in his career meant a lot to him.
“Earning my mark and especially fighting for it this hard is something I’m proud of. When it had happened the first time I knew a lot of my hard work had paid off,” said Jackson.
Jackson has a mentality of pushing past his limits when it comes down to training, which is what Jackson takes to heart due to his commitment to improve everyday.
“I can truly come with the grasp that if your mind is willing to push on being better your body is able to follow easily. The [mentality] of an athlete is what separates them from [those who] advance to other plateaus versus those who don’t,” said Jackson.
Jackson’s hardworking smash mouth mentality is fueled by his family which is what he leans on for inspiration to be greater by the day. Jackson would continue to talk about how much his family meant to him and encourage him to keep working hard.
“I would love seeing the joy in their faces when I came back with a new achievement, whether it would be a stat or a medal. They loved hearing all about it all,” said Jackson.
With Jackson’s family pushing him to be his very best, there was always someone he aimed to be like, his hometown hero Milwaukee Bucks Power Forward, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Giannis Antentokoumpo has been a very dominant figure in my hometown… However he gained the drive to pursue and complete it with his all. Putting the work through the court and in his life to become something better…,” said Jackson.
Jackson is truly the personification of hard work over potential. Jackson’s drive to be better makes him another step ahead of the people who compete against him.