Jackson Martin enters his final season at McPherson High School with more than individual goals in mind.
The senior is focused on making the most of his final season with his teammates while helping the Bulldogs take the next step as a program.
“I’m most excited about spending one last season with this team and how much better we look on the ball,” Martin said. “I’m eager to see the results of all of our hard work pay off.”
Martin is coming off a strong junior season in which he earned second-team all-state honors after scoring nine goals and recording four assists. His biggest performance came in the regional final, when he scored a hat trick to help McPherson secure a 3-0 victory.
This season, Martin wants to build on that production while becoming a more complete player.
“One area I want to improve this year is being more clinical in front of goal with both finishing and passing,” Martin said. “Another, which goes hand in hand, would be my technique and accuracy.”
Martin spent the offseason working to improve those areas. Along with the team’s offseason training, he made a commitment to putting in extra work on his own.
“In addition to all of our offseason team training, I’ve been going out to the field every day as well as working on my conditioning,” Martin said.
His work has not been limited to his play on the field. As one of the team’s leaders, Martin also has placed an emphasis on becoming a better captain and teammate.
“I’ve also been working on my leadership ability and overall how I can be the best leader for our team,” Martin said.
Martin has set ambitious goals for his final season. Individually, he hopes to reach double digits in both goals and assists while earning first-team all-state honors.
But his biggest goals are tied to the Bulldogs’ success.
“My team goals this year would be to win regionals, go to state, and take it as far as we can,” Martin said.
Martin also wants to help strengthen the team’s culture throughout the season. For him, that means creating a bond that extends beyond the soccer field.
“I’d like for our team culture to grow as the season goes on, with a focus on us being more than just a team but a family,” Martin said.
That mentality is reflected in the Bulldogs’ mantra, “Play like Pups,” which Martin said represents the work ethic he expects from McPherson every time it takes the field.
“No team we play will outwork us,” Martin said.
With one final season ahead of him, Martin is eager to see what McPherson can accomplish — and whether the Bulldogs can turn their offseason preparation into a postseason run.
“I’m excited to pull off some upsets this season and shock some people both as a team and individually,” Martin said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how far we can go and how much we can achieve.”
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