What's With All the Racquet?

Sharon Jackson poses a triple threat with an already impressive résumé, finely balanced between academic honors, athletic achievement and extracurricular milestones. How does one person find time to participate on the Spell Bowl team and student council; serve as captain for the math and science academic teams; play in marching, pep and concert bands (first chair clarinet); preside as Latin Club co-president, 4-H club president and 2008 Homecoming Queen; and compete in racquetball, volleyball, basketball and tennis? Well according to her mother, Frances, it's fairly simple - her daughter doesn't like her time unoccupied. The effervescent 5-foot-9 teenager shrugs that off with a characteristic laugh: "I would be lost if I didn't have stuff to do; I get bored and I hate video games!" Jackon's achievements demonstrate more than mere distraction from unwelcome boredom. "Sharon works very hard," says Frances, "but most of all, she uses her time wisely." "I have very good time management," Jackson agrees. "I get my homework done in school or do it at lunch." Belying an apparently casual approach, academics are important in the Jackson household and always come first. Living up to expectations, Sharon is a National Honor Society member who is ranked second in her class and has merited awards in science, world history, math, chemistry and English. Translating lessons The nationally recognized scholar applies the same intensity and dedication to athletics - earning varsity letters in basketball, volleyball, soccer, track and tennis - just as much as asking questions in class to help her understand concepts quickly. Frances says her daughter "listens when coaches are helping her improve her game." Travis Powell, Jackson's tennis coach of four years at Waldron, says she's easy to coach because she wants to learn and excel - and because she doesn't want to lose. "She's a perfectionist; she puts demands on herself and works hard." . "She is very goal-oriented," Frances says of her daughter's personality. "She is the one who pushes herself. Sharon has the drive to attend a three-hour basketball practice and then go practice racquetball drills and run 2-3 miles after that." That's nothing compared with her schedule at racquetball camp. That's right, racquetball camp. The camp, led by USA head coach Kelly Beane at the University of Alabama, is where Jackson has spent the past five summers. "We get up at 6:30 a.m., run two-and-a-half miles to the rec center, do sit ups, exercises and drills, and then play for three hours. After lunch, we have tournament play (in teams) and relay races. We don't finish until about 8 p.m." It's a grueling schedule like that requires dedication and focus and Jackson, who describes herself as self-motivated, believes a good player never gives up. Powell thinks she has the whole package and jokingly refers to Jackson as "a freak of nature, athletically." All kidding aside, he says she is the best athlete he's ever seen. "She can do anything she wants to do," adds Powell. "She's a natural athlete." Although it appears that things come easy to Jackson, she has had to overcome significant obstacles. While practicing the high jump in eighth grade, she fell against the bar and broke a vertebra in her back. "I landed wrong and cracked it," Jackson says, nonchalantly. That led to the discovery that she has only four (instead of five) vertebrae in her lower back. "She is in constant pain," says Frances. "But she refuses to allow that to stop (her from) what she wants in life." Jackson just shrugs it off: "I guess I have a high tolerance for pain." The racquet Racquetball has been the main focus of Jackson's life since the age of 10, when the multi-talented athlete set a goal of becoming a true player by 16 and playing in professional matches by 17. Having met those goals, she added a string of accomplishments in the sport: five-time All-American Athlete Award winner; seven-time Indiana Female Jr. Player of the Year; 2006 and 2007 Indiana Female Player of the Year; and several championships in singles and doubles tournaments across the country, including ranking as the 2006 U.S. Open Women's 24-and-under open national champion. But her proudest moment was winning the World Championship 16-and-under doubles in Arizona two years ago. She returned to the Arizona State University campus in Tempe last year to participate in the 2007 Junior Racquetball Nationals, where she earned three medals and a spot on the USA junior national team while gaining an opportunity to compete in the world tournament held in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Fund-raising help from the Shelbyville community helped get Jackson, her brother and mother to the tournament, where she progressed as far as the quarterfinals. The experience went beyond just adding another line on her resume. "I love to travel," Jackson gushes. "Bolivia was so pretty. I met a lot of people and traded shirts with a player from Ecuador." Supporting a dream Jackson and her mom are quick to thank all her supporters. Frances lists the racquetball community, as well as the coaches and teachers - adding a touch of the "it takes a village" approach. "It takes everyone to raise a champion," says Frances. Jackson is now focused on racquetball and college. She was recruited to the Alabama Crimson Tide racquetball team - the current collegiate champions - and plans to major in chemistry in the Southeastern Conference school's pre-med program on her way to becoming a chiropractor. In the meantime, there are interim goals. "Right now, I want to do the best I possibly in tennis (this season)," explains Jackson. "I want to go to state." Knowing her, just about anything is within reach.