Colin Jackson: An All-America Fit at MCC

The shy undergraduate, who spoke in broken English with a thick Jamaican accent, was just trying to fit into his new surroundings at Manchester Community College during the summer of 2004.

Colin Jackson

Colin Jackson, a motivated student barely over a year removed from pre-university study at Wolmer’s Boys High in Kingston, Jamaica, became the first member of his family of 10 to attend college. He used a tape recorder to improve his diction and a camcorder to better develop his presentation skills, both at church and at school.

On the soccer field, Jackson went from the back to the front to become an All-American. He seemed undisciplined as a defensive back, often out of position and making runs in the midfield as a freshman. He had his own vision on how to best help his team (4 goals, 6 assists).

“On numerous occasions, I disobeyed coach (Jim) Insinga,” Jackson said. “That’s how I got to the midfield position. My teammates told coach Insinga I should go to the midfield.”

In the summer of 2005, Jackson interned at FAVARH, a non-profit organization providing services for people with mental retardation in Canton, Conn., and became more patient and sympathetic, necessary skills for a sophomore co-captain. He was also a forward on a recreational team at the Oakwood Soccer Club. Jackson, despite sustaining a minor groin injury, gained confidence as a goal scorer.

The groin injury lingered into the 2005 soccer preseason. Jackson did not start the final preseason game against Eastern Connecticut State University on Aug. 23, fearing his injury could become further aggravated with the season opener four days away. Jackson came off the bench and scored twice in a five-minute span to tie the score at 2.

“I disobeyed myself knowing I would run to the space and do my best. I forgot about my groin injury and did what I had to do,” Jackson said. “After that game coach Insinga said in a tongue-and-cheek manner, ‘If I didn’t score, I wasn’t going to play forward.’ ”

The rest was MCC men’s soccer history. Jackson, the NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Player of the Week for Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2005, went from being a ball watcher to running to an open space and looking for a cross. He recorded a single-season program best 56 points (23 goals, 10 assists), including six-game winning goals. He finished second on the career points list (70) and third on the all-time goals list (27).

The 5-foot-11 Jackson, one of only four MCC players to ever participate in two National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament quarterfinal games, was named a first-team NJCAA Division III All-American on Nov. 21 and a first-team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division III Men’s Junior College All-American on Dec. 8.

Jackson, who had a 3.18 grade-point average over four semesters at MCC, is currently attending Southern Connecticut State University on an athletics scholarship for men’s soccer and is majoring in social work.

“MCC has done a lot for me,” Jackson said. “It has given me more confidence in myself, both academically and on the field.”