It has been a long time coming for Jake Olson, but he will finally get his chance to strap on his helmet as a USC Trojan.
Olson was born with a rare form of cancer that caused his left eye to be removed when he was just ten months old. Twelve years later, after he had become a form of inspiration for the Trojans, his right eye had to be removed.
According to Reign of Troy, Olson will fulfill a lifelong dream of playing football for the Trojans. Despite being completely blind, Olson found his spot on the field by becoming a longsnapper.
With the help of a teammate, he is able to get into position and snap the ball on punts and field goals. He worked hard to get to where he was as he eventually became a starter at the position for the Orange Lutheran football team.
Now a freshman at USC, Olson has expressed his desire to be a part of the USC football team. Now that he is able to play for the team, head coach Steve Sarkisian has vowed that he will get him on the field.
“Someday, he’s going to snap in a game for us,” Sarkisian told the LA Times. “When? I don’t know. But it will happen. When that day comes, it will be awesome.”
Olson was prevented from joining the Trojans due to NCAA regulations. Olson has a scholarship under the Swim With Mike program, which, under NCAA rules, would count against the Trojans scholarship allotment. Since the team had already used all of its scholarship spots for the 2015 season, his dream was put on hold.
His wait is now over and he couldn’t be more excited for his opportunity.
Tomorrow I walk out onto Howard Jones field not as a fan or honorary member, but as a player for the USC Trojans! #fighton
— Jake Olson (@JakeOlson61) September 15, 2015
There’s no telling when Olson will take the field for the Trojans, but it is surely going to be an emotional moment for the young man.
Can’t get enough of Campus Sports? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with the latest news and exclusive giveaways!
*Featured Photo (above) credit to ESPN
