Royal Vision Podcast

Season 1, Episode 10 Built for the Blitz: Mindset of a Gridiron Warrior

• Coach Matthew • Season 1 • Episode 10

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In Season 1, Episode 10 of the Royal Vision Podcast, Coach Matthew chops it up with football standout Ryder Jackson—a relentless competitor with a mindset forged on the field and sharpened in life.

Ryder breaks down what it takes to lead under pressure, bounce back from losses, and lock in when the lights are the brightest. From his early days grinding in the weight room to overcoming personal challenges that tested his faith and focus, this episode is raw, real, and full of championship mentality.

Whether you're suiting up on Fridays, Saturdays, or just trying to dominate your lane in life, Ryder’s journey will hit home and fuel your fire.

🎧 Tap in and discover what it means to be built for the blitz.

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Coach Matthew:

Welcome to the Kingdom Guys. This is episode 10 of Royal Vision Podcast. I'm your host, coach Matthew got a very special guest today. He is in middle school. He is a 13-year-old football player center and defensive lineman. He's been playing football for the last eight years. He's competed for multiple years at multiple showcases, such as Showtime Elite Showcase, where you earned the Elite Lineman Award. He's participated the last two years at the Grid Iron Classic and All Star Tournament from Martinsburg, West Virginia. Without further ado, give it up. Fur Rider Jackson, bro. How you doing buddy? How's everything going? Good. You are my youngest guest ever. You're in eighth grade, you're in middle school. How does it feel to, be here right now?

Ryder Jackson:

Good. It's a real accomplishment. Like I've been seeing seniors on here and everything. I was like, lemme try to jump on here. And let everybody know who I am.

Coach Matthew:

For sure. You you came at me in the live, you're like, yo, get me on here. And we talked a little bit, I really liked your story. I liked everything you had to say and, hey look where you're at. Yes sir. That just, so for all those people out there that are like scared to take a chance on themselves, what would you say to them?

Ryder Jackson:

Don't be scared. Take many chances in life.'cause you don't get many.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. So just take it. Maybe it'll work out. So just go ahead and get started. You're a football player. Yes sir. Where did that initial spark for in love for football start?

Ryder Jackson:

It was more mainly just trying to get into a sport, my dad and everything. He was like if you wanna play football, it's not no little contact sport. It's. You put your helmet and pads on. Yeah. Injuries are very high in the sport and I was like, alright, I'm gonna do it. And got out there. Just loved it.

Coach Matthew:

And you're a center in defensive lineman so Yes. You're taking almost the hits out there, so Yes sir. Have you ever had to deal with any, like minor injuries or concussions up to this point?

Ryder Jackson:

Concussions. Yeah. Okay. Ma Not in games, mainly in practice.'cause there's, I'm shout out real quick. Tramel Musgrove pretty good. 20 coming up, 2029 class athlete. Okay. Me and him go at it every practice and yeah.

Coach Matthew:

Now is football one of those sports you play year round?

Ryder Jackson:

Yeah, it's more yearly for me, but sometimes I popped in spring ball here and there. But I like taking time into other sports too.

Coach Matthew:

I was gonna say, if you're playing football year round, that's a contact sport. Yeah. How do you manage that recovery and, stay in a good shape so you're not always beat up, especially come like real football season time.

Ryder Jackson:

It's just sometimes you gotta take time off. Like when I get invited to tournaments, it just it depends how my body feels like if I'm ready for this tournament or not. And if I'm not, just take my time off, think what I gotta do and just stay active.

Coach Matthew:

Now you also play baseball, but you also wrestle as well. So what is it about football that stands out over wrestling and baseball?

Ryder Jackson:

More, I take more time into football than I do other sports. Okay. But I like to divide it equally. So like some, if there's a tournament that just popped up and I got a baseball game, I'm gonna go to the baseball game 'cause this Tor football tournament just popped up. But I like to take time into other sports. I do.

Coach Matthew:

Okay. So what is it that drew you to wrestling and how do you feel like that shapes your football? Performance. The same thing with baseball. What drew you to baseball and how do you feel like that shapes your football program?

Ryder Jackson:

Wrestling? I stopped, I started when I was like six stopped.'cause I really didn't like it and everything. And I started back up this year. I love it now. It's just gets you stay active and like with lineman it's really wrestling is active with your hands. Yeah. So like it helps you with hand placement and all that. And with baseball, it just same way, the same thing with that I stopped for a little bit and then found love for it again. So started back up.

Coach Matthew:

That's good. So early in your career, and I know you've only been playing football for eight years, but what do you feel like has been some of the defining moments that shaped your mindset up to this point?

Ryder Jackson:

Can you like, explain that a little bit?

Coach Matthew:

So I. Throughout your career, I'm sure you've gone through trials, tribulations. How do you feel like those have shaped your mindset approach to the game?

Ryder Jackson:

Just staying focused and everything keep keeping that mindset all the time.

Coach Matthew:

So what are the main phrases or the main things that you tell yourself in order to, let's just say you start to veer off to get you back on track. Or let's say you're having a bad stretch to, get you back on the upward climb.

Ryder Jackson:

It's always this is a business trip. Like you're not coming down here to play. This is, you mean business. We can get down here. So every time I get in the car flips that my, my mind flips from that. So it's always just business you're going to make a name for yourself. So no goofing off and stuff so that as soon as you get in the car it's on that.

Coach Matthew:

And being young, you've accomplished a lot of, to this point, how do you remove pressure from yourself?

Ryder Jackson:

It's hard, but sometimes you gotta understand like you're still a kid. Like you have plenty more moments in life to re redo that. You don't have to keep on putting that pressure on yourself. Sometimes I keep this with me, but. The pressure on, I take, I go home, I'll talk to myself about it, say like sharpen things, next practice. I'm out there trying to sharpen that and I, it's outta my mind after that practice and everything.

Coach Matthew:

So is there like a moment that stands out to you the most where you were like, I don't know if I wanna keep doing this, I don't know if I'm really that good. And then you were able to shift your mindset back? It's more

Ryder Jackson:

like sometimes, like my dad, he's hard on me. But there's sometimes like the I knew I needed it and like sometimes like I just get in my room and be like, I don't know if I wanna do this anymore.'cause I can't take the pressure. But at the end of the day going, now going into high school, it's he really did play a big part with putting all that pressure on me. And yeah.

Coach Matthew:

And then'cause with pressure you get that outside noise. I'm sure you hear some things, people talk this talk that how do you stay focused and block out the outside noise?

Ryder Jackson:

I just I like to let 'em talk. I like hearing them talk. Okay.'cause it just turns me up way more so I can, when I hear a little bit of chirping from the away opponents, it just turns me up a little bit, a couple notches.

Coach Matthew:

And so how do you try to separate proving yourself to other people instead of just being that great lineman that you know that you are? So oftentimes with sports, we try to prove ourselves. Yeah. We try to prove that we're better instead of just being great like we know we are. So what moments do you feel like you've tried to prove yourself and then you shift it into just being great and you got better results?

Ryder Jackson:

Definitely like going to the showcases and stuff. It's always prove yourself, but you just, I gotta show my talent and everything. So sometimes you wanna prove yourself, like to people to show you gotta do it like going like invitational, like going to wait, we call it. It's I'm trying, I lost that. I went blank.

Coach Matthew:

It's like one of those showcases you

Ryder Jackson:

Yeah, it's like a combine, like type of thing. Okay. Okay. Where you get picked, it's, that's when you want to prove yourself, show everybody who you are. And then once you go like individual, like drills, you wanna show like what kind of talent you have.

Coach Matthew:

So going to those showcases, you got all these eyes on you, all these top high school scouts college prospect scouts. How do you stay focused and not feel all that pressure and you just go out there and be you? Pretty much.

Ryder Jackson:

So like once you get there, yeah. You have that noise. There's gonna be coaches out here that are going to probably take you, like from me, little league and all that. Yeah. There's all those chances you get, you want to take 'em. But once you get there, you know about the noise and everything, but sometimes you just gotta show 'em what your talent is and everything. And then like they'll come it don't matter. If you'll get it.

Coach Matthew:

So how do you feel like your upbringing or your environment influenced your approach to competition? So like your your family upbringing, how do you feel like the way you was raised, influenced the way you approach competition?

Ryder Jackson:

Just coming like from my father and everything, just like he, he went to sleep probably the same time as you. He bleeds the same as you. He's not, y'all are the same. It's just that you gotta have, be you gotta work harder and have better talent. And always just pushing me after games. He always critiques me of what I did and everything. So just those little talks in the car going from games and just sharpens you a little bit more.

Coach Matthew:

Being with your father, he's been with you since you started playing football. Where do you feel like you've gotten the, or where do you feel like he's helped you grow the most?

Ryder Jackson:

Probably in my staying like, controlled up here. Don't yeah. You might hate the coach, but you gotta have respect for him and everything. Yeah. All that.

Coach Matthew:

And then where do you feel like you've grown the most in your gameplay? Where do you feel like he's influenced you the most?

Ryder Jackson:

Probably more like blocking and everything. Like just this last tournament he was getting on me because I had engaged with the blocker. And then once I look behind me for a split second, I know the runner's pass me. I'll let him go. Just not to cause any fears.'cause yeah, say he takes off, gets a touchdown, then I do something dumb that's gonna cost us. Yeah. So like just that. And he is help me with my blocking. And then like my, we had two games that day. Went got something to eat, he told me what to do. Went to that second game. Fixed it played. Played a good game.

Coach Matthew:

So you guys were playing two games in one day? Yes sir. So walk me through that.'cause I thought, I understand seven on sevens, that's one thing. But if you're in full on pads and you're playing two games a day, like that's gotta be exhausting. Gotta be. A lot. So what's that like? It's,

Ryder Jackson:

it's really hard if you don't, if you don't got the, if you're not in shape for it, it's going to, it's gonna kill you every time. But I'm used to that by now, at an early age. And it really is pretty hard. Like you, it's hot, you're in the afternoon, like you have 10 o'clock games, 12 o'clock games, it's gonna be hot and your body's tired after that game, go get you some meat, re replenish your body, get a little bit of vitamins in your body and just go out there and perform again.

Coach Matthew:

So playing travel football, how does that compare? How do you feel like that's so much more beneficial than playing high school or even just rec football?

Ryder Jackson:

Because it shows you the talent outside of your state. So going to Tennessee and all that, it shows you the talent, like outside your state. So like my mom always says. You could, they could maybe be good in West Virginia, but take'em out, take 'em outta town. Take 'em outta town. Yeah. So just getting to see that talent out there and Yeah, there's some dogs out there. You say you gotta be prepared for the next level and everything.

Coach Matthew:

So where all have you traveled playing travel, football,

Ryder Jackson:

Virginia Beach. Okay. North Carolina. Pretty Where's Myrtle Beach at

Coach Matthew:

South Carolina.

Ryder Jackson:

South Carolina, okay. North, South Carolina and Tennessee. So

Coach Matthew:

you've been to Ohio too, right? Okay. So you've been pretty much all up and down the East Coast. What do you feel was your favorite tournament to play in?

Ryder Jackson:

Definitely,'cause the connections I've gotten from there is Showtime Elite Showcase. Okay. I really recommend it for people and everything 'cause they got connections to everything

Coach Matthew:

where, so what's the greatest like networking that you've been able to gain from Showtime?

Ryder Jackson:

Definitely. Like they broadcast it so it's on YouTube live, everything. Gotcha. So just 'cause you never know, you can get a college coach that knows about this guy that's hosting a tournament might wanna pop up on there or show up out there. So the networking out there is really good.

Coach Matthew:

Have you gotten a chance to talk to multiple college coaches?

Ryder Jackson:

Not yet. Still young. Yeah. But high school. Yeah. I talked to a couple coaches. So

Coach Matthew:

what do you, what are some of the best lessons you've learned from all those high school coaches?

Ryder Jackson:

That you gotta head that chip on your shoulder. Don't ever stay humble. Don't get over humble. Don't just stay humble.

Coach Matthew:

And what do you feel is shoot, what was the question? Playing travel football, you're playing that competition. Who's like the one player or maybe two players that's giving you the most trouble on the defensive end or even on the offensive end.'cause you're center and then you're a defensive lineman as well.

Ryder Jackson:

There was a couple kids at this tournament last tournament, the grid iron. Okay. Went there. Rare, if anybody knows about youth league football, rare. There was a couple rare breed kids there based outta Georgia won the national championship for youth league. Okay. In Florida. I'm pretty sure. There was this one kid play, he came in for a couple snaps of nose guard was giving me, hell just, 'cause when you're a center, like you gotta have fast like getting that ball back there fast. So if you don't get that ball back there fast, the defense you have limited to one arm. Yeah. Yeah. So it's hard. So his name was Taylor James. He came in there first snap. I was like. Alright, I'm gonna have a little chip here. Had no chip. Came out, sweat moved me. He was, came out the line fast. Got got me a little got me prepared for that. But then next snap came, got a little bit of chip, got up in him and took it from there.

Coach Matthew:

So you're able to adjust and eventually you kind shut him down. Uhhuh. Yes sir. So you never back away from a challenge pretty much? No, sir. You always rise to the engagement. No, sir. That's good. So what are some challenges you feel like athletes commonly face in the early stages of their career? So you're pretty early off in your career. You haven't yet hit the high school threshold, but up to this point, what challenges have you faced?

Ryder Jackson:

Adversity. A lot of it just, you gotta get past that and all like getting injured, like setbacks and everything. You gotta come over that. Like you get setback for a year. You just gotta keep grinding and stay prepared for next year.

Coach Matthew:

What's some adversity that you faced up to this point?

Ryder Jackson:

Definitely injuries and all that, like talks and everything. Saying, I'm not good enough for this. Like the thoughts of am I gonna make it? Am I gonna get my family out? It's always those questions at a young age, like every kid's gonna have. So I always have those like thoughts, but thoughts are trying to get them thoughts out my head sometimes.

Coach Matthew:

So you talk about injury. What injuries have you faced up at this point?

Ryder Jackson:

So going down, I've been to Rocky top a couple times. Okay. Going down there, I broke my finger, was gonna go with the team and couldn't. We actually did pretty good at that tournament too. So it was pretty, pretty saddening. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

So what other injuries? Just the finger or,

Ryder Jackson:

I broke my broke my elbow. Okay. This sound pretty dumb. I've probably told everybody this, but showtime, I missed the year 'cause I was out in the rain playing with a Frisbee, broke my foot. There was a little ditch I try to run after it, sat there, broke my foot. So that was really heartbreaking and yeah. Yeah. No. And knowing like you couldn't play and

Coach Matthew:

yeah. So what did you do to maintain a level head and stay focused despite having these injuries where you're like I can't really play as much, or I can't do the things that I love doing.

Ryder Jackson:

Just sat back, got rested up kept that mindset still of like anytime, any moment. As soon as I get my foot hit, I'm trying to get back on the field and all that.

Coach Matthew:

Now do you ex exercise or workout at all?

Ryder Jackson:

Yeah, I go to the gym and weight lifting and all that, okay.

Coach Matthew:

So so when that happened, I know with a foot you're limited, but good thing is you got that other leg. Yes, sir. When the same thing with hand, same thing with arm, whatever. Were, what were you doing to rehabilitate and still maintain that, that strength, even though you were limited to

Ryder Jackson:

Like on the bike, like cardio and all that. Okay. Like just 'cause like it was like outside, like the foot, like outside. Oh, like on

Coach Matthew:

the lateral side of your ankle. Okay.

Ryder Jackson:

So it, like, when I put pressure right there, it didn't hurt. And like I had a boot on. So yeah. Yeah. When those, when you have them boots, you're not really limited, but you are at the same time. No. Yeah. For,

Coach Matthew:

I'm gonna pause you for a second. If you ever have one of those prosthetic boots, they work wonders. It doesn't matter if you sprain an ankle. If you broke a foot, you can do whatever it is you possibly want to. You can squat in those, you can leg pressing those work like a charm. Whoever invented that. Shout out to you guys. But I just think about, so your exercising, what's your favorite part about exercising?

Ryder Jackson:

I'm, I like weights. I really love it. Okay. Like bench press. All right. Squat. And all that cardio side ends ah, yeah. Yeah. It sucks. Like after you're done weightlifting, you wanna get some cardio in. Yeah. So you stay in shape and everything.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. Now what's your diet like? Do you have a diet that matches your weightlifting regimen or?

Ryder Jackson:

No, I haven't got that far into, not that far yet. Yes, sir. Are you close? You're close, sir. High

Coach Matthew:

school kind of changes a little bit, but how have you played any high school football? Did you play freshman football or did you stick to the travel?

Ryder Jackson:

This was a hard part last year, if anybody knows me. I got sat back last year, I was gonna play freshman football as eighth grader. Yeah. And I wanna let y'all know this kids like my age watching all this. Please keep your grades up. I, it's so dumb. Just keep your grades up. But, so yeah, grades set me back. I had the grades, but like the grade eighth graders differently from the high school, like grading scale. So it didn't have the grades in. You could ask my mom. Shit, I called her. I got called, I was up in the weight room with my friends, got called down, told I can't play. I uneligible called my mom crying like a baby because it's, this is a sport you love and Yeah. You take your time out, your day. You've, I went to all the summer workouts. I didn't miss one. Went to every summer workout. Just, and that's what you do it for. Yeah. To play in the games and everything. Yeah. We was, and I was going to go to a scrimmage and everything, but couldn't do it 'cause everything, so it really kills you at every moment. Yeah. But, or you gotta overcome it. You can't let it dwell on you

Coach Matthew:

For sure. I think about it, but your grades are better now, right? Yes, sir. Carrying a

Ryder Jackson:

3.2 and 3.8.

Coach Matthew:

So think about this, it's moments like that when you're hit with a redirection, you have choices you can choose to be like. I'm not good enough. This defines me. And you give up or you say, you know what, this is not my defining moment like Ryder did. And you step up to the occasion, you rise to the occasion, you're like, you know what, I'm not, this isn't my, this isn't the end of my story. And there's not a lot of people out there to do that. And being 13 years old, a lot of kids your age, they would've quit. They would've given up.

Ryder Jackson:

And my parents kept in my head about it. It was like, you can go play little league, but I That's not something you wanted to do. Yeah, but I did it.'cause you wanna stay in shape and everything. Yeah, but they kept, in my head it was just a minor setback. You come, you're an eighth grader trying to play freshman ball, you got four more years to do that. It was just a minor setback. You just get right back into it.

Coach Matthew:

And so how do you feel like it was almost like a blessing in disguise that you didn't get to play freshman football? Because

Ryder Jackson:

It really clicked something in me like. This is your first time telling someone, saying, you can't play the sport you love. So it really clicked something for me. Now I'm always, grades are up. I'm, every day I'm checking, I'm going on Schoology, checking my grades, make sure they're there. If there's something not right, I'm gonna go up to the teacher and see what assignments I had to do. If I miss a day 'cause of a tournament or something, I'm always back here and the next day asking what a what assignments I missed.

Coach Matthew:

So you pretty much became a new person? Almost. Yes, sir. You, like you're still rider, but you transformed in a whole different person in order to, get what you wanted. Seventh grade

Ryder Jackson:

rider and eighth grade rider, two different people. I was seventh grade. I was trying to be the goofball. Yeah. Everybody knew trying to disrespect teachers. I'm not the one to disrespect them, but just for the last and giggles. Yeah. But like this year, it's just you can't do that. You're going into high school and like now that I'm getting into kind of like the private school system. Yeah. It. Academic scholarships and all that. Yeah. That could kill me. Like I could really get that scholarship if I wasn't messing around that year.

Coach Matthew:

So you talk about, we talk about transforming. Do people notice the shift that you've had and then also has it cost you or caused you to lose maybe old friendships and maybe gain new ones? Or how did you feel like your life and your personal life has shifted from transforming?

Ryder Jackson:

Definitely some. I kept some from seventh grade. Yeah. That pushed me, like cold and all them. Yeah. They pushed me to be a better per person and everything. So I kept them around 'cause I knew they ain't going to tell me not to do the wrong thing. Yeah. Yeah. If there's something dangerous over there, they're gonna tell me not to go over there and do that. So I definitely kept some, but some of them, like I had to stay off to the side. Like I could, I'll talk to you and everything 'cause I'm not gonna be the type of person, just stop talking to me. Like I, I don't want to be. Like, you could still talk to me, but I'm not gonna call you outside of school and all that. Yeah, it's that type of friendship, like kind of thing.

Coach Matthew:

Oh. So it was one of those things where it's like you're the people that you feel like align with your vision almost. You're keeping them around, but the ones that they can either choose to align with what you're, what you believe in and what the route you want to take. Or they can just stay off to the side. Yes, sir. It doesn't mean you don't care about them. Yeah. It just being like, Hey, I'm doing what's best for me so I can achieve my goal. If you're in my vision,

Ryder Jackson:

you can stay in my vision. But if you're trying to be off and on, you could just stay over there. You can stay out. The vision

Coach Matthew:

That's being, that's wise there, there's a lot of people that they, they're 40, 50 years old, they still haven't learned that. So I think part of it's, your parents, I think that's really good. So good for you, man. That's really good. Yes, sir. So one thing is, so how do personal experiences outside of sports shape the way an athlete competes?

Ryder Jackson:

Definitely what do you mean?

Coach Matthew:

So what personal experiences have you gone through that's shaped your approach to competition personally? So how you show so anything regarding friendships or any lessons you've learned from, like your parents or your grandparents that have shaped your approach to how you play the game?

Ryder Jackson:

So it's like every, like friends, like it could be friends. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

Could be family members.

Ryder Jackson:

My dad, he's, you're gonna hear me talk a lot about my dad. Yeah. He might not know it, but that man has helped me like through. Everything, like football and everything and yeah. So has my mom. I'm not gonna, yeah. My mom, she's helped me a lot. I'm a, I'll just talk about my dad 'cause he's helped me with the sport. Yeah. But my mom has helped me a lot, taking me to multiple practices sometimes like, or we couldn't like, come up with the money at the time, so she had to, we had to find a way. So she always found a way for me to get there and get there yeah. To get to like tournaments and everything. So she always found a way for me to get there. And every time I've gotten invited to something, unless it's, unless Florida, like some, we can't probably do at the time. Yeah. Like Texas and all that. She's gonna try to find a way to get me there, but if we can't, it's just a missed opportunity I couldn't take at the time.

Coach Matthew:

And one thing I noticed is, you got the cross here. Is that like a big role in your life as well? Yeah. Walk me through that.

Ryder Jackson:

Always keep. Some people always keep God with you. Yeah. Yeah. That's one of my things. Like I try to go here and there, pray every night. Really? If I remember I'm not gonna lie, like sometimes I'm not good with that, but yeah. Oh, I'll always cherish everything to the man above.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. But even if you're not consistent with it, at the end of the day, you know what your beliefs are. Yes, sir. You're not straying away from that, you're staying consistent. Yes, sir. At the end it's not a big deal. So what lessons from your past have helped you succeed in both sports and in life?

Ryder Jackson:

Definitely from the setback and everything like that, taught me a lesson not to just. You gotta you can't goof around in school. Yeah. Like school is like middle school from high school to like, the next level is all business. Like you can't play around'cause like that, like it could be all taken away from you. Yeah. Yeah. So all to like real life and like that setback and everything really opened up my eyes to life more and can't take stuff for granted.

Coach Matthew:

So how do athletes develop a stronger mental game? And why do you feel like having a strong mental game is so important? So your mental game is you the track that plays in your head, the, I can do this, I can't do this, I'm good enough, I'm not good enough. Why is that so important?

Ryder Jackson:

Because if he like having that mental, the mental game is like very important n Like when I go out there on the field, I'd be like, I'm Rider Jackson and I know I could do this. Nobody's gonna stop me from doing this. You put somewhere in front of me, I'm gonna give 'em work. I'm not gonna just let'em get a free pass. Like they, yeah. They might have a little bit better talent of me, but I'm gonna give them 10 times of my talent. Then they're probably gonna give me, so it's always I'm gonna be better than you if you line up across me. There's no if, ands, buts are about it. And if you, if I had a bad game that day and you had a better game than me, I'll give it to you. But next time I see you, it I'm want it.

Coach Matthew:

So it's almost like valuing yourself more than the outside noise. Yes sir. So you value yourself very highly. And so it doesn't matter if you think that you're better than me or if you have a better game than me. I know no matter what the value I show up with, it's irreplaceable and nothing's gonna stop me. Yes, sir. I, so we talk about resilience. How do athletes build that resilience through tough losses and setbacks? So resilience is pretty much coming back, coming out on top, not getting, breaking through the wall. If there's a brick wall in front of you, you break through it regardless that it's there.

Ryder Jackson:

Yeah, it's pretty tough. Knowing what was the question again? My bad.

Coach Matthew:

So how do athletes build resilience after tough losses or setbacks? So maybe there's a game that you lost or you talk about that point where you don't have the grades. How do you build resilience through those losses and setbacks?

Ryder Jackson:

Just coming out with a better you every after a loss or everything. I'm gonna come out the next game. Yeah, I may, I probably had a good game after that loss. But I, I know I coulda did better, helped my team win that game. So like my, with my peers around me, I'll go up to 'em before games and I'll be like, this is what you had to do. I've seen it. And this is what we gotta work on and if we don't get it down, we're never gonna win. So I always wanna keep my linemen, my big boys always gotta keep them in line and everything. So if I hadn't, if I seen something bad that last game, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna scold you or anything. I'm just gonna let you know that you didn't, like he missed a block, I'm let you know that you didn't, you missed that block, or you're gonna have to pick him up.'cause if you're not, we're not gonna win this game. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

So one thing I've picked up from you is change. Change has been a really big part of your life despite, only being, so young. Why do you embrace change so much? And then I'll follow up with another question later.

Ryder Jackson:

Change. It can be really, it's really, it could be a really big part of someone's life. Like with me.'cause like I was, like I said, I was the goofball and everything. Yeah. Like some days I one day I didn't come to school, I was just quiet and everything and people were like, what is wrong with you? And I didn't want to be known as that. Like people would see me as an E, like energetic goofball. Yeah. And nah, I'm like, some days I wanna just come in here and chill and do my work. Like some days I don't wanna do that. But then it just changed. Like now, like I'll be like nothing. Like it, big change. But like I'll still come into school, be goofy with my friends. Yeah. Joke around a little bit. But yeah. So like the not consistent of goofiness is just changed a really big part of me.

Coach Matthew:

So the people that don't change, why do you feel like they don't change? Or why don't you feel like they don't embrace change?

Ryder Jackson:

Because that's who they think they see theirselves as now, like as a. Like someone that wants, everyone gets a laugh out of I just wanna blank for a second. My bad. You're fine. So it was like some kids just don't like, they like that about themselves now. I did not, when I had that talk with my parents, it really it struck heart, like

Coach Matthew:

Yeah.

Ryder Jackson:

It opened up my eyes really wide and everything. So like some kids, they don't want to change. They like that about themselves. Yeah. So that's why I like, like I love my parents and everything. Yeah.'cause like they really opened up my eyes for that change.

Coach Matthew:

Now I know the one thing you're looking for when you're looking for laughs, you're always looking for that validation. So do you know what validation is? So validation is essentially. I'm looking for confirmation that, hey, I'm good enough, or, Hey I'm liked, I'm loved, whatever it is. So at that point, you were so used to external validation. You were like, you know what? I'm gonna internally validate myself and I'm not gonna worry about I don't need the laughs to keep it level head. I don't need the attention to stay straight I'm gonna focus on me.

Ryder Jackson:

So what was your question again? The val, you kept you explained it, but what was your question?

Coach Matthew:

Essentially just what was it that made you shift from external validation to internally validating yourself?

Ryder Jackson:

Just getting in trouble and everything. I'm not the one I hate being like the center of attention like I used to, but like now I hate being the main subject. I hate it. It like gets me like mad, like mad to the point where I wanna cry or everything, like Today. I had a, a assignment turned in, right? Yeah. And she said it was past due. I, she, I swear she was like, okay, if you turn it in today, it won't be for a late credit or anything. So I turned it in and then she said she just grabbed it out the cabinet today, the like turning Ben or anything. And she made it past due and I said I turned it in before spring break. So like all that and just hate being the main subject. And like everything, like grades now matter to me a lot.'cause what happened? Yeah. Yeah. So I, like I lost 30 points like that. 30 points. Say I needed 30 points to get an A in that class or 30 points to bring my grade up, like a letter grade or not. So now I can't do that.'cause you done put something past due on my work. So like I value my grades highly this year a lot.

Coach Matthew:

So and so being the kid that you used to be, but being this new kid now, are there any moments where people will like, remind you of who you used to be?

Ryder Jackson:

Yeah, like teachers. Yeah. Like in my teachers now, they used to sub for me and like when I'm like on a day where I'm just like goofy. Not goofy. Goofy. Yeah. Just talking yeah. Stopped. Like they tell me to stop talking. Like they like, and it hurts me so much. They'd be like, if you're going back to the old you. I'm like, no, I'm not. I never, I hate being reminded of what happened seventh grade?'cause it like it really not traumatized, but like

Coach Matthew:

Yeah,

Ryder Jackson:

it really valued eye-opening moment. Eye-opening. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

But so what do you do to block out that noise despite them being like, oh, you're going back but. No, like you still are. So how do you separate yourself or detach from those accusations of being this person when you're really somebody completely different?

Ryder Jackson:

I usually go up to that teacher and that day and then if they said that, and then I'll be like, I'm sorry, I won't do it again. And then like I go to the bathroom real quick, get my splash of my face with a little water, look at myself in the eyes and tell myself like, no rider, you don't wanna be, you don't wanna be known as that kid back in seventh grade for that. And then just my day keeps on going on.

Coach Matthew:

So what are some mental habits that separate the best athletes from the greatest athletes? Explain that a little bit. So what are common or do you feel like are good mental habits to have that separate. The best athletes from the rest of the athletes. So like what separates LeBron James from what's his name, Nick Young. Somebody who's been in the league for 23 years compared to Nick Young, who was in the league for 10,

Ryder Jackson:

probably'cause work ethic, have a higher work ethic. But don't get me wrong, that 20 that kid that dude that's been in the league for longer could be like, oh yeah, I'm the, I'm this, I'm the name right now. And just die off. And this younger, you can have this younger kid come up and just be a dog and take that guy's position. Like for me, like I always want, I'm always on the top of my game. Just because. Oh yeah.'cause I show up to every weightlifting. Like I'm there and I see no seniors there and I'm like, alright, I'm gonna push myself to, I know I could play this guy's position. He may be a senior, he may be older than me. He could probably drive everything, but I'm gonna push myself to my work ethic and everything to be better than him next year. So just keeping up a work ethic and keep on being dominant at what you do.

Coach Matthew:

So how do you feel like athletes navigate self-doubt and stay mentally strong under pressure? So in what moments of, let's just say doubt, where you're doubting yourself, how do you revise those? How do you shift those So you stay mentally strong and you don't collapse under the pressure.

Ryder Jackson:

So you can always have you don't want to, but like sometimes you could just be like. Man, that game really sucked. Like I sucked that day. Like I probably ain't gonna be, what am I gonna be like why There's someone out there watching me? So then you just say, alright, I'm gonna come out this next game. I'm going to work harder look better, work way harder. Make sure I pick up one every block. Make sure I do all that instead of having those bad thoughts of on yourself. And like I go home, say it about myself, and I clear it out. Go play on the game. Do what I do, what a kid does.

Coach Matthew:

This episode of Royal Vision Podcast is sponsored by Trophies Plus here in Martinsburg, West Virginia. If you're looking for sublimated mugs, trophies, awards, or even embroidered hats, go to Trophies Plus in Martinsburg, West Virginia to go cop all those in the, so what strategies do you use to, despite having maybe a negative day or a bad game? To continue keeping your eyes on the bigger picture. So

Ryder Jackson:

when I have negative thoughts like it, like my dad, like he's tough, he's really tough on me. So he, it, he like scrolls me a little bit tells me what I gotta do. So it gives me like bad thoughts. And sometimes you just need a friend Hey, how'd I do this game? And you know how friends are, they're gonna tell you, you did good even though you probably know you did bad that game. So it's always, Hey, let me text my friend real quick. And let 'em lie to me, but that's gonna cheer me up a little bit better. And then I get that text from my friend and then I just get on the game, just be a kid again and leave that. Talk in the car and then we get out the car. You could talk with me for a little bit. But I'm not, I'm really not listening to you. Sometimes he'll put me pull me in the bedroom and talk about it so yeah, always getting that word from a friend and just get get on the game and just clear everything out. Do

Coach Matthew:

you ever take moments where, despite being, chewed out by your dad or, those cri, those criticism talks where you are like still focused or still highlight all the things you're doing well, but keeping the things that you need to grow on, on the, in the front vision? Does that make sense? What'd you

Ryder Jackson:

say

Coach Matthew:

again? Okay I,

Ryder Jackson:

I, I keep getting lost. That's my bad.

Coach Matthew:

You're fine. So even though you're getting chewed out, you're getting criticized by your dad. Is there like a strategy that you use to keep the things you're doing well and the things that you're good at? In the front of the car, despite still having those negative things that, you can grow and work on.

Ryder Jackson:

So yeah, there may be some things, he may have seen that game, but like I'm on the field at the time I seen what I did good and I seen what I did bad. You just, you spotted out the bad and let me know. I gotta work on that. So it's just like having that affirmation like where I could do it, I could do it again. Yeah. Like I'm really powerful, big guy. I could do it. So like always. Knowing what I did good in that game. I keep that with me just like I keep on telling my, like when he's talking, I'd be like I did this. I know I did good in that. I'm, I probably made a sack. Oh. But I probably didn't make it off the line this next step. So it's always like having that oh yeah, but I did this. You're just giving me the things I did bad to work on. Yeah. But keeping that good in my head at the time

Coach Matthew:

so reminding yourself like, what I'm doing right and what I'm doing good is most important, but I have these negative or weaknesses that I can work on and turn into strengths as well. Yeah. So how can athletes recognize and refrain thoughts that might be limiting their potential? So as an athlete, you have thoughts or as a human being, we have thoughts that go in and out of our mind all day. How can you recognize a thought that might be limiting your potential?

Ryder Jackson:

Just like if you're still dwelling on it after the game alright, so last night my dad told me that like I didn't do good. So like I gotta do good, but I'm still having that thought of, am I gonna get chewed out in the car? If I don't make, if I don't get off the line this snap, am I gonna get cheered out in the car? Or just having that like that what really brings down a person's game if they're worried about what's gonna happen outside the game, which I hope like kids like don't have that, don't have that at all. Just worry about what's what you're gonna do in this game and you might have a best game of your life. You never know. So don't keep that thought, never keep that thought in your head, if you're gonna get chewed out or not.

Coach Matthew:

So it's about not worrying about what could happen if you don't do something now is just focusing on who you are now and what you know you're capable of doing in the now. And staying present. Pretty much. Yeah. Yeah. So external pressures. You talk about your dad a lot, I know you, you got coaches, there's fans, and there's social media. How do you feel like that affects an athlete's mindset and mental gain? Because

Ryder Jackson:

what was the question?

Coach Matthew:

What was, is it on? So external pressure, so you external, so you got coaches, you got your parents,

Ryder Jackson:

how can I affect someone's health? And

Coach Matthew:

how do you ignore, how do you stop that from affecting your mindset and your mental game?

Ryder Jackson:

Telling yourself like, I'm a I'm gonna try to play the best of my best game of my life this next game to not get that chewing out in the car or anything. Just the like mindset of, okay, I'm gonna go out here and try. I'm a big dude, so I never had a touchdown in my life. I'm gonna be like, why if I go out here, get a drop back a little bit? Ball gets popped up, I grab a touchdown, like I'm gonna go out here and try to play the best game of my life. So so having that thought of you're gonna do something in this game that's gonna impress people and just having that thought.

Coach Matthew:

So being a football player, is there any time where it's like you hear things from the crowd? Is that a common thing being a lineman? I know something

Ryder Jackson:

happened to me. It was in folk year, one year youth league. I was playing with Venom. I got, me and my coach rejected it. So what would happen was the coaches were chirping on the sideline saying I was being illegal. And it just got, it got up to here. Yeah. And like it got in my mental game. So then I got a flag. No, he kept on chirping and I was, I walk off the sideline. And I yell some prof. I yell Profanity. Yeah, yell some. Yeah. Yeah. And then get a flag, get thrown out the game. Coach goes, I, he gets thrown out the game too. So just what you do can set up like other people for failure. So if you like that getting chirped at what I do, my coach is always gonna back me up 'cause I'm his player. So if I get thrown out, he's definitely gonna argue with the rest. And you don't know how type of day the rest are gonna have. So you're gonna get you and your head coach thrown out the game. Yeah. Which just because he was saying he was doing something wrong, which he's not your coach, he's not the ref weren't seeing it. You can't get mad at that. So definitely gotta stay under control in those moments. Block it all out just and I. I keep this, I like this. Don't let me see, don't let me see you wearing a shirt with your son's last name on it.'cause I'm gonna come get him if you're the one chirping. So it's just, oh, that's good. Good. So it's just, you can't let it get into your mental game and everything.

Coach Matthew:

So after that happened, how do you feel like you shifted and made sure that didn't happen again?

Ryder Jackson:

Got suspended for a game. Okay. So not being able to play with the boys again. That's what you weekends that's it was for the boys when, you got a game and you're going to get the good opponent but that the team we played against wasn't really good. Yeah. So it is just just like not being able to play with your friends, Yeah. Yeah, you might not know'em, but you build a relationship with these kids. You talk to 'em every day, like you make Snapchat group chats and all that. Yeah. So like you talk to 'em every day and telling them you can't show up to the game might affect their game sometimes because they're, 'cause I might bring an energy like nobody else brings, so it might affect our team as a whole.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. So what are some key habits or strategies, athletes or even you have used to build confidence out there on the field?

Ryder Jackson:

Just saying, I'm gonna do good. I'm gonna be great at what I do. And if I can't, then it's whatever. I'm gonna come out the next game and just be great.

Coach Matthew:

Where do you feel like you've seen the biggest shift in your confidence?

Ryder Jackson:

Definitely. Knowing, like with my building and everything, like I'm dominant. Yeah, there's no gonna be, there's barely gonna be, you're gonna see no kids out here. That's gonna really stop me. So it's just yeah. Having that confidence like, oh yeah, I got the building and everything to be dominant. Like that kid in front of me, I know he can't stop me. I have pure passion that kid cannot stop me with the belt. I have more power than him and everything. But sometimes you get a reality check. That kid

Coach Matthew:

Yeah.

Ryder Jackson:

Puts you in the dirt. He could put you in the dirt a couple times. So it's alright, now I gotta make sure I don't get in the dirt. Next time it's either gonna be you or you're running back or on the offensive lineman side. I'm a center. I know I'm gonna be better than you if you're playing nose guard. Yeah, you might, you have an advantage on me 'cause I'm only have one hand, but I know I'm gonna be better than you.

Coach Matthew:

So I know most people, they always focus on the receiver or the quarterback, the running back. What is it that, being a lineman has, that's just way more fun than getting to touch the ball.

Ryder Jackson:

Because running backs Yeah. You're running away from people. Yeah. But like linemen, you can get a hold of that kid and do whatever you want. Like on the offense lineman side, like you can't sling or anything. I know that, but you got the ability to get up in their chest, take 'em wherever. Yeah. Like I see the blind side.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. Michael Gore.

Ryder Jackson:

That movie where he pick the kid up, took him all the way to the bus. That's the running backs can't do that. Like they can on a lead block. But like linemen we have like more freedom to do that. You're lined up in front of me, you might do a move. I could stop that move. So yeah. It's like sometimes you have linemen like, yeah, I wanna run the ball. I wanna run the ball.'cause it's like having that feeling of a touchdown. It's really nice. And like having that feeling of a pick. It is really nice. So just lineman, you just gotta stay confident and have yeah.

Coach Matthew:

And so what strategies do you use to, despite not being the main guy where you feel like all the attention's on you, but you still feel valuable or feel like you're making an impact? Say that again. So being the main guy or being the person who has always has the ball in their hand, you always have the intention on you. How do you remain un jealous in a way so that way you still see yourself as valuable and like a vital goal of the team. I see

Ryder Jackson:

lineman as very valuable. If you don't have a good line like this year, no offense to our team. Our line was not the best. We couldn't block really. So if that's why we lost so many games.'cause we didn't have a line. So what I take value in is soon as I get that call on the two gap, or if I'm lining up at the center Yeah. If I get that call to the two gap, I'm a, if there's a kid lined up in front of me, I'm getting 'em out the wayside. Running back can make it make that hole. Maybe if I make that hole, he'll get a touchdown. Like from this last weekend I've seen they were lined up on the right side. They were power on the right side. Had seven linemen down. Yeah. Had barely anybody in the left side. I was playing left guard at the time. So there was a kid lined up in the two gap. It was a like six gap play, like where you can go anywhere. So I knew, no, this kid was lined up in front of me actually, and I knew every song when he'd go to off the snap. He would go down to the right side. So me knowing like what he's gonna do, if he's gonna do it again, because he's done it for two consistent snaps. I'm gonna open up, I'm letting him get past me just a little bit, and then, no, I'm gonna actually and get his left outside this outside shoulder

Coach Matthew:

Okay.

Ryder Jackson:

And push it up and get my hips in front of him. And there's an alleyway right there. There was no linebackers lined up or anything. It was loading the box. So I did that and running back got like a 30 yard game from that. So it was really happy. And like knowing like on goal line plays, like I tell the coach really just run behind me. That's one thing about me, like when there's a kid in the huddle and they call it 22 I'm telling 'em every time Run behind me because I'm big body. Put your hand on my back and just run.

Coach Matthew:

I mean that everything that you said right there, that just shows like, I feel like in sports, we always highlight the guy who's scoring. We always highlight the guy who's making plays. But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you're the lineman, if you're the quarterback, everybody has. Their own value that they bring to the team that wouldn't be able to give you that success at the end of the day without them. Like the quarterback can't throw 50 yard bombs without the lineman. The running back can't get 25 yard gains without the lineman.

Ryder Jackson:

Yeah. Because he's gonna, 'cause if you, you gotta have someone to protect his blind side. Yeah. If he knows you don't protect his blind side, he's gonna be

Coach Matthew:

Yeah. He's not gonna be able to

Ryder Jackson:

focus, he's not gonna focus on what his assignment is. He's gonna be worried about it. This kid's gonna come out here and blow me up. Yeah. I've seen it in the NFL too. It's not like that, but like quarterbacks are getting blown up, like they're looking right here and they're getting blown up every time. So it's just you want to have a good line. Like linemen are very valuable. Like you don't find good ones.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah.

Ryder Jackson:

So once you find a good one, it's you take it into

Coach Matthew:

taking care of 'em. Take care of 'em. Yeah. Jason Kelsey. That's why he was so good with the Eagles for so long. Because they took care of him. So for football, do you have any like superstitions or rituals that you'd follow? Pregame or,

Ryder Jackson:

I said this to my friend earlier. Same with my dad. Every time I get outta the car, get my pad get my pads, everything cleats, have my crocs on 'cause I'm not worried about it right now. Yeah. I'm here a few minutes early, go up to my dad, dap him up. He's strictly business and it just, I'm ready to go every time I like it does something else to me. So every time I dap him up strictly business and it's whatever, and then I do that little cross. Yeah. I run out or kiss to the sky.'cause like relatives are up there probably watching me and I wanna put on a show from 'em. So I'm letting them know that I know they're probably watching me and I'm gonna put on the game from' Coach Matthew: em. Now is there any su like superstitions that you have while you're on the field before that first snap? Or is there any like gear that you wear that you're like, I have to have this. No, just, no, just Hey, strictly business show up there and kick some butt pretty much. Okay. Alright. Now game. So on a game day, walk me through your game day routine. So I get up some days, my dad's on one, like he's up ready, he's ready, he's pumped. So I'm hearing music when I get up, I'm like, I know what kind of day it is. You're going have to go on. So like some days you can hear the music or some days you don't. So I wake up some days like if I'm feeling breakfast, like I know it's really good to have that nutrition like when you wake up. But like some days I'll just pop me in a little bowl of cereal. Okay. Yogurt or a like yogurt banana. Yeah. Yeah. Before I go out there.'cause like when you're playing on them evening games like afternoon. 12 o'clock, 10 o'clock, that's where you get the strike of like heat and everything. So I cannot play when my like stomach is hurting. Like I can't, I don't know, I try to push through it, but like, when you're like defensive on the side too, like when you're gonna try to die for a tackle, you're laying on your stomach every time. And if you like court, my core is pretty good, but it's not there. So every time you land you get that. Ugh. Yeah. So if you don't, if you just didn't eat right this morning, you ate too much and it's all, it's so you've had a couple times where you just,

Coach Matthew:

oh geez. Yeah. Shout out to all the people that don't throw it. That one was just for you guys. It's funny. Is there like any go-to meal that you have to have before you play? Or what about like post game? Let's just say you kick somebody's butt in a game. What's your go-to meals after that?

Ryder Jackson:

Mickey D's, McDonald's. Yeah. Oh my goodness. Have to bro, because that's all we got around here. Like you like sometimes we'll go to like Chinese restaurant or something. Okay. China store's pretty good. Yeah, but McDonald's it is really after every year.'cause then my parents are hot RA's trying to find somewhere to eat. Yeah. Eat real quick. And you know out there on the field they're trying to charge you like $5 for a hot dog and it's what?

Coach Matthew:

You gotta go to Chipotle? Yeah. Gotta Chipotle habanero. I'll be

Ryder Jackson:

honest, I haven't had Chipotle in a hot minute.

Coach Matthew:

You ain't had Chipotle. You gotta go to Chipotle. They got this honey Chipotle chicken. I've not had it yet, but it sounds good. Your favorite

Ryder Jackson:

chilies. I haven't been there in a time. Chili time,

Coach Matthew:

man. I love going to Chili's. I don't do cheat meals often, but that's my go-to cheat meal. You get the Triple Dipper, you get the Honey Chipotle wings, you get the Honey Chipotle mozzarella sticks. The Southwestern egg rolls dog. I'm not sponsored by Chili's, but that was a plug for you guys. Oh shoot. Yeah. But what else? So what's your favorite go-to like sit down restaurant?

Ryder Jackson:

Definitely after every game like Virginia Beach, we try to find seafood and all that.'cause that's, you're around the ocean and everything, but there's no really go-to. But if I had to like probably red Robin, when there's Red Robins pretty good. I forget what it was called. I think it was that. It was that. Or just trying to find a close Chinese shop. I love Chinese, but really, I hate it. Every time my parents in tournaments always wanna try to find a Chinese shop after my play, my first game.'cause we played two games. Yeah. And I'm like, mom, why are we doing this?'cause I'm gonna be hungry after the game and you're not gonna go wanting to buy me anything. So I, 'cause like they go before games, I'm like. I'm not, I can't eat that much.'cause if I go out here yeah.' Coach Matthew: cause because I have a 10 o'clock game, I'm gonna be back in here like two o'clock. I ain't go barely. I ain't can't, I can't barely eat this.'cause Chinese food is all like oils and stuff. Yeah. So I'm like, why are you doing this to me? Yeah. So that's when we stopped by at McDonald's or something. Grab like McChicken or everything. Yeah. And just eat.

Coach Matthew:

What is what's your Chinese order?

Ryder Jackson:

Chinese gotta get the noodles. Got to, okay. Ch broccoli chicken and broccoli.

Coach Matthew:

Okay.

Ryder Jackson:

Some sushi. And crab berry and goon is pretty good.

Coach Matthew:

Crab. That is solid. That those are all good things. I typically get. So when you get sushi, what do you get?

Ryder Jackson:

I get the plain like just with the California roll Yeah. California rule. Or the

Coach Matthew:

Philadelphia roll.'cause it has cream cheese. Yeah. Because my biggest thing is there's

Ryder Jackson:

one down in Martinsburg, I don't know where. It's the China King knew China or something. It's like right from big Lots and okay. They have this one, it's like a crusted out in the inside. It's has soy sauce.

Coach Matthew:

Okay. It's

Ryder Jackson:

like a California roll. Yeah. But it has like a crust at the outside. I love it. I get it. Every time

Coach Matthew:

I love sushi. I always go for like the, like a rainbow roll's good. But I like, I have the tuna, the salmon, the crab, got the spicy mayo, got the eel sauce, some crunch on it, some avocado, cucumber, like the whole, everything. Everything. Because you gotta get the macros. Yeah. You gotta get the, you gotta get the protein. So how do you feel like an athlete's belief system shapes their ability to perform at the highest level?

Ryder Jackson:

Their belief system.

Coach Matthew:

Not belief as in religion, as in no.

Ryder Jackson:

Yeah. Believe like you can do something like

Coach Matthew:

belief. So everything you tell yourself is either false or can be false or true. So I could tell myself I'm good looking. That could be false. I can be true. I could tell myself I'm smart. That can be false. That could be true. So how do you feel like somebody's belief system or an athlete's belief system shapes their ability to play at the highest level?

Ryder Jackson:

Like belief in you can, your better than this kid. I'm a kid, I'm gonna be on that. Like from a, for a lineman, like I believe I'm gonna give you hell for four quarters every time I come out here and I'm not gonna take off a snap. Yeah. I might take off like one, which is not good. I don't know why I said that, but no. Happens, you get that, you get like a kid that hasn't been in for that long, short little kid. You just grab him, hold him here, get him out the way. Yeah. So just getting that little guess air and like believing I'm gonna be a dog out here. Yeah, I have teammates, but I'm a, I'm gonna be the best lineman on this team right now. This is the team. I'm gonna be the reason why we win this game. So it's always, you gotta have a high belief system, like you can be better and do it.

Coach Matthew:

So for the kids that go out there and maybe they don't perform, or maybe they quit, what do you think is going on in their heads compared to the most elite athletes at your age group?

Ryder Jackson:

They're probably like man, like rider he's like just whipping kids' butts. But I can't do the same I want kids like I, no, I don't know why I'm saying kids like, I'm a kid too, so you're fine. So I want them to come up to me like, I like I have my mom, she works with her coworkers has kids like that are like, pretty good, but are getting better. I love it. Like I like. I feel like I wanna be a coach one day. Once my time's done if I can do it or not can do it, I want, I wanna come back to the youth. I really love it. I love getting Hey Rider, can you come work with my son? And I love it about that. So like having, being an other hand for a kid and stuff.

Coach Matthew:

So do you feel like the kids that don't have that belief system, they're too caught up in comparison instead of just going out there and doing what they Yeah.

Ryder Jackson:

More like comparison or man, I just don't wanna be out here. Like I'm not gonna get in the game. You gotta have, like in practice too. Like you wanna be, be a good be you be a good better version of yourself. Yeah. At practice. That's how you get playing time and everything. So just going out there like practice, man, I'm not gonna get, I'm gonna be sitting here watching kids practice the whole time, which you gotta work from the first day of practice, like y'all might have conditioning. I'm a bigger kid. Like I know there's gonna be kids finish in front of me, but I'm a, I'm gonna work'em, I'm a, I'm show 'em like I'm a alarm I can move to. So just like having that like belief that you gotta work. If you don't work, then you're not gonna get what you earn. Like you gotta earn things in life. Everything's not just gonna be given to you. So earning that starting spot, earning like that second spot say that kid gets hurt, that coach's just gonna need you. So come to every game ready, oh, I'm gonna play, I'm gonna play today. Even though you may not, but you may are, you never know. That kid may be six not show up. So that's what I hate when second strings get in.'cause like they've been like watching us practice all week and they hate it.'cause they never get in. So like they get bored and don't pay attention. So like, when they get in the game, they don't know anything. So that's why, like I told, I texted you, I was like, I like knowing other people's, like assignments and everything. Like I'm worried about my assignment, but I want to know the other kid's assign. So if he gets in the game and that receiver is don't care about this kid or that one, just don't know himself. I wanna tell him like what they have to do on that play and everything. So just having that just come ready don't just oh man, he's not gonna, oh I'm not gonna start today. Ah, I been sitting. That practice coach didn't put me in. Just be ready.

Coach Matthew:

I feel like that's what I've, that's what I see in your mindset compared to those that just give up. You, you don't take somebody starting over you when you feel like you should start as, I'm not good enough. Or like a jealousy thing. You take that and you transform it into motivation as something where you can show up and, Hey, I'm gonna start and even if I don't, I'm gonna make an impact on the field. You're trying to be as versatile as possible where you can, you're learning about other people's assignments so that you can be a leader. You can be like hey, you gotta do this on this guy. Even though you're alignment, you're telling the re the receiver Hey, you gotta run this route, or you gotta do that. So you're being a leader out there. And I think that's what separates the greatest athletes from the mediocre ones is that's that leadership quality. Yeah. So with football, year round you also play baseball, you wrestle a little bit. How do you balance. The athlete rider from your personal life rider. So

Ryder Jackson:

When I get home, you can, I'm like, just chill. I'm chill. I go back in my room, do me, mom come eat, just come eat, just go back to my room. I'm always in my room or me and my dad likes wrestling. I usually, I watch it with him. Yeah. So it's just I'm chill. I don't being in I stay out the way I don't like being like in the middle of everything. Like I just if you need me, I'm here. Like personal, like Yeah. So like, when I'm on the field, it's alright. Yeah. I'm here. I'm not chill. I'm ready to go. I'm ready to kick butt every single time. Every snap. Every snap. As soon as I get in the car, take my stuff off, I'm ready to go home. Just chill.

Coach Matthew:

So do you feel like your identity on the field is the same as your identity outside of football or do you think it's different?

Ryder Jackson:

It's different because like. When I'm on the field, it's like strictly business. Yeah, I'm not playing around. If you get out there and play around, like you're risking getting injured. And I hate that. I hate seeing kids get injured. So like, when their kid like, don't know anything I want, I like, I get on them a little bit. I'm like, why don't you know this? You've been to practice for a little bit, but then I gotta give 'em like, alright it's fine. I know I understand like it's fine, but it's just sometimes it's like I could snap like this on you. Or it depends like how I feel at the time. If I'm just chill, chilling on the field, like I'm doing good today, like everything's going good and then I won't be like that. Like I'll help you. But sometimes you gotta know your assignment 'cause if I'm getting my butt kicked, I'm not worried about what your assignment is at the time. I'm worried about what I gotta do to get this play, formed and everything. So it's a little different. So if I snap on you at and it's like pretty harsh, like I'll text you at the game. Sorry, that's my bad. I didn't mean it. Yeah, just at the time I wasn't really worried about what you had to do. I was, but I wasn't 'cause I was getting my butt kicked. So I didn't mean to snap on you like that. I'm sorry. We come out to practice and we're gonna work.

Coach Matthew:

So outside of your sport, what impact do you feel like you have and how can you use your platform effectively to have an impact?

Ryder Jackson:

Wait what do you mean?

Coach Matthew:

So what impact do you have beyond your sport? What, how do you influence people? How do you impact people?

Ryder Jackson:

It's because I get personal with them, but my one friend he's not confident enough, like if he's gonna play or not, like I'll be like, you have the talent too. Like I influence, I want to influence everybody around me. So if I got a kid that says you don't wanna play, I'm gonna influence him too.'cause this sport, like you might have like troubles at home. This is your time to get away from that. Just stay away from that. So like I, I want to influence people to play the sport'cause some people don't wanna play the sport, but I know what you can benefit from the sport you build, like responsibilities and stuff. Because like your parents are always not gonna be there for you in life, but if you do, then they are. But not forgetting your cleats, like not for like your pads and everything, like it builds up a responsibility. So it's a really good life lesson in life. And to stay humble, keep your head on your shoulders. Like I could be out there just pancake the kid and here comes the linebacker. Boom.'cause I'm not like staying focused or anything. So it just build builds like responsibility focused and like staying humbled and being yeah, just staying humble.

Coach Matthew:

Is there a moment where you, maybe you went away from being humble and you were brought back and shifted back? Yeah,

Ryder Jackson:

sometimes. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

Okay. So is there a moment that stands out to you the most?

Ryder Jackson:

No. No, not really. I can't think. But I know there's been some times like that happened

Coach Matthew:

where you were just like, out there, you're like, oh, like I'm him. And then you were like humbled or something like that. Yeah.

Ryder Jackson:

There's been like some moments like like practices and stuff. Like always like when I get on the field, like my dad tells me every time I might be going against my friend, like I played with him before, but once you get on, once you get that helmet on, we're not friends. Yeah. Practice like is the same way. I'm not your friend. Like I can mess around with you and say I don't get hurt. Say I don't break my foot again, say I don't fall, you magically push me over, which probably won't happen. I fall down and break my wrist. Like it's always practice how you play. So like you don't wanna play around in practice when a coach is talking, you be quiet. Like when you're a huddle, quarterback's the coach. When he's talking, you be quiet. Yeah. So it's just sometimes you gotta stay humble to practice. Yeah, I made pancake you Oh yeah, I'm better than you. Oh yeah. Da. That won't build, that's not a good character for someone.'cause you might make that kid want to hate the sport, which I don't want to do. So I'll pick 'em up and everything, make sure I find and everything. So I don't want anybody to hate the sport. I love this sport. I want everybody to find that love that I have for it too. So

Coach Matthew:

I get that, but not everybody's gonna love it. Yeah. And you understand that, but, making an impact in a way to where it's like maybe they don't hate it as much. Or maybe if their parents forcing them to play, they're like, you know what, maybe it's not too bad. I get that. So obviously you're not gonna be dumb football anytime soon, but how do you feel like an athlete prepares for life? Outside of sports or after sports. And what challenges do you feel will come with that transition?

Ryder Jackson:

Because you gotta think at the same time yeah, you might get a college offer, but the getting drafted in the NFL, there's only like 265 picks, 255 picks, which six

Coach Matthew:

rounds, 32 picks whatever. Yeah. 250 something. Yeah.

Ryder Jackson:

So like that, those slimier chances really high. So you always gotta have a plan outside of it. So playing multiple sports, like I know, like I'm good baseball player. Like I know if like Kyler Murray, he got drafted in an MLB and decided to play NFL. So like I result back to that. Like I always have a plan for something like say I can't go, nah, not like that. Say something don't go as planned. Then like with going, then I always have a other plan. I always have a plan for something, but like when something hits me and like I don't have a plan, then I'm like stuck. I'm lost. So like after football and everything, like I wanted to be like a contractor, like a landscaper kind of, yeah.'cause I don't know, I love mowing grass. I don't know why I love it. So I love that and either to be that or like a lawyer or so Okay. Something like that. Yeah.

Coach Matthew:

Has, so you talk about, having backup plans. Has there ever been a moment where you were like, I don't want a backup plan. This is my plan and this is the only plan I'm gonna follow?

Ryder Jackson:

Yeah, definitely. With football and everything I had a plan. I always have plans like. If I have a plan to play for a team and like another team offers me, like I'm planning to play with this team yeah, you may be better, but I just built a relationship with these guys, so I'm not gonna go off my plan. Like as soon as I meet up, my plan is to make this organization better.

Coach Matthew:

Yeah,

Ryder Jackson:

when going to like different schools, like I was, I'm supposed to go to Martinsburg, but just like every time I walk in I wanna make this organization better for my four years for coming up or like going to Hedges youth league. Like we my first year we was like, why are we playing for Hedges ville? We used to play against these guys. We didn't like these guys. And then I went out there, better relationship with this, those guys. And, yeah, so it just building what was I gonna say? Just going out there, building a relationship and we ended up winning the championship that year, so it was a pretty good feeling. I thought that was gonna be my last ride with those kids, but like going to eighth grade, got that held back, I had to play with other kids. So it was like the, like staying humbled, like at the same time too.'cause I was like youth league, I was like I know I'm better for youth league. I don't know why I was doing this. So I had to stay humble at the time. Yeah, you might be better at youth league, but like you played at eighth grade. So it's just like staying humbled, knowing that you had to play a youth league and like knowing like you're better, but you probably are not. So you just gotta stay humbled and know you're better than all that.

Coach Matthew:

So we talked about this question earlier. So what does long-term success look like for you outside of just winning awards and winning championships? You, I got lost. So like how do you define success outside of just winning awards and winning championships? You gimme like an

Ryder Jackson:

example.

Coach Matthew:

So for me, success for me, it used to be, oh, can I win that state championship? Oh, can I get that? MVP trophy success for me now is showing up every day doing what I love.

Ryder Jackson:

Yeah. Success to me is like showing up, like being there like, like you said being at like Weightlifting's I don't like missing, that's success to me. Being there, like being present there. That's my success. Like I made it here. I'm trying, it's time to grind now. So yeah, that's like success to me. Like just showing up,

Coach Matthew:

showing up, doing what you love doing. Whether it's a great day or a bad day, just hey, I showed up. That's success for me. So how do you, or how does an athlete define their legacy and what do you personally wanna be remembered for?

Ryder Jackson:

Definitely I wanna be remembered for my work ethic. Definitely. And being a kid that I'm coach, like being coachable. I wanna be remembered as a coachable kid.'cause some kids, they can't be coachable. Yeah, you have the talent, but if you're not coachable, you're no good to a coach or a team. So definitely I wanna be remembered as the kid that was very coachable and, yeah, being very coach coachable.

Coach Matthew:

So for the next generation of athletes that are striving for greatness and you happen to be a part of that generation, what would you tell those kids?

Ryder Jackson:

Just the be great and follow your dreams. Don't give up. And if you do wanna give up, just come talk to someone. Don't give up on your dreams.'cause it's not worth it.'cause like it's just not worth it. Don't give up on your dreams. Keep being you and your time will come like you're gonna have success. Yeah. So don't give up on your dreams and just keep doing you.

Coach Matthew:

For sure. So guys, that's the conclusion of a very special episode 10 of Royal Vision Podcast. It's been Ryder Jackson, coach Matthew. We love you guys. Peace out. Take care.