About Me

 

Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my soccer journey! I'm Jackson Latta, a passionate and dedicated soccer goalkeeper with a desire to stop every shot that comes my way. Let me share a bit about myself and my love for the beautiful game.

 

Measurements

Birthdate - 5-2-2011 (14)
Height - 6'2"
Wignspan - 6'2"
Weight - 155
Grade - 9th (Sept 2025)

 

My Journey

History

I began playing soccer at the age of 5 (2016) with LYSL (Liverpool Youth Soccer League - lysl.net). I quickly progressed out of this introductory league and onto my first club team called Syracuse Fusion at the age of 7. Here I continued to get exposure to the game. Like any good youth club you begin by playing every position. Syracuse Fusion would end up merging with Syracuse Development Academy (SDA) in July of 2018.

I continued to learn all the positions with SDA from From July of 2018 up to July 25th of 2021 - U7 to U10. Then during the U10 - 2021 Cobra Tourment in Greece NY, I was placed in net. I ended up making my first penalty kick save late in the game. I was 10 years old and lept to my upper right to make the save with no training. I came off the field after that game and told my Dad "I told you so!" I wanted to be a goalie and loved playing the position. I had such a good game that I ended up playing in goal the entire Tournament.

I knew that being a goalkeeper was my true calling. I continue to hold the starting goalie position with the SDA 2011-NAL team since that day. I tried out for ODP NYSW in September of 2023 and made their East Regional tournament player pool. In 2023 I also made the Liverpool High School (Class AAA) 7/8 grade modified team. At SDA we began playing in the newly formed National Academy League starting September of 2023. We play in the New England Conference.

Throughout 2023 I was allowed to attend RNYFC's MLS Next Academy Training sessions between the SDA season. I continued with SDA through 2024 and made the Liverpool High School Jounior Varsity team as an 8th grader. At the end of the my JV season, as a family, we made the decision to start our push to make the RNY FC's MLS Next Academy roster. In 2025 I was allowed to practice with RNYFC at any time and slowly phased out of SDA's NAL league so they could prepare their future goalies. I started with the SDA USYS NYSW state cup games and attend a couple more tournaments to finish my time with SDA. During this time I also got to guest play against the MLS Next Boston Bolts with RNYFC in March of 2025. I was officially offered a position with RNYFC and am currently signed up to play in the 2025-26 U15 season. Look out world. I am climbing the ladder and coming for you!

 

Career Highlights

-Preparing for the 2025-26 MLS Next season with RNYFC.

-I had the privilege of starting in goal for the 2011 SDA team since 2021. SDA travels to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, and throughout New York State to play against youth clubs. In Syracuse our smaller population successfully competes against these North East clubs at tournaments such as PDA Spring Kickoff and the annual Patomac tournament in Patomac MD. SDA plays in the National Academy League's New England Conference. I had the opportunity to continue to measure my growth against the larger population centers. It is a testament to the SDA style of play and development. SDA and my goalie coach Andrew Coughlin has given me everything. Their work and support has prepared me for moving to RNYFC's MLS Next Academy

Some of my best highlights come from the tournaments and National Academy League Play. I am looking forward to what I can bring to MLS Next. At SDA we came in 2nd place to SUSA at the April 2023 PDA Spring Kickoff (2nd tier). In the round robin I produced the lowest goals against among all 6 teams in this tier. Results

You can see highlights of me competing here here.

 

My Style of Play

 

Fearless Shot-Stopper

As a goalkeeper, I pride myself on being a fearless shot-stopper. I thrive under pressure and never shy away from diving, leaping, or stretching to make that crucial save. If you watched my highlights you will see the toughness I bring to the goalkeeper position. My reflex time is outstanding for my age and I will attemp to catch the ball in a dive instead of just batting it away where possible. You can see examples within the videos on my site!

 

Commanding the Box

Organizing the defense and commanding the penalty area are second nature to me. I communicate effectively with my teammates to ensure a solid defensive line and shape throughout play.

 

Distribution

My distribution skills are an aspect of my game I continually refine. Whether it's a pinpoint goal kick or a precise throw to launch a counter-attack, I'm always looking to contribute to my team's success. We goalies restart the offensive attack and pace of play!

 

My Goals

 

Continued Improvement

My journey as a goalkeeper is far from over. I am dedicated to honing my skills, learning from every match, and pushing my limits to become the best goalkeeper I can be. I dedicate time to take 1 on 1 lessons with my goalie coach Andrew Coughlin outside club team practices. SDA offered goalie specific training every week through the winter with their staff. I am getting the highest quality training in the Syracuse, NY area. My invites to RNYFC opened the door to futher goalie specific training at their daily practices, not just 1 day a week. RNYFC is going to push my goaltending to an even greater level. It is an obvious decision to make this move for my career.

 

Inspiring Others

Beyond my personal aspirations, I look inspire the next generation of goalkeepers. I want to share my knowledge, experiences, and pathway to help others achieve their soccer dreams. It takes a lot of personal dedication along with a lot of family and team support at a young age. There is work and dedication by many!

 

Get in Touch

 

I'd love to connect with fellow soccer enthusiasts, fans, and potential teammates, and college coaches. Feel free to reach out to me on the social media links at the bottom of my home page or contact me directly via e-mail. Let's talk soccer! Thank you for visiting my page, and I look forward to sharing more of my soccer journey with you!