Blind Long Snapper Jake Olson Announces He's Joined USC Football Team
Longtime USC fan and long snapper Jake Olson, who is blind, announced late Monday that he will live out a dream by joining the Trojans football team starting Tuesday.
Olson made the inspirational declaration on social media, celebrating his place as a USC player. He wrote: "Tomorrow I walk out onto Howard Jones field not as a fan or honorary member, but as a player for the USC Trojans!"
Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports reports a USC spokesperson confirmed Olson would likely be at practice Tuesday, but he couldn't clarify his roster status.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian commented on Olson's performance Tuesday, saying, "I'm proud of the work he put in [today]," according to Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Feldman's report notes there were questions previously about whether Olson could play without counting against USC's available scholarships. He's attending the school on a Swim With Mike scholarship, which is for athletes with physical challenges.
In April, Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times highlighted Olson's efforts to join the football team. Olson bonded with former Trojans head coach Pete Carroll in 2009, when Carroll invited him to visit the team before surgery to remove his right eye due to retinoblastoma, which had already taken the vision from his left eye.
Olson spent a lot of time around the Trojans and told Klein it allowed him to find comfort in an otherwise extremely difficult time: "There were nights of crying and stressful times when I couldn't get the thought of going blind out of my psyche. But every time I was up at SC or talking to one of the players or just being around, it was just pure fun. And, truthfully, pure peace."
Olson started to work toward becoming a long snapper and eventually earned the opportunity to fill the role for his high school. His teammates guide him into position, but otherwise he's been able to master the niche technique, according to Klein.
While it remains unclear exactly what Olson's immediate status will be with the Trojans, the fact he's worked tirelessly to earn the opportunity is a testament to his willpower. He's earned the chance; it wasn't handed to him.
One person who's not surprised is Sarkisian. He told Klein that Olson will get his chance to shine: "Someday, he's going to snap in a game for us. When? I don't know. But it will happen. When that day comes, it will be awesome."
