Olson grew up around the Trojans and was close with former coach Pete Carroll, and was given the opportunity to walk-on the football team at USC this year – but a limit on scholarship players kept Olson from practicing with the team, however.
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Olson worked hard throughout his high school football career to fulfill his dream of playing for the Trojans, but he’s had to deal with one significant issue, he is blind.
This photo provided by the University of Southern California shows…
Jake Olson – born with a rare type of retinal cancer, which resulted in needing to have both eyes removed – wore No. 17 Tuesday as he walked onto the Brian Kennedy-Howard Jones Field, the Los Angeles Times reported. So, USC had to request the NCAA grant a waiver to Olson, according to Yahoo Sports, and that finally came through on Monday. Olson’s last day with eyesight was spent at a USC practice. “But every time I was up at South Carolina or talking to one of the players or just being around, it was just pure fun”.
“It’s a real credit to a lot of people to get this done”, Sarkisian said.
When Olson got to high school, he asked Orange Lutheran coach Chuck Petersen near the end of the 2012 season whether he could join the team. “It’s going to be critical for us to try to make him as uncomfortable as we can”. After years of treatments, doctors decided they would need to remove his right eye, too.
“It was kind of surprising, but I feel I deserved it because I didn’t do my job”, Whitney said. He’s on time or early. Little did he know, however, the biggest challenge he’d have to overcome would be NCAA rules and not his disability, which Olson has said can actually serve an an asset. He had on the proper attire.
He joined the Trojans on Tuesday morning, making snap on extra points during practice.
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Carroll has since moved on to the Seattle Seahawks, but current Trojans coach Steve Sarkisian invited Olson to walk on to the team. “Love this team! Thanks to everyone!”
