As he sat amongst a sea of strangers, his heart grew heavy with anticipation. His future awaited 10,000 miles away. Anxious, he sat for what felt like an eternity, when finally, the plane roared; it was time. The view from his window, of his beautiful home Australia soon vanished into clouds of gray. The sky grew vague along with thoughts of his future, but he knew in his heart that this was the right decision.
In 2013, after completing high school at Brisbane Boys’ College in Australia, 19-year-old Jacob Wilson had a rocky start playing a collegiate sport.
“It’s hard to get any exposure from colleges in Australia, but my high school coach knew a person who ran a prep school in Florida. He told me I should go there,” Wilson said.
Wilson left his Brisbane home, and spent a year in Delray Beach, Florida at the Elev8 Sports Institute. He worked to improve himself as a player to gain the exposure he needed to catch the attention of college coaches.
“Everything there was mainly just basketball. I went there because I didn’t get the exposure from any coaches. The purpose was to gain exposure.”
After spending a year at the Sports Institute, Wilson was learned he was a non-qualifier for the NCAA; to play at a four-year university, he would have to spend his first two years at a junior college in America.
“The person running Elev8 had connections with the men’s basketball coach from Ohlone College and he suggested Santa Rosa Junior College. Since I had to attend a junior college as a non-qualifier, and since I like California, I thought it would be a good fit,” Wilson said.
Wilson also visited the SRJC campus a year prior and enjoyed his time spent there, as he was reminded of his home in Australia.
“My first impression was great when I came to visit last summer,” Wilson said. “I loved the campus. It has a great relaxed vibe. I grew up so close to the beach so it’s something I really miss around here, but overall, Santa Rosa is a lot like smaller parts of Queensland, the state I grew up in.
Wilson arrived in Santa Rosa in mid-August. Initially, he felt out of place. Not only was he unaccustomed to the foreign environment, but Santa Rosa’s general population reaches approximately 170,000 people, while Brisbane, Australia’s reaches 2 million.
“I like it. It’s a very small town compared to where I’m from,” Wilson said. “The city I grew up in, Brisbane, has around 2 million people so it took some time to adjust.”
As a freshman, Wilson hopes to be a solid contributor for the SRJC men’s basketball team. He intends to help his team reach its most significant goal: winning the state title again.
Wilson’s first impressions of the team were good, as the passion each player had for the sport was undeniable. In addition, Wilson respects head coach Craig McMillan.
“Coach McMillan was probably the main reason I came to Santa Rosa,” Wilson said. “He is a great leader and is so respected in the community. I’ve already learned so much from him.” Under the guidance of McMillan, and with his focused team, Wilson believes their future has great potential.
“The basketball team is great. I wouldn’t be over in the states if it wasn’t for basketball. Under McMillan, every year the team has an opportunity to be great and I think our team will be,” Wilson said.