Jackson Bishop is a standout defenseman from the ADVNC ‘23 team that is committed to play at Drexel University, starting next Fall.
Jackson was introduced to lacrosse at a young age by his father, Julius Bishop, who played at Harvard University. Jackson started playing when he was 8 years old growing up in Palo Alto. He first played with the Tomahawks and Firehawks rec league teams. “I helped coach those early teams,” said Julius Bishop. “It was fun seeing him get out there and have fun playing with his buddies.”
Jackson had instincts to be a defenseman early on. “He didn’t like to be checked when he first started,” said Julius. “But when he started, everyone had a short stick. At one of the early tourneys, his team didn’t have enough poles, so we bought a pole from the vendor there.”
Jackson kept alternating between offense and defense for several years, until one tryout in 6th grade. “I had both a short stick and a pole with me,” said Jackson. “And the pole was a little closer to me on the ground when this tryout started, so I grabbed it. That was really the start of me being a full-time defenseman.”
Having fun and playing with his buddies has been a big part of Jackson’s love for the game of lacrosse since the start. “I loved playing with my elementary school friends,” Jackson said.
Enjoyment of simply playing with his friends has been an attraction for Jackson all the way through.
In 7th grade, some of Jackson’s friends were playing for ADVNC, and that made him want to play for ADVNC. “It was fun playing with those guys, plus I made a bunch of new friends with ADVNC,” Jackson said. “I had so much fun with them at practices and going on trips for tournaments. I’ve made some of my closest friends, including Wes King, starting with that ADVNC middle school team. It’s cool to see all of us stay connected while we grow up and start going to college.”
“ADVNC also introduced me to a great group of parents,” Julius said. “We went to nice venues together and it’s a fun group to hang out with during and after games. Plus, the intensity of coaching and level of competition were big steps up for Jackson when he started playing with ADVNC.”
Jackson’s dream of playing DI lacrosse was born when he started playing in High School. Playing with ADVNC at elite East Coast tournaments, and going to individual showcases with top national players solidified in his mind that he could play at that level. He left California and started attending Culver Military Academy in Indiana. Then, he transferred to Torrey Pines High School and their legendary program for his junior year, where he still plays.
When his college recruitment officially began, Jackson had interest from a lot of programs. “I visited Drexel in February of 2022 and really loved it. “I loved that it was in the city of Philadelphia. There’s a bunch of things to do. Their academics are a big draw. They have a co-op set up for students that I like. Plus, the connections I’ll be able to make through lacrosse when I graduate is very appealing.”
One of Jackson’s defensive coaches at Torrey Pines is Garrett Epple, a current defenseman in the PLL. He shared with Jackson that fellow PLL Defenseman Tucker Durkin, also an assistant at Drexel, would be a good mentor. “Coach Epple loves Coach Durkin. He told me a lot of great things about him. Hearing from one pro lacrosse player how good of a coach this other pro lacrosse player is at my position was very appealing.”
The Bishop’s credit ADVNC Founder & CEO and ADVNC overall with helping them in the recruiting process. “ADVNC definitely helped me,” Jackson said. “First off, they helped me develop a lot as a player. They always pushed me to improve and made sure I was the best I could be. They also made sure I was getting in front of college coaches as much as I could. They nominated me for big showcases and all-star games. Chris would then follow up with coaches and say good things about me.”
“Chris and ADVNC counseled him through the ups and downs,” said Julius. “He was there to keep it real. Telling us which programs were interested and which programs weren’t. Also programs that Jackson liked that maybe weren’t such a good fit. His ability to provide honest feedback was an important part of the experience and an important part of Jackson’s maturation.”
With the recruiting process behind him, Jackson has this advice for young players who aspire to follow in his footsteps: “Put an emphasis on committing to the grind. There’s a bunch of work that comes in. Yes, there’s practice, but there’s also a lot of work you need to do on your own. Make sure you stay committed and don’t give up. Because there are exciting and good moments but also some not great moments. Stick through all of that. Stay committed and focused.”
Julius has this advice for parents of young players who aspire to play DI lacrosse: “Club lacrosse is a big commitment for parents. But it’s just a ton of fun. Try not getting overwhelmed by the logistics. Focus on the fun and the quality time you get with your kid going to and from practice and tournaments. You have to realize you never get that time back. So taking advantage of it is critical.”