Riley Jackson reflects on her growth with NC Courage: “It’s not about the timeline, it’s about the growth”
By Rylee McKinney - @rylees_roster
From signing her first professional contract at 17 to making her senior USWNT debut, Riley Jackson has taken an unconventional path to becoming one of the NWSL’s rising midfield talents. Now, as she enters the next chapter of her career, the NC Courage midfielder is learning to embrace the journey.
Riley Jackson has never been one to follow a traditional timeline.
At just 17 years old, Jackson made the decision to skip the college route and sign her first professional contract with the NC Courage in July 2023. Three years later, that decision has helped shape her into one of the league's emerging midfielders, with 50 NWSL regular-season appearances, a senior United States Women's National Team debut and recognition among ESPN's top 25 NWSL players of 2026.
But the journey from teenage prospect to established professional has not always been straightforward. For Jackson, the biggest lessons have come through patience, adversity and learning to define herself beyond the soccer field.
Choosing the professional route
Jackson's decision to turn professional at 17 was not necessarily the plan from the beginning.
Committed to Duke University, she initially envisioned following the traditional path of playing college soccer before entering the professional ranks. However, an opportunity with the Courage presented itself earlier than expected, forcing her to reconsider her future.
Having spent summers training in North Carolina, Jackson already had a strong connection with the club and its environment.
“I always knew I wanted to play pro. I just didn't know that it would be an opportunity to do so at such a young age,” Jackson told TopBin90.
At the time, the NWSL still operated with a draft, meaning players had limited control over where they would begin their professional careers. Signing directly with North Carolina gave Jackson the opportunity to join a club she already knew she wanted to represent.
“It was really difficult. Obviously, I had two really awesome paths in front of me,” Jackson said. “I knew that if I passed up this opportunity, I think I would regret it more than skipping college.”
Although she admits to occasionally missing out on the college experience, Jackson has no regrets about her decision.
“I do grieve missing college, but I don't regret it. I think where I'm at right now is somewhere that I would never trade.”
From teenage prospect to established midfielder
Jackson reached another milestone in May 2026, becoming the youngest player in NC Courage history to record 50 NWSL regular-season appearances.
The achievement represented more than simply reaching a number. It reflected the personal and professional development that has taken place since she first entered the league.
Looking back at her rookie season, Jackson remembers being a teenager trying to adjust to the physical and mental demands of professional soccer.
“I was a completely different person, a completely different player,” she said. “I just learned so much.”
Her first season also came with limited playing time, making the adjustment to the professional game even more challenging. Physically, she was competing against experienced players, while tactically she was learning an entirely different level of the sport.
“I was still a skinny little kid playing against 30-year-old women, and it was a really big adjustment,” Jackson said.
One of her biggest areas of development has been learning to play more efficiently. Jackson describes herself as someone who has always been obsessed with having the ball, but understanding positioning and the speed of play has helped her become a more effective midfielder.
After becoming comfortable in a deeper midfield role at the No. 6 position, Jackson has also been challenged to contribute further up the pitch.
This season, her focus has been on improving her final-third impact, including getting into the box quicker, beating defenders with her first touch, and becoming more of a goal-scoring threat.
The growth has been reflected in her increasing role with the Courage, as well as the recognition she received from ESPN, which named her No. 20 among its 25 best NWSL players of 2026.
Still, Jackson isn't particularly interested in individual accolades.
“I'm not a big social media person. I just like to stay in my bubble and really focus on the things I can control,” she said.
Instead, she wants her performances to communicate something beyond statistics and recognition.
“When people watch me play, I want them to be like, ‘Oh yeah, she loves football.’”
International experience and a changing perspective
Jackson's development hasn't been limited to the NWSL.
Her international career began with the United States youth teams, where she co-captained the U-17 squad at the 2022 World Cup before helping the U-20s earn a bronze medal at the 2024 World Cup.
She later made her senior USWNT debut in 2026, recording an assist, and has continued to gain experience with the U-23 program.
Each level has played an important role in preparing her for the next step.
Jackson credits the 2024 U-20 World Cup with rebuilding her confidence.
Despite not receiving the playing time she wanted during her rookie season in North Carolina, she played almost every minute of the tournament.
That experience helped her return to the Courage with a different mindset heading into 2025.
Her senior national team debut provided another important realization. The preparation and principles she learned throughout the youth system had helped bridge the gap between the different levels.
“When I got there, I was like, ‘Oh, I'm ready for this. I know the principles, I know what I need to do, I know my role,’” Jackson said.
The ultimate goal remains becoming a consistent presence with the senior national team and competing on the biggest international stages.
However, her approach to reaching those ambitions has changed considerably.
As a younger player, Jackson had established personal deadlines for when she wanted to achieve certain milestones. If she didn't reach them by a specific age, she questioned whether her decision to turn professional so early had been worthwhile.
Now, she has learned to appreciate the process rather than measure her career against a predetermined schedule.
“It's not about the timeline, it's about the growth,” Jackson said.
She recognizes that having everything she wanted at the exact moment she wanted it may not have allowed her to develop in the same way.
Currently, she considers herself on the edge of the senior national team picture and is focused on making the most of her opportunities at club level.
Building a new identity in North Carolina
Jackson's individual growth has coincided with an important period of transition for the Courage.
The 2026 season brought plenty of challenges for North Carolina as the club worked to establish a clearer identity under its coaching staff and build relationships within a developing squad.
In her interview with TopBin90, Jackson highlighted the progress made throughout the season, particularly in understanding the expectations and direction of the team.
“I think in previous years, we maybe struggled with having a clear identity and having everyone on the same page,” she said. “But I think now Mac has done a really good job of showing us who he is as a coach, but also as a human, and what he expects of us and who he wants us to be as a team.”
The Courage unfortunately finished ninth in the NWSL standings with 45 points and a 14-13-3 record, narrowly missing out on the playoffs.
North Carolina entered Decision Day needing a victory over the Denver Summit and help elsewhere. The Courage delivered a dramatic 1-0 win, scoring through a stoppage-time own goal, but Seattle's victory over Orlando secured the final playoff position and ended North Carolina's postseason hopes.
Despite missing out, there were individual accomplishments worth celebrating. Ashley Sanchez finished the campaign with 20 goals, earning the NWSL Golden Boot and tying the league's single-season scoring record.
For Jackson, the season represented an opportunity to continue building something with a group that she believes is moving in the right direction.
The midfielder emphasized the importance of developing relationships and gaining experience together, particularly with a relatively young roster.
She also sees leadership as an important part of her role within the squad. Having previously captained the U.S. U-17 team, Jackson has developed an appreciation for consistency and setting an example for those around her.
“I try to be that person that stays very steady, very consistent, that shows up every day,” she said.
Having once entered a professional locker room as one of its youngest players, Jackson understands the importance of having experienced teammates to lean on. Now, she wants to offer that same support to younger players coming through the Courage.
She credits several former and current teammates, including Denise O'Sullivan, Dani Weatherholt and Ryan Williams, for helping her feel welcomed and supported when she first arrived.
For Jackson, earning the respect of her teammates was just as important as anything she accomplished on the pitch.
Finding joy away from the pitch
Despite how much soccer has shaped her life, Jackson has made a conscious effort to ensure it doesn't define her entire identity.
One of the biggest changes over her three professional seasons has been discovering who she is away from the game.
She credits her faith, friendships and community in North Carolina with helping her find that balance. Through her church and relationships with teammates, she has developed a support system that allows her to step away from the pressures of professional soccer.
“It's been really refreshing to have people that honestly know nothing about football and just are my friends because of me, not as a soccer player,” Jackson said.
Away from training, she enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new hobbies and challenging herself outside her comfort zone. Recently, that has included golf, cooking and learning mahjong.
She also revealed a more bookish side, describing herself as a bit of a "nerd" who enjoys writing, reading, journaling and having deeper conversations.
Her current favorite book? The Outsiders, although she admits that answer could change.
That separation between her personal identity and her soccer career has helped Jackson find a healthier perspective on the professional game.
When she first entered the league, soccer was almost entirely how she defined herself. Now, she has learned to find joy in the game without allowing its highs and lows to determine her sense of self.
As Jackson looks ahead to the next stage of her career, the ambitions remain high. She wants to become a regular senior national team player, compete in World Cups, and continue helping the Courage grow.
But the pressure of reaching those milestones on a specific timeline is no longer driving her.
Instead, Jackson is embracing the development that comes with each season, each opportunity, and each challenge.
At just 21, she has already experienced a professional journey that many players spend years working toward. And if her first three seasons in North Carolina have taught her anything, it's that the most important part of the journey is not how quickly she reaches the next milestone, but how much she grows along the way.
