Bethel Park senior has options a plenty
Jake Dixon was recently named to the all-state volleyball team. The Bethel Park rising senior has Division I scholarship offers for both volleyball and football.
Jake Dixon looks for a big senior year in volleyball as well as football and basketball for Bethel Park High School.
Jake Dixon finds himself in a positive predicament.
On one hand, the rising Bethel Park High School senior can play volleyball at prominent Division I programs such as Penn State, Lewis and Stanford universities. On the other hand, the 6-5, 205-pound tight end could play football at any of the Ivy League schools, as well as Davidson and Bucknell University. Most assuredly, he will not be playing basketball in college.
“I’m a 6-5 center. You don’t see too many of those, particularly ones that can’t shoot,” joked the 18-year-old son of Julianne and Dennis Dixon.
“Honestly, I have no answer,” he said for people who ask him where he is going to school. “As of right now, I am keeping my options open. A lot depends on the money and where I see myself. Education will be the biggest factor. Sports are temporary. You have to be able to do something once you can’t play anymore. So education definitely comes first.”
With a 4.31 GPA, Dixon ranks among the top students in his class. With his skill set, Dixon is a smart choice for coaches.
“(Dixon) is one of the brightest kids we’ve had and so athletic,” enthused BP football coach Jeff Metheny. “He’s improved his hands and he runs great routes. He competes hard whether it’s football, basketball or volleyball.”
Recently, he was rewarded for his resources on the court. Shortly after he helped the Pittsburgh Volleyball Club finish 20th at nationals this month, Dixon learned that he has garnered All-State honors from the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association. The recognition capped a stellar junior season where Dixon earned MVP honors in the WPIAL this spring.
On being named all-state, Dixon noted, “It’s a great honor.” He recalled how after his sophomore season, he only merited second team laurels on the district squad and wasn’t even mentioned for state honors. “I was mad,” he said. “I thought I could be better. Being WPIAL MVP was very fulfilling, but I wasn’t even considered as all-state last year. That motivated me. Of course, I wanted to be the best.”
Dixon is considered one of the best outside hitters in Pennsylvania. The two-time Almanac MVP for boys’ volleyball averaged 22 kills this spring as he captained the Hawks to back-to-back undefeated section titles. He also averaged 4.2 aces and three blocks per game.
He noted his biggest assets are his arm and the way he swings. “I hit with a lot of power,” he said. “My passing needs to get better. Playing at such a high level with my club and at nationals though has helped me. I’ve gotten better. But my arm and my ability to jump well are my strengths.”
Instead of playing with his volleyball club during the winter months, Dixon excels in basketball for the Hawks. He averaged 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots for Bethel Park during the 2014-15 campaign that resulted in a playoff berth.
In his early years, baseball, not basketball, interfered with his volleyball progress. His diamond career began at age 5 and Dixon says that he retired by sixth grade because, one, he ‘couldn’t hit’ and two, volleyball was during the same season. “They overlapped,” he explained. Yet, he continued to play football and basketball, sports he started at age 7.
Though he grew five inches in high school, Dixon continued to divide his passions between volleyball and football. By lifting weights for football, he grew into his body. Though he started as a quarterback, he eventually moved to tight end on offense and linebacker on defense.
“I played quarterback in youth leagues because I was the biggest kid and nobody could tackle me. But I could not throw the ball. It worked out well,” Dixon continued, “because I can catch.”
That worked out well because Levi Metheny is Dixon’s best friend. He will begin his fourth season behind center this fall. “It’s awesome playing with Levi,” Dixon said of the BP signal caller, who also plays on the varsity basketball team. “I know what he does and he knows what I can do. Levi is a great athlete. Ever since we were little he would crush the competition.”
Despite suffering a broken bone in his neck and a dislocated elbow last fall, injuries have not crushed Dixon’s passion for football. He is anxious to compete every Friday night at a high level and help the Hawks win some games this autumn. Though recruited as a tight end, Dixon says he likes to play both offense and defense. “I like them both. Defense is always fun. It requires a lot of instinct. You don’t think, you do. And, scoring touchdowns is always fun,” he added.
Winning a WPIAL championship would be fun, too. For Dixon, that is the ultimate objective his senior year. “The goal is to win the WPIAL championship,” he said. “I have been in three sports for four years and if I graduate without getting one, then I will be disappointed.”
Dixon feels he disappointed his teammates when the Hawks settled for a bronze medal in the WPIAL Class AAA tournament and finished the year at 18-3 overall after a loss in the state quarterfinals. “I felt like I laid an egg. I gave it away. That’s motivation for me. I’m not holding anything back this year. I’m going to go after it.”
Whether in athletics, academia or society, Dixon goes after it. He wants to make a positive impact. He is a member of the Principal’s Advisory Council. Plus, he volunteers at Camp AIM. The YMCA-sponsored program provides thousands of children and young adults with physical, cognitive, emotional, social and communication challenges with opportunities to achieve, support to become independent and encouragement to become motivated.
“It is awesome getting to know the kids and working with them. They always put a smile on your face,” Dixon said. “There is not a day goes by without you appreciating what you have and what they are able to do. It makes you realize how lucky you are.”
With the luxury of choosing his college, Dixon realizes he is fortunate to have an opportunity to perhaps fulfill a childhood dream. “I’d like to think I’m like all kids. You want to play in the NFL or be in the Olympics but a lot of circumstances have to happen. But, I will work my tail off. I believe that if I put my mind to it, I can do just about anything.”
For a career, Dixon hopes to follow in the footsteps of his aunt and become an FBI agent. “She died before I was born,” he said of Martha Dixon Martinez, killed in the line of duty Nov. 22, 1994. “But, she is an inspiration to me.”
As a senior, Dixon also aspires to be a good citizen. While he admits he wants to play his best and have fun, he acknowledges he must be a role model for the underclassmen. “Through three years of high school, I never dreamed I would ever be a senior. I’ve looked up to those guys all my life and it’s crazy now to think it’s finally here. Definitely,” he added. “I take it seriously. If you don’t take it seriously, then Bethel Park will turn into something it shouldn’t be. It’s a great community.”