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Parliament Profile: Get to Know Jade Barkett

8/15/2023 1:08:00 PM

Let's start off with the most loaded question you could ask, which is how did you end up at Kennesaw State:
"I was originally recruited by Benji in high school and I loved it (Kennesaw State). I loved everything about it, but I don't think I was ready to move away from home quite yet, even though I told everybody I wasn't going to stay in Orlando. At that point, I got my undergrad and I was like, 'Okay, let's look for somewhere else.' My second day in the transfer portal Benji reached out to me and we talked for quite a long time on the phone, and we picked up right where we left off from 4-5 years ago. It just felt like the right time in the right place. These things don't come around twice. Now I think it was just a really good place for me to be and to take that leap and actually come here this time."
 
Let's talk about some of your career goals outside of the soccer field. You have gotten into sideline reporting, what can you tell me about that?
"So I love sports and I love talking about sports. My dad was a professional baseball player and has been in the baseball world my entire life. My brother plays baseball and my sister plays volleyball, so I've just always been around sports. I'm not shy in front of a camera. I'm not shy talking to other people, getting interviews, asking questions and doing the research. I kind of started (sideline reporting) at UCF and my academic advisor sent me this opportunity and she was like,  'You should do this' and I was like, 'OK, I'll give it a shot.' So I went to the productions office and met our head of production, Major Howe, who has worked at ESPN. He's connected in the broadcast world and he just took a shot with me put me out there. My first game UCF was playing Florida in softball and they kind of just threw me right into it and I had no idea what I was doing. Francesca Enea, who used to play at Florida for softball, was one of the broadcasters for our softball team. She helped me a lot and I kind of fell in love with it. I took the time to do the correct research and ask the right questions and get in touch with the right people. I wanted to continue doing that wherever I decided to go to grad school and Benji was super pumped about it. I talked to the production team here at Kennesaw State when I got here and got the tour of everything."

Barkett

Going back to your family's connection to sports, what was that like growing up? 
"We are all super duper competitive, so I have two younger siblings. Emma is going to be a sophomore in high school and Isaiah is going to be a sophomore in college and he just transferred from NC State to Stetson. If there's little games like board games like the game "Sorry", that board game was a huge in our family when I was growing up. Nothing was just for fun, but it was healthy competition. We're all extremely close so we talk all the time. Traveling was huge for our families, especially with baseball. We picked up pretty much every summer that I can remember and just go to wherever my dad was coaching and then we just travel all summer with him, different cities, different states driving around the country. It made us close as a family and made us rely on each other a lot but it was so fun just to be together and root for my dad."

Barkett

What's been different from your UCF experience to Kennesaw State?
"Yeah, it's been an adjustment. I've haven't been the new kid somewhere for a few years. I was always the one that's welcomed the new people at UCF and made them feel at home. The adjustment to being the new person and allowing myself to be welcome was a hard thing to overcome in my brain because I'm not a shy human being. I'll talk to whoever I'll make friends with whoever but trying to find my way around and asking for help and all of that but everyone the girls has been great. Benji has been awesome. Our coaching staff has been a big help in learning their way, learning their system, making sure that I'm plugging in the right places where I'm needed. I'm soaking it all in and this whole experience and it's something that I'm really excited about and something that I'm looking for and have embraced."

Barkett

What is something that Kennesaw State fans should know about you?
"I want them to know I'm fiery. I'm loud on the field, so you'll always hear me. I want them to know that I love the city. My grandparents live in Alpharetta and when I was a kid I was here all the time, so I know a bit about Georgia. I love being here and ready to play.I have a big personality and I just want them to know that I'm here to help win a championship."

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