Ryon Jones, Star Writer

Marvin Morgan has hailed former Manning Cup colleague Darren Mattocks for his achievements to date and has urged other young Jamaican footballers to take the same approach in terms of balancing the sport with their academics.

Mattocks spent two years at Akron University where he majored in Marketing Management while amassing 39 goals in 47 games. He helped his team to the NCAA Championship in his first season and was nominated for several awards during his tenure.

The player was then swooped up in January of this year by the Vancouver Whitecaps, as the second overall pick in the 2012 Major League Soccer Super Draft.

"I am very proud of him, he is a former opponent," Morgan told Star Sports.

"It is a route that can work and it is a very good route, I must say that to all youngsters in Jamaica who are overwhelmed by football.

It is a win-win situation, because you have your education and you have football; so if football should fail you education will not fail you."

The 19-year-old Morgan has been so inspired by what 22-year-old Mattocks has been able to achieve that he recently visited the United States (US) where he entertained offers from several universities.

Copying

"It is not that I am copying his pattern, as everyone has a route to success, but if I can learn from him then I will," Morgan said.

The former St George's College star conceded that things have not progressed at the pace that he would have liked since leaving high school.

"Things have progressed slower than I would have liked, but I always try my best, so it is not what people say about me. I just do what I have to do and hopefully the best comes out. "

Morgan missed the first half of the local premier league season due to a failure by his club, Boys' Town, to follow the necessary procedure to have him cleared to play locally after spending the summer playing abroad. He then left midway the season to embark on his latest journey to the US, but is back now and looking to help his team mount a challenge for the league title, as they are 10 points adrift of leaders Portmore with eight rounds of games to be played.

Morgan could feature as early as tomorrow when Boys' Town play host to Humble Lion.