Before SU track career, soccer was Jaheem Hayles’ ‘first love’

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Jaheem Hayles said soccer has been in his life “ever since he could walk.” Growing up in Jamaica, it was ingrained in the country’s culture and something he played competitively throughout his childhood.

Hayles also grew up running track, where he currently thrives on Syracuse’s track and field team. But once his family moved to the United States when he was 12, Hayles planned to stop running track to focus on his “first love” of soccer.

“Jaheem is, without a doubt, the best player I have ever had the privilege of coaching,” said Alan Prochazka, Abraham Clark High School’s (New Jersey) soccer coach. “He took and anchored the best team I ever had… He could do it all. And he made every player around him better.”

Before he became a three-time All American and the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Track Athlete of the Year, Hayles shined on the soccer field. At Abraham Clark, he accumulated 15 goals and 11 assists in two seasons, helping it to a 15-5-1 record and the second round of the state tournament as a senior.

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When Hayles was around 7 in Jamaica, he often faced 15-to-25-year-olds on the soccer field before picking up track. His preferred position was center defensive midfielder, where he stood out for his ability to cover a lot of ground and distribute the ball.

“I can visualize the field. I can defend really well. I can attack really well, and I can pass the ball really well,” Hayles said. “So (center defensive midfielder is) the perfect spot for me.”

In Jamaica, Hayles played in a youth soccer league for two years before transitioning to high school soccer upon arriving in the U.S. He originally played for Irvington High School (NJ) before transferring to Abraham Clark halfway into his sophomore year.

“He came out to our summer program, and you could tell he was definitely a top-quality player,” Prochazka said.
Hayles made the Rams’ varsity squad his junior year. Prochazka said he could deploy Hayles anywhere on the field, having the ability to slot in seamlessly at center back or even on the attack. Still, Hayles shined the most as a midfielder.

Abraham Clark went 8-10-1 in Hayles’ debut campaign, where he contributed eight goals and six assists. Hayles’ biggest impact was on the defensive end — giving his team a noticeable edge.

“(Opposing coaches) were like, where did this kid come from?” Prochazka said. “You have many coaches who would walk in who had never seen him before, assuming they were going to thump us like they usually did. And the next thing you know, ‘Oh no, we got to figure out how to stop this guy because he makes that team go.’ And most teams couldn’t do it.”

In his senior season, Hayles produced seven goals and five assists while his defensive prowess helped the Rams to one of their best seasons in program history. They advanced to the county tournament quarterfinals against Scotch Plains-Fanwood — a powerhouse in the area.

Tom Breznitsky — the former head coach at Scotch Plains-Fanwood and third-winningest coach in U.S. boys high school soccer history — initially started the game sitting on his golf cart, relaxed since his team was the favorite. But after a scoreless first half, spurred by Hayles’ suffocating defense, Breznitsky had to change his tune.

“All of a sudden, (Breznitsky) now sees how (Roselle) plays, led by (Hayles),” Prochazka said, “…And he had to stand up and start coaching, as opposed to sitting back with his feet up.”

Abraham Clark lost 2-0, a much tighter result than Fanwood expected, but Hayles put opponents on notice with a memorable defensive display.

Though in his senior season, Hayles began to gravitate toward track. Abraham Clark track and field head coach Mike Fields asked him to try out to be a hurdler. Upon his first attempt hurdling, which was done in a school hallway, Fields noticed Hayles’ potential.

“I said, ‘Oh man, I should have had you doing this since day one,’” Fields remembered telling Hayles. “And he just got a hold of it and took it to another level.”

As a senior, Hayles broke school records in the 400-meter hurdles (53.34) and won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association State Meet of Champions 110-meter hurdle race, finishing in 13.55 seconds, which was also a program record. He capped his high school career off with a fifth-place finish at the national championships in the 110-meter event.

Fields said Hayles’ quick development was “something you can’t teach.” He added that Hayles’ flexibility, mobility and drive stand out as a runner, a credit to his previous career in soccer.

“I think (excelling in track) kind of opened his eyes,” Fields said of Hayles. “You’ve been playing soccer, and you were good. And I’m not saying that you’re not good, but you’re just even better in track and field.”