Aberdeen defender Jack MacKenzie is testament to what can be achieved with hard work and dedication.
The Dons left-back shares the same experience as all of the youngsters who were at Pittodrie on Tuesday for the club’s youth academy awards.
Like Connor Barron, Calvin Ramsay and Scott McKenna, MacKenzie has come through the ranks to establish himself as a first-team player at the Dons, and he knows where he is today is where every young player at the club aspires to be.
Individual awards are cherished by those who were recognised, but MacKenzie knows how important perseverance and discipline is, as well as talent.
MacKenzie, who spoke to the youth academy players at the awards, said: “I wasn’t one of the strongest in my group coming through the age groups. I won the under-17s, but apart from that I wasn’t anywhere close to it.
“That’s why it’s important to keep working hard with your team-mates.
“Me, Connor Barron, Calvin Ramsay and Scott McKenna, we have all been in the same situation and it’s up to you to take the opportunity as best as you can.”
Young players are in good hands at Cormack Park
MacKenzie, who broke into the first team at the end of the 2020-21 campaign, is a product of the youth academy system at the club and he insists the youngsters behind him are in good hands.
He said: “The academy was massive for me. I sat in every squad up to the 17s.
“For those who didn’t win an award – it’s not the end of the world. You just have to use it as motivation to come back next year as the one winning the award.
“I worked with quite a lot of the coaches in my time and they are top coaches.
“With the facilities at Cormack Park they have an unbelievable chance here and they should just embrace it and make the most of it as not many get the opportunity.”
While the young players in the academy will continue chasing their dream of reaching the first team, MacKenzie’s immediate focus is on playing a bigger part for the club once the domestic action resumes against Celtic on December 17.
He said: “It was obviously a very frustrating start to the season. I’d come back after my break from the summer and I was ready to have a big year.
“But in my first pre-season game I tore my quad, so it was a bit of a nightmare start.
“I’m back into it now and getting a couple of games makes a world of difference to your mood – I’m now really looking forward to the rest of the season.”
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