KEHEIM Dixon may not be a man of many words and thus opts, naturally, to let his football do the talking as his goals led Clarendon College to two major schoolboy titles this year.

In his final year the 19-year-old was arguably the best player throughout the 2023 season, capping off his campaign with an electrifying display at the National Stadium last on Wednesday when he guided his school to another Olivier Shield crown, adding to the daCosta Cup.

Dixon was a key figure for Clarendon in 2022 when he netted 17 goals but in 2023 he reached new heights as he doubled last year’s tally and fell just short of the 40-goal mark.

The prolific forward revealed the key to his elevated success this season.

“My family and friends, I’ve seen what they’re facing so that motivated me a lot,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“[This season was] superb, [hard work], sacrifices — lots of things. I gave 200 per cent, [was] hard-working, always have to display for the team; I always have to put in the work for them because that’s what I’m here for. I worked very hard, trained every day non-stop, no rest. That’s what it takes to become a champion.”

Dixon came through the ranks at Clarendon College and impressed the coaching and management staff at the Under-14 and Under-16 levels. Having won back-to-back daCosta Cup and Olivier Shield titles at the Under-19 level, Dixon hailed Head Coach Lenworth “Teacha” Hyde for the impact he’s had on his career so far.

“Coach [Hyde] has had a lot do with my development. Coach push me a lot, saying, ‘Hey Keheim, you can’t stop. You have to work; you can’t be lazy,’ so that’s what I display every time I go on the field. I always remember Coach Lenny tell me not to be lazy, [to] go out there, work, and give it your all,” Dixon said.

Former national representative Hyde, being a top player himself for Clarendon College in the 1970s, believes Dixon can be a top player in the sport.

“The moon, or the sky or the stars or the whole universe, is the limit. If he continues in that vein, [with] how he trains and the discipline he has, he can reach somewhere. I don’t want to put my mouth down but he has to continue working and be disciplined — and I know that he’s that type of player. He can achieve a lot out of football; we just have to see. He’s grounded — because most of them [tend to want to] feed off the coach [but] me nuh inna the hype thing with them. You have to be humble and play football,” insisted Hyde.

Dujuan “Whisper” Richards was a standout performer in the 2022 season with his displays for Kingston College in the ISSA Manning Cup. A year later, he’s signed to English Premier League giants Chelsea and is a regular member of the Reggae Boyz squad.

Simply put, Dixon is hoping he can achieve similar goals.

“I want to play for the Jamaica national senior team and to go forward in Europe,” he said.

Dixon was part of Arnett Gardens’ Jamaica Premier League squad last season and is eligible to represent the “Junglists” for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.