In most families, the dinner table conversation covers homework, weekend plans, and maybe a favorite TV show. In the Campbell household, it looks a little different. Between practice schedules, game films, and coaching strategy, athletics isn’t just a pastime for the Campbells- it’s a way of life. Fifteen-year-old Jackson, 12-year-old Eleanor, and mom Kelsie, who just started as the head volleyball coach at Lakewood High School, and dad, Chris, together form one of the most quietly impressive sports families in the area.
Each competes on their own terms, in their own arenas. But the values driving all three of them look remarkably similar.
Jackson: The All-Season Athlete
As a freshman at Golden High School, Jackson Campbell successfully completed something most athletes his age don’t attempt: competing at a high level in three sports. Football, basketball, and lacrosse fill his calendar across the year, with the Golden Demons lacrosse program keeping him busy in the spring and competitive club team Sweetlax in the summer.
(Submitted by Rachael Jumonville)
Jackson has been playing lacrosse and basketball for 10 years each, and football for three, and the depth of experience shows. His biggest challenge, he says, isn’t any single opponent. “My biggest challenge is my size and trying to put weight on. My other challenge is finding balance between my sports- figuring out what is the priority and having to shift my focus from one to the other, sometimes in the same day.”
(Submitted by by Rachael Jumonville)
The best advice Jackson says he’s received is “Academics before athletics,” and he takes it seriously. His goals are ambitious but grounded: win league championships across all three sports, earn a college roster spot, and take at least one state championship. When mistakes happen, Jackson’s approach is simple: “I try to immediately move on to the next play and do better.”
Eleanor: The Competitor Next Door
Three years behind her brother at Manning Middle School, Eleanor Campbell is building an athletic resume herself. She plays volleyball, basketball, and soccer with the Denver Kickers club- while also having experience in lacrosse and gymnastics. At 12 years old, she plays with the kind of edge coaches love to develop.
(Submitted by Rachael Jumonville)
“I love being aggressive in soccer and working towards getting better,” Eleanor said. Her on-field wisdom is already impressive. After drawing repeated fouls for how she challenged the ball, she didn’t sulk, she adapted, finding a different angle and adjusting her technique. That kind of coachability, at 12, is rare.
Her pregame ritual keeps it simple: music on, her mom braids her hair, and she’s ready to go. The advice that sticks with her? “Control your controllables, and hustle is a choice.” Her dream, like her brother’s, is to play in college, and if her trajectory holds, that dream looks possible!
Kelsie: Coaching the Next Generation
While her kids compete, Kelsie Campbell is shaping competitors of her own. As the new head volleyball coach at Lakewood High School, she brings a coaching philosophy that goes far beyond the court. Her goal isn’t simply to win matches: it’s to build athletes who are mentally resilient, individually known, and capable of carrying the lessons of sport into the rest of their lives.
“What I love most about sport is what it has the ability to teach us about ourselves and others- lessons we can take with us forever,” she said. One challenge she’s excited to tackle with her team is reshaping how mistakes are viewed. “I want to create an environment where mistakes are seen as a valuable part of the process. That’s where real growth happens.” Kelsie has learned to “invest in the person” because knowing how to coach each player as an individual is what gets the best out of them.
All in the Family
What ties the Campbells together isn’t just a last name or a shared love of competition. It’s a set of values that show up in every answer they give: accountability, growth, team-first thinking, and a willingness to be coached. Jackson believes “being a good teammate is the most important thing.” Eleanor credits sport for teaching her sportsmanship, communication, and hard work. Kelsie, watching her own athletes find their footing, knows from experience that success comes from the collective.
The Campbell family isn’t chasing headlines. They’re just putting in the work- on the field, on the court, and on the sidelines. In a sports landscape that can sometimes forget what it’s all about, that’s worth celebrating.
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