Barbados Soccer Academy graduate Jaylan Gilkes has earned a scholarship to Essex County College in New Jersey, USA, becoming the academy’s 38th scholarship winner in the process. Speaking in a phone interview with Barbados TODAY the defensive midfielder said he was delighted to receive his scholarship and eager to get started next month. The nineteen-year-old stated: “It’s an amazing feeling because it was a goal of mine for a very long time.”Gilkes began his journey in football travelling to watch his father play the game. After the matches were finished, he’d have a kick-around of his own and very soon he realised he loved playing football. What he probably didn’t realise at the time was that he would be good at it. His youth football development started at the White Hall Football Club and the Alexandra School and then later in sixth form at the Combermere School.