He had a determined will to win, and maybe more impressive than all of those characteristics, he had a work ethic that was second to nobody on the soccer field.

In fact, many of the folks that have followed prep soccer in our area for the past 20-plus years will still tell you he's the best player to ever come out of Somerset.

And today, he's getting paid to play the sport that he's loved for most of his life.

Somerset's very own Jo Adams, more affectionately known during his playing days at both Southwestern and Somerset High Schools as ‘Jo Jo', will be leaving tomorrow for his new home in Osaka, Japan.

Adams will be playing professionally for a club called A.S. Laranja located in Kyoto, Japan, located about 30 minutes from his new home in Osaka.

And, while playing at this level is not the ultimate goal for Adams, it's certainly a great place to start for one of the most likable and talented soccer players to ever come out of Pulaski County.

"It feels good to have the opportunity to play over there, but honestly, it's not my end dream," stated a very candid Adams.

"I want to continue to move up, because this is a lower division, but it is pro, and I will be getting paid to play over there," continued the ex-Lindsey Wilson star. "Some of my friends are playing MLS (Major League Soccer), and some of my teammates, just a month ago, were playing MLS. The difference in skill is very minimal, but it's just about opportunity. Coming from Somerset, I've done very well with the opportunities that I have been given."

Adams played for coach Steve Wallace while in middle school, and then played his first two seasons at the high school level for coach Derek Eastham as a member of the Southwestern Warrior soccer program.

Then, Adams was reunited with coach Wallace at Somerset, playing for the Briar Jumpers during the ‘99 campaign as a junior.

As a senior, he transferred to Glendale, California where he attended the prestigious American Global Soccer School.

Adams eventually made it back home where he was a standout for the Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders, and was a member on Lindsey's NAIA National Championship Team in 2009.

The man that had the privilege of coaching Adams in both middle school, and for that one season at Somerset, Steve Wallace, said he never had a doubt that ‘Jo Jo' would one day get paid to play the sport that he so dearly loves, simply because he worked at it almost 24 hours per day.

"I don't know if Jo even remembers this, but a few times after practice in middle school I would take Jo home after practice at Southern, and he would get home after a two hour practice and go out in the backyard and start juggling a ball around," Wallace recalled.

"The next year I can remember taking him home a few times, and he had built a kick wall, and he would be in the back yard kicking the ball up against it over and over and over," Wallace added.

So many times today we see athletes that were given so much God-given talent that they become lackadaisical and get lazy, and don't feel the need to work at their craft to get better.

That's not the case for Jo Adams.

Despite being blessed with an abundance of natural talent, Adams developed a work ethic second to no one, and he says he owes that to his father, Jim Adams.

"My work ethic simply came from my dad," recalled Adams. "My dad's had a few tough breaks, but he's always kept a good attitude and he's always worked so hard."

"Growing up, a lot of my friends had parents that bought them everything, and my dad would have bought me anything if he could have," Adams remarked. "He had to work hard, and I had to work with him, and he taught me how to work. He hustled, not in a crooked way, but in a very honest, hard-working way. I've seen my father carry a refrigerator out of a basement on his back. That's just the kind of work ethic that he had, and he instilled that into me."

For those who had the privilege of seeing Adams perform on a soccer field during his prep career, there's no denying that it was easy to see he had the ability to one day play at a high level, in either college or maybe, even as a professional.

Steve Wallace got to witness first hand Adams' prowess on a soccer field, both in middle school and in high school.

Wallace, who coached boys soccer at both Southwestern High School and at SHS for many, many years, has coached some great players that have came along, and also coached against some great players during his coaching tenure.

Having said that, Wallace says that as far as he's concerned, Adams is indeed the most talented soccer player that he has ever seen at the prep level.

"I can remember looking on Lindsey Wilson's roster this past year and Jo was one of only two Americans on the roster, so that in itself speaks volumes as to the type of player he still is today," Wallace stated.

"Coach (James) Ray and I just had this conversation recently, because somebody asked him for whatever reason who's the best soccer player to ever come out of Pulaski County, and me and him both said it was Jo," pointed out Wallace. "He's the most talented player by far to ever come out of Pulaski County. I think if you asked anybody that has watched soccer from our area over the past 15 years, they would agree with that statement. I think if you asked any coach that was around back then - Derek Eastham, Omar (Prone), Brian Elliott - I think without a doubt Jo Jo's name would be the first one that came up."

Meanwhile, Adams for now is content to play for his soon-to-be new club in Kyoto, Japan, while at the same time keeping his sights set on playing one day with the big boys in the MLS.

But, after his playing days are over, what's next for this multi-talented player from our area?

That's an easy one.

Adams says he wants to return home to Somerset and give back to the community by doing something that he feels has been needed for some time now, and that's developing a club soccer program in our area.

"There are talented kids everywhere - more talented than me for sure," said Adams. "They're bigger than me and stronger than me, but they don't have a dream."

"Eventually, I do want to be back in Somerset, because of the drug situation here and everything that's going on here - there's just no outlets for kids today," Adams continued. "It's not just soccer, but I would love to start a club team, that teaches not only soccer, but life lessons as well. Somerset really needs that, and hopefully when my career is over, I'll have a chance to come back here and do that."

Who knows? Maybe one day Jo Adams will indeed get the opportunity to come back home to Somerset and start up a club soccer program.

But for now, his sights are playing for his own club, way over across the pond in Asia.

Adams is certainly a shining example for our youth today, that if you're willing to put in the hard work and pay the price, nothing is impossible and no goal is unattainable.

After all, Adams' goal and dream of playing soccer professionally is now going to be a reality.

And, it certainly couldn't come to a more deserving person than Jo Adams.