Back then we had to do everything on our own. I will We cant do it unless we walk in the light of the Lord. Soon after, a couple of runners came in behind me and thanked me for leading them to the end. We all know that we live in a world in which there is increasing darkness, in which lines are blurred and the separation between the light and the dark is getting larger. I wore a headlamp and a blinking red reflector. "I didn't always appreciate it when I played, but I sure do now. After the lease was signed, someone remarked, Oh, we know that you are not going to proselyte, but what are you going to do about the light that is in their eyes? He was referring to the BYU students who would be studying in Israel. Though intimidated by her new role, Rockwood didnt break stride, taking on the new challenge in the same way she always had: by working her hardest. Provo The way coach Jennifer Rockwood sees it, BYU's women's soccer team is back where it belongs in the NCAA tournament.. Having missed the tournament last year for just the fifth . Check it out online at speeches.byu.edu. Provo, UT 84602 After participating in basketball in the Fall-winter of 198485, Rockwood transferred and enrolled at Brigham Young University. After finishing 12-4-1 on the season with a share of the West Coast Conference crown, they beat top-seeded Virginia in the third round and previous national champion Santa Clara in the semifinal. Aug. 6, 2022 (Photo by Christi Norris/BYU) The BYU. Iamliable to find fault with this, that, and the other. web browser that It is very hard to describe. So many amazing people have crossed my path over the years, as I am sure many have crossed yours. Follow Jennifer Rockwood, a four-year starter for BYU women's soccer, through her illustrious career as a player and coach. Jennifer Rockwood (born September 20, 1966) is an American soccer coach, and the head coach for the BYU Cougars women's soccer team, a position she has held since 1989. Legends Wally Joyner. PROVO The numbers speak for themselves, but as is often the case, they don't tell the whole story. Most of our players attended camps when they were younger, so they know how exciting it is for young campers to come and hang out with them for a week. As surely as there is God, there is Satan. She had considered getting a degree in education when she first came to BYU, and she had taken a slew of humanities classes as an undergradI probably had enough for a minor, except I didnt speak another language, she says. Succeed anyway. [Sermon to the Saints in Farmington, 9 January 1864, transcribed by LaJean Purcell Carruth, 1 March 2013, history.lds.org/article/lost-sermons-wilford-woodruff-january-1864?lang=eng; emphasis in original]. This month, the longtime BYU head coach picked up her 400th win in college soccer. Each year our players work as camp coaches for young players who love the sport and often have dreams of someday attending and playing soccer at BYU. However, no matter what is thrown at us or whatever temptations and obstacles and kinds of darkness come our way, we always have a choice. The Lake Oswego, Oregon, native was a four-sport athlete in high school playing soccer, softball, basketball and track. [3] Early life [ edit] Then, in 1995, the university officially sanctioned Division I Womens Soccer and began searching for someone to head up its new team. After the initial shock of having a team, being tabbed as head coach of a new program, and having to ride the difficulty of her first two NCAA seasons, the training wheels were off. View the profiles of people named Jennifer Hill. "We knew we had the potential, but we wanted to put it all together so she can finally have this awesome accolade to an amazing career at BYU. Video unavailable Watch on YouTube Watch on Universe Live Sports One penalty kick. I was a finance major, and I had no teaching credentials, no education classes, and no real experience. A visit to the basketball tryouts for Ricks College landed her a spot on the team there as well as a scholarship offer. I am a fighter, and I choose to walk in the light.. no time to be drawn away from the things of the kingdom of God. In a world thats weak Both loved the game, but neither had any prior experience in helping a soccer team adjust to a new, higher level of play. supports HTML5 video, Estimated read time: 7-8 Are they motivating and inspiring us, or are they bringing us down? He hired me as a sixteen-year-old to help work his youth soccer camps throughout the summer, and that opportunity gave me the knowledge and experience I needed to direct the camps here at BYU with the more than 2,500 kids who attend each year. Saturdays at 2 PM Eastern and 11 AM Pacific Legends Jennifer Rockwood Which voices do we let in? "Jen does a really great job of making every play feel cared for, that they matter, and that it's about them," said Colette Jepson Smith, the former Davis High standout who played three seasons at BYU and is now the head coach at Rowland Hall and Wasatch Soccer Club. He challenged me in every way toget better and always expected success. Would someone who doesnt know you know that you have the light within you? 218 University Press Building Evidently they had been following my light all the way in. I feel like I have the dream job, she says. They want nothing more than for us to find happiness and peace and to return home to Them someday. Are you an example of the Savior in your words, thoughts, and actions? I must admit that the first thing I thought when asked if I would be willing to speak was, Really? Several years ago President Gordon B. Hinckley said at a BYU devotional: You came because you wanted the BYU experience, although perhaps you could not define it. I wish she were here to sing it, but the lyrics include the following: Ive made my choice "We had our fair share of [scoring] opportunities," said Colohan after the game. While it seems risky to turn down a great job offer or leave graduate school early, Brian Hill's journey led him to start his own company that helps give others a second chance. It is truly one of the hardest and most time-consuming aspects of our job, but it is also one of the most rewarding because we have the opportunity to recruit some of the finest young women who are playing at the highest level in their sport. Some may have been talking about Michael Jordans recent un-retirement and his upcoming return to the powerhouse Chicago Bulls. Obviously, this is one reason why she had gotten off to a rough start. In her 27 years as head coach, Rockwood's Cougars have made the NCAA tournament 21 times. But through the struggles, the fight, the dedication, and the choices, she was able to develop, mature, and grow. Each team member runs three different routes, and the whole team runs a total of more than 180 miles. Her 200th win happened on Sept. 24, 2007 when BYU beat Washington 2-1 at home. Im not here to just win games, she says. overridebuttonBgColor= And although Iwasnt even aware of it at the time, I was actually a light for others. The Cougars led by All-American Mikayla Colohan and All-WCC First Teamer Cameron Tucker had taken the 2021 NCAA Tournament by storm. I used to drive the team around in a fifteen-passenger vanjust me and fourteen high school boys. 490 Tanner Building Her years of experience playing and coaching soccerincluding six years at the helm of the BYU Womens Soccer club teamsuddenly seemed insignificant beside the challenge that lay ahead. In 1996 and 2012, Rockwood was also Region Coach of the Year. This biographical article related to women's soccer in the United States is a stub. Her schedule is busy and almost never-ending. We have all been blessed with the Light of Christto know right from wrong and good from evil and to have a knowledge of our Heavenly Fathers and our Saviors love. Others may have had their radios cranked up, listening to Kiss from a Rose by Seal or Only Wanna Be With You by Hootie and the Blowfish. overrideTextAlignment=. But it forced me to be prepared.. BYU regularly maintains a consistent Top 25 ranking. When she became the head coach of a club-turned-NCAA-sanctioned team in 1995, nothing was ever promised. Soccer as a sport was fighting for prominence in the United Statesespecially womens soccer. One of the most rewarding and proud moments of my coaching career was to give Jenavieve Phillips a big hug on the field after her last game as a Cougar and congratulate her on an amazing journey. In addition to playing soccer, she was a frequent participant in basketball, track, and softball. We knew that we had the athletes to compete at the collegiate level, we just needed to give it a shot.. . Zhao snuck the ball past Smith, and the Seminoles stormed the field, having clinched the national championship. [Be a Light to the World, BYU devotional address, 1November 2011], On our team, we often talk about the importance of representing ourselves at the highest levelabout how wearing the name Brigham Young University on our jerseys means much more than just being another college team. To be able to be the assistant to her and to help her in those first few years, coaching players and developing the program, it was a great experience.. She graduated with a degree in Communications and began her career working in broadcasting, including working for CNN and KBYU-TV. I had to intently search for the light of others to help me find the way and point me in the right direction. I took that opportunity to see where it would lead, she says. My journey truly has been different than what I would have ever foreseen when I once sat in your seat over thirty years ago. When the school announced plans to move to Sandy, Utah, and a new school called Meridian was established in Provo, Rockwood hesitated over her next movebut not for long. overrideTextAlignment= I am always drawn to the light in the beauty of Gods creations, in which I can find calmness, comfort, peace, and a deeper connection to my Heavenly Father and my Savior. Pure Offense: BYU leads the nation in shots (24.5/match) and ranks second in shots on goal (10.2/match) for an NCAA-high 3.50 goals per match. "I have known Ellie since she was very young, and I have watched her development over the years. While I walk in the light of God my mind is open. Each team spends more than thirty hours together with no sleep, not much food, and few rest spots. Colohan buried the shootout's first kick officially marking the end of her brilliant BYU career. That success would reach an all-new height if goalkeeper Cassidy Smith was somehow able to stop Florida States shot, and give the Cougars a shot to win the 2021 NCAA title. Rockwood has also coached youth club programs, high school teams and the Utah Olympic Development Program. Prior to becoming head coach at BYU, Rockwood led BYU's highly successful club soccer team for seven years. ", A special moment to celebrate Jen between our @BYUwvolleyball, @byuwtennis, @byuwgolf, and @BYUTFXC head coaches pic.twitter.com/eUC8fGQbIS. He wants us to give up, and he places opportunities for missteps along our way. We are to use our gifts and our individual talents to share the light and bring the light to others. After my first run of nearly six miles, I was okay, but it had been really hard and I had gone pretty slow. The question crosses her mind every few years, but she is adamant that if she were to depart, it wouldnt be for another coaching position. In fact, I first met several of the current players on our team at camp when they were only ten or eleven years old. Rockwood has an impressive 407-118-45overall record for her career. When you seek after the light by surrounding yourself with positive and great individuals, you provide yourself with more opportunities to learn and grow. That staff led by assistant coaches Brent Anderson and Steve Magleby, volunteer assistant Made Gates, and administrative assistant Rachel Jorgensen, has been instrumental in the Cougars' breakthrough year, and receiving West Regional Staff of the Year honors by the United Soccer Coaches this past week. My headlamp was the only source of light through the two and a half miles of switchback trails. Life is a journey, and we must always embrace iteven when we are asked to do something that we thought was absolutely unimaginable. Having gained it, never lose it. I know that our Heavenly Father and our Savior are our biggest fans. - Sat 2/25 8:00 pm. The Lady Cougars have compiled a 16-1-1 record on the year and look to be in good shape to win the West Coast Conference championship and make a run in the NCAA playoffs. Wemust always seek for the light, and we must light the way for otherstoday more than ever. I see my players play their best. In order to slow down the madness of life, I love to retreat into nature. [Be an Example and a Light, Ensign, November 2015]. Uh, so how do we do that?. A few weeks ago I heard from a former player from those days who wrote me an email telling me of an experience he remembered and a lesson he learned that has helped him over the years. Yes, life is hard and we are all challenged, and at certain times we are challenged more than at other times. Athletes playing for Rockwood have seen continual success over those 27 seasons. She is the only coach the school recognizes since the club joined NCAA competition in 1995. When I think about light and the many different meanings it has, Ireflect on an experience Ihad last June. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. . BYU was a team on the rise. Inside was a beautiful hand-knitted blanket with the full BYU Cougar logo in the middle. There was a handwritten note on top, and part of it read: I am an inmate of the Utah State Prison. Dream big dreams and find your passionitis never too late. Jennifer Rockwood delivered a BYU devotional address titled Drawn to the Light on 15 March 2016. Her dream was to play on the womens basketball team, but she knew reality was unlikely to cooperate. I didnt necessarily get the best grades, Rockwood says of those tough upper-level classes, but I took pride in working as hard as I possibly could and making it through.. What have I gotten myself into? she recalls thinking. Smith-Bretzing couldnt help but laugh when she thought about those early years. Rockwood previously earned the honor in 2012, 2014 and 2018. Im pretty sure in todays world my scenario would not happen, Rockwood says. And after 27 years, is anyone doubting here? 2 and received a No. It is what we have been taught and counseled to do. Bertoch, a native of Chile, came to the US and went to school at BYU. Never let fear hold you back. I know whats right Her parents thought maybe it would be good for her to be around some members of the Church who also loved soccer. I expect to be the best, and when Im not, I try to learn how I can be better.. 14 BYU at 4-2 on the season, and 400-116-44 under the long-time head coach. BYU and Florida State traded goals back and forth, with a few occasional misses sprinkled in. . After one year at Rick's College on a basketball scholarship, she transferred to BYU where she became a four-year starter at center midfield on the Cougars' club soccer team and graduated in finance, business management. Certain she still wouldnt be able to make the basketball team, she instead took a spot on the club soccer team, which at the time felt to her like a bit of a concession. She's not just a coach, but the mom of our team, making sure everyone is good. We must always stay on the lighted path and search for those things that we know to be true. [Stand Ye in Holy Places: Selected Sermons and Writings of President HaroldB. Lee (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974), 115]. Some of our competitions were hours away. Her daughter had found new motivation, inspiration, and direction. However, when she came back to Provo, an opportunity arose to work for BYU athletics when she took on the role of womens sports publicist. overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= Head coach Jennifer Rockwood, known for her focused determination on the sideline and for being emotionally defensive of her players, leaned in to anticipate the shot. Class of 1989. A proud graduate of Syracuse University, Sean Walker has covered BYU for KSL.com since 2015, while also mixing in prep sports, education, and anything else his editors assign him to do. Turning the Key: Kelsey Turnbow has 11 goals to lead a Santa Clara offense that averages 1.8 goals on 16.5 shots per game. He wants so badly to help us reach our potential, and He will, if only we will let Him. Both a mission and an MBA crossed her mind, but then she was offered a position as a coach and PE teacher for a local college-prep academy called the Waterford School. Everyone else on my team was really fast. Everybody knows more than you do about your job. Love yourself so that you can love others. "Not everyone gets a second chance, and they got it," said Smith, who was an assistant coach at Davis in an era that featured Colohan, midfielder Olivia Wade, and a national championship honor. BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood celebrates after the 4-1 Cougar win over South Carolina in the NCAA quarterfinal match at South Field in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. "It is a huge milestone and I think anyone who goes into the coaching profession is trying to get to the final four and win a national championship. Twenty-two seasons have passed since Rockwoods appointment, and her undeniable success includes fourteen conference championships, eighteen NCAA tournament appearances, and an overall record of 355-100-38. "I have worked pretty much my whole career to get to this point and I am just going to try to enjoy it," she said. With that team, the Cougars knew they had a chance to do something special from the moment they lost to Virginia 2-0 in the second round of the NCAA's unique spring tournament that cut short an 11-4-1 campaign truncated by the COVID-19 pandemic. "I have known Ellie. You are loved, appreciated, and valued more than you will ever know. This classic wasnt decided by a single goal; it would require penalty kicks instead. There were all these older guys and me, and I was, like, twenty-three. In addition to launching the high school sports program at Meridian and coaching both the boys and girls soccer teams there, she became the athletic director for the junior high. . If we dont continuously search for the light and stayon the path, we can just as easily be led into darkness and off the course. In 2005, she led her team to its first national seed (No. But if Rockwoods pattern of success is any indication, bringing home a national championship trophy is only a matter of time. But whether she was talking to current NWSL Golden Boot winner and league champion Ashley Hatch or a UNLV transfer from Kaysville like Smith who just wanted to come home after a year away, Rockwood always found a way to keep the focus on the players. As the only head coach in program history, Jennifer Rockwood has taken the BYU women's soccer team to national prominence and established herself as one of the premier coaches in Division I soccer today. I loved it. I remember a brilliant lady, Nancy Heuston, head of the Waterford School, who hired me to begin teaching at a middle school and coaching at a high school during my senior year at BYU. She made the decision to stay and surround herself with great friends, teammates, professors, ward members, and the environment at BYU, and it ultimately led to an opportunity to change her life and her future. They worked hard, too; they're so gifted, their formation and tactics from the coaching staff it all plays into it. An excerpt from this week's episode of True Blue, Dave McCann talks to Jennifer Rockwood and Erica Owens about the expectations coming into next season, and . He understands and he reminded me that we cantexpect to have chances to succeed at the game-changing visible thingsunless we are working to master the little things, and the bigthings are ultimately dependent on how hard we are willing to work.. She knew it may never come again. Rockwood has always had a passion for athletics, but soccer wasnt necessarily her sport of choice growing up. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "Actually in the last several years I have come to terms with (not making it to the College Cup), but it is something that has driven me,". The Cougars were interested in Swensen-Haslam, who during her time with the Bingham Miners was an all-state forward. Phenomenal experience for all of us some really special seniors, Rockwood said. Some have had big roles, some small, and some have made all the difference. This story is part of the March 2022 issue of TheDaily Universe Magazine and magazine show (below). Fortunately I was blessed by the tender mercy of a friend who must have been inspired to send me a poem that appealed to Mother Teresa. I believe that one of his greatest tools is to provide situations in which we doubt ourselves, our unique spirit, and our mission here on earth. At first, Rockwoods coaching strengths didnt lie so much in the technical and tactical aspects of the game, so she focused her energy on creating a positive environment in which to build her players confidenceas well as her own. But no amount of club soccer matches could prepare her for what was to come: coaching a fully sanctioned NCAA soccer team. [5][6] After graduating, she became the club team's head coach in 1989 and led them to two Western National Collegiate Club soccer Association (NCCSA) Championships in 1993 and 1994. Ye are thelightof the world. God has sent each of us here with a purpose, a plan, and a specific life to live. Every soul who walks the earth, wherever he lives, in whatever nation he may have been born, no matter whether he be in riches or in poverty, had at birth an endowment of that first light which is called the Light of Christ, the Spirit of Truth, or the Spirit of Godthat universal light of intelligence with which every soul is blessed. Practice or not, it didnt matter to her or the team. Reading or replaying the story in its overrideButtonText= Womens soccer was already played on campus but at the club level. It's a sport of people, and that's something I always took from her. Many years ago I was in the middle of some very challenging situations that not only caused me much doubt in my abilities but also made me question my own path. So I took the shorter run. Rockwood has guided the Cougars to 13regular season conference championships and eight conference tournament championships during her tenure. I was pretty good at basketball, but I was short for how I played, she says. On the outside, she remained expressionless, but she struggled to contain her nerves on the inside. He wants us to feel as if there are different paths. Learn more about the players, traditions, and college towns of BYU and their opponents all season long. Here are some words of wisdom that I believe They want us to know, to repeat to ourselves, and toalways remember: You are a beautiful child of God, made inHis perfect image. We know that the players we bring in will not only be spending a large amount of time with us but will also be a significant part of the lives of their teammates for the course of their college career. As part of my job, I have the opportunity almost every week to tell young people, their coaches, and their parents what an amazing place this is: a university where students can reach their highest potential athletically, academically, socially, and spiritually and where everyone understands that they are not perfect but where they are committed to being their best. Devotional Drawn to the Light Jennifer Rockwood March 15, 2016 Audio 0:00/34:50 Speed 36:47 Full Video Highlight Video Are you lighting the way for others? Although the initial group of players, coaches, trainers and managers in comparison to todays staff and roster were small to start, the voices that this small group carried were loud and supportive. And thats led the way for younger players to come through and wanna reach the success.. It was becoming a battle for her parents to keep her moving in the right direction. One penalty kick. She decided to pursue a bachelors degree in business management with an emphasis in finance, in part because few women were in the program, and she wanted to see if she could rise to the challenge. overrideCardHideByline= We want to play at the highest level, win championships, and be nationally relevant so that people will know who we are and what we represent. With the Big 12 on the immediate horizon, dont be surprised if success happens rather quickly. Kayla and Cameron have the reins to do a lot of things. Jennifer Rockwood and the origins of the BYU women's soccer team Story and cover art by Alex Dotson This story is part of the March 2022 issue of The Daily Universe Magazine and magazine show (below). After three years of teaching PE for Meridian, Rockwood went to the headmaster and asked for a chance to try teaching in the classroom. . Over the last 25seasons at the helm of the BYU women's soccer program, Rockwood has accumulated a .714winning percentage. 2 in the country in 2012, Finished seasons ranked in the top 10 sixtimes (1998, 2000, 2003, 2012,2016 and 2019), Finished seasons ranked in the top 25 13times in 25seasons, Third coach in NCAA history to start a program and win 300 games while there, Sixth NCAA coach to win 300 games at one school, 10 of her student-athletes have been on the shortlist for the MAC Hermann Trophy with five semifinalists and one finalist (Mikayla Colohan), Her players have won 11conference Player of the Year awards, five Defender of the Year awards, three Goalkeeper of the Year awards and six Freshmen of the Year awards, Named 2016 Women's Coach of the Year at the Governor's State of Sports Awards, Named the 2021 National Staff of the Year by United Soccer Coaches Association. [Kent M. Keith, The Paradoxical Commandments (1968), kentmkeith.com/commandments.html; see also Kent M. Keith, The Mother Teresa Connection, kentmkeith.com/mother_teresa.html; Kent M. Keith, The Silent Revolution in the Seventies: Dynamic Leadership in the Student Council (Washington, DC: National Association of Secondary School Principals, 1972), 8]. It was 1995, and Rockwood had just signed a contract to become the inaugural head coach of the newly sanctioned NCAA Division I BYU Womens Soccer programat the highest level of intercollegiate athleticsdespite having no prior Division I experience. or superseded by additional information. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Player of the Year: Mikayla Colohan, BYU Defensive Player of the Year: Alex Loera, Santa Clara Goalkeeper of the Year: Amber Michel, San Diego Freshman of the Year: Izzy D'Aquila, Santa Clara Coach of the Year: Jennifer Rockwood, BYU 2019 ALL-WCC WOMEN'S SOCCER FIRST TEAM Without the light no man can see. What a blessing and unbelievable inspiration Jenavieve was to me, my staff, her teammates, and all those who knew her. All I can do is try and pass on what I have learned.. We have more and more forces working against us, and Satan will always give us his best shot. She built up the program from an extramural sport into an elite NCAA competitor. [BYU] came to me because I had kind of been the boss, in a sense, of the team before that, she says. However, she believed in me, and she believed that I had a future in education and coaching. We must search the scriptures and the words of our prophets and leaders and seek after the truth.

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