Article written by Rachel Evensen Build anyway. I think she probably felt overwhelmed by what it all means.. Meridian made her a full-time teaching offer, and BYU asked her to coach the club soccer team she had so recently left. The Cougars were interested in Swensen-Haslam, who during her time with the Bingham Miners was an all-state forward. One penalty kick. I am sure that we all have worked extremely hard and sacrificed much to be a part of this BYU community. She went on to graduate from BYU, serve a mission, and bless the lives of all those she came in contact with. And I will not change http://speeches.byu.eduJennifer Rockwood was head coach of the BYU women's soccer team when she gave this devotional on 15 March 2016. Brigham Young Univers. I was very shy, she says. Within a three-day period, I was asked to be the club coach and I was asked to stay on and teach full time at Meridian. Give the world the best you have anyway. Another way to search for the light is to surround ourselves with individuals who inspire us and lift us to great places. I know that our Heavenly Father and our Savior are our biggest fans. "The head coach has to lay down the law, but she still has the ability to give players confidence. Her mom was quick to point out that her daughters experience at camp that week had been life changing. 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. 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. This poem has had a profound impact on my life, and I refer to it often. Her mom basically had made her attend. Let yourlightso shine before men, that they may see your goodworks, andglorifyyour Father which is in heaven. All rights reserved. "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. I stopped to watch to see what was going on, and I was hooked. I have been blessed to work with so many inspiring student athletes. I remember thinking we had such great success those first few years, that the expectation got pretty high, Rockwood said. . So please accept this blanket as a token of my appreciation. At first I thought, Oh, thats thoughtful of himhes concerned about my foot. But I soon realized that he just didnt want me to slow down the team. Occasionally I would see in the distance a small red light with an arrow and run in that direction. 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 Follow Jennifer Rockwood, a four-year starter for BYU women's soccer, through her illustrious career as a player and coach. She is the only coach the school recognizes since the club joined NCAA competition in 1995. Lets try it out.. Other crucial figures came to help, as Carolyn Billings and Robyn Smith-Bretzing both joined the program in 1995. 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. With so much that has been provided for us by a loving Heavenly Father, much is expected. This was such a kind gift and note that touched our team and reminded us that we are capable of reaching individuals who we would never have thought of. Those are the lessons that you take on for your entire life.. I was young, I was cheap, and I had been here, so I knew a little bit about the soccer community.. A big part of my job and our staffs job is to recruit players to BYU. PROVO The numbers speak for themselves, but as is often the case, they don't tell the whole story. During her senior year she helped lead our team to a number fourteen ranking before we were knocked out of the tournament by the University of Portland, the defending national champion at that time. Even then you can sit on the wall on a warm summer day and think of the things you are still learning in light of the great experience you had. BYU women's soccer head coach Jennifer Rockwood reached her 400th win at BYU on March 6 against Loyola Marymount, putting her among the winningest coaches in the NCAA. Zhao snuck the ball past Smith, and the Seminoles stormed the field, having clinched the national championship. I personally feel I was in the right place at the right time, she says. Knowing she didnt have any Division I experience and not expecting to get the position, Rockwood applied, thinking, If I get it, it was meant to be; if not, Ill just keep teaching.. Rockwood led the club team to a 128-25-9 record, two Western National Collegiate Club Soccer Association titles and second place in the NCCSA National Championship match. The Cougars have reached the Elite Eight in 2003, 2012, 2019 and 2021. Are we doing everything we can to build the kingdom of God? What an amazing opportunity it is to stand before you today. She helped turn a little-known prospect into a top scorer in the National Womens Soccer League in Ashley Hatch. Rockwood has always had a passion for athletics, but soccer wasnt necessarily her sport of choice growing up. Its helped prepare me in everything Ive ever done, especially being involved in coaching.. Bertochs relationship with soccer began with her upbringing. BYU finished the season after falling in the Elite 8 to No. I see my players play their best. overridebuttonBgColor= They worked hard, too; they're so gifted, their formation and tactics from the coaching staff it all plays into it. "I didn't always appreciate it when I played, but I sure do now. Spurs snap 16-game losing streak by topping uninspired Jazz, Man arrested in connection with fatal shooting now accused of child rape, Bill mandating counties to provide homeless shelters, enforce camping laws passes Utah House, Troopers identify woman killed in crash near Nephi, Supreme Court seems ready to reject student loan forgiveness. But noneof these meant anything at the moment. only for your personal, non-commercial use. We must be disciplined and dedicated, and we must look for opportunities to learn and grow. Join Facebook to connect with Jennifer Hill and others you may know. I have had the opportunity to coach amazing athletes over the years and we really have had some fantastic teams, some teams who have been really close, and we haven't quite been there. Most of those girls who take them havent taken them since high school because our conference doesnt have a conference championship.. There were all these older guys and me, and I was, like, twenty-three. I remember the legendary coaches and administrators of the BYU womens athletic department. [Stand Ye in Holy Places: Selected Sermons and Writings of President HaroldB. Lee (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974), 115]. 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. Sara Sparhawk and Lyn Johnson find joy in bringing entrepreneurial opportunities to women everywhere through their company West Tenth. I have a lot of support around me and an amazing staff that has helped me in my job.". . Jennifer Rockwood net worth is$600,000 Jennifer Rockwood Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Jennifer Rockwood is the head coach for the BYU Cougars women's soccer team, a position she has held since 1989. In order to slow down the madness of life, I love to retreat into nature. However, it put me on an unfamiliar course. It was coached by a former player, Rockwood, and had seen some promising results. Some may have been talking about Michael Jordans recent un-retirement and his upcoming return to the powerhouse Chicago Bulls. 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. Uh, so how do we do that?. The Broncos are 8-0-1 playing at home, which they will do Friday and potentially in Sunday's final after the NCAA moved the College Cup from nearby PayPal Park due to a potential scheduling conflict with the MLS Cup Playoffs. [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. We must ask ourselves: Are these individuals helping us to move toward the light, or are they allowing us to let some darkness slip in? I didnt really believe a lot in myself the first few years, she says. Jennifer Rockwood delivered a BYU devotional address titled Drawn to the Light on 15 March 2016. 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. archived form does not constitute a republication of the story. This month, the longtime BYU head coach picked up her 400th win in college soccer. Will Rockwood ever leave BYU? I will In the College Cup Final, the Cougars met another one seed in the Florida State Seminoles. That includes this year's signing class, an eight-member group led by Olympus midfielder Emma Neff, Lone Peak forward Camryn Jorgensen and Davis goalkeeper Taygan Sill, to name a few. Without the light no man can see. To many in South America, soccer was akin to a religion. ", "BYU women's soccer: Coach Rockwood learns to loosen up", "Reaching 300, one win at a time for BYU's Rockwood", UNC womens soccer upsets BYU to advance to Final Four, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jennifer_Rockwood&oldid=1138996076, High school soccer coaches in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Women's association footballers not categorized by position, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, *Club domestic league appearances and goals, This page was last edited on 12 February 2023, at 20:38. Over the next 25 years, her team won conference titles. The team went 20-2-2 with four wins over teams ranked in the Top 25 throughout the season. Always give everything your best effort. [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. There were many likely talking about the upcoming football season for the Cougars and their excitement for a team led by quarterback Steve Sarkisian. Would someone who doesnt know you know that you have the light within you? And again, they gave me a lot of freedom in doing what I did, cause I was learning a lot myself. Are you an example of the Savior in your words, thoughts, and actions? As surely as there is light, there is darkness. What an amazing and growing experience that was! I took that opportunity to see where it would lead, she says. I mentioned that maybe they should just spend a little more time with her, get to know her, and sit with her at lunch or dinner. Legends Jennifer Rockwood Never in a million years would I have ever thought that I would be right here, right now. Rockwood previously earned the honor in 2012, 2014 and 2018. Something most of you know and something I have come to learn over the years is that your mother and father are always your biggest fans. By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's. There is something about the way they play. I had some pretty strong, successful women coaches that were my administrators as we started the program, Rockwood said. This classic wasnt decided by a single goal; it would require penalty kicks instead. The Cougars are anchored by a defense that includes All-West Regional selection Laveni Vaka and goalkeeper Cassidy Smith, whose 2.14 saves per game and 0.65 goals-against average for .783 save percentage ranks among the top five in BYU history. I wish she were here to sing it, but the lyrics include the following: Ive made my choice Cultivate it in your lives and hold its very essence until you grow old and gray. I thought they were a good program, Bertoch said of the program at the time, recounting how the club team had to charter their own buses and often slept when traveling in the homes of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They play with heart, for the love of the game, and just for fun and enjoyment. BYU stood at the top of her list when college admissions rolled around; it was her parents alma mater, and she had attended basketball camp there. West Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year, BYU women's soccer clinches first-ever College Cup with 4-1 win over South Carolina, 'This feels right': 7 seasons later, BYU keeper Cassidy Smith has Cougars aiming for history, Colohan hat trick guides No. He also sent us here with all the tools we need to find success, happiness, and peace. She graduated with a degree in Communications and began her career working in broadcasting, including working for CNN and KBYU-TV. Rockwood decided to give the junior college, now BYUIdaho, a shot. [3] Early life [ edit] I loved it, Bertoch said. Yes, life is hard and we are all challenged, and at certain times we are challenged more than at other times. PROVO, Utah BYU women's soccer will welcome national-champion UCLA transfer Ellie Walbruch to the Cougars for the 2023 season. There is nowhere I can go where the quality of the kids that I work with would be better.. Clinging to the light is a choice, and often that choice is challenging. . Are you sure? Copyright | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us | Website Feedback, Jennifer I think we always felt the program would be successful, so we werent surprised, Smith-Bretzing said. I remember Ken Marshall, a high school soccer coach who taught me to push myself, work harder, and achieve more than I thought was possible. marriottmag@byu.edu, 16wSOC vs Long Beach State 832 (DONE).jpg. We want the Spirit of [the] Lord to be with us in order for us to live our religion, fulfill our mission as [sisters and] elders inIsrael, and do the will of Godto fulfill this great, high calling in the building up of this kingdom. 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