View All. I just believe so much in BYU and what it has to offer young students and student athletes. Structural Info Known for movies I was very shy, she says. It was a slow process, we didnt get a bunch of fans, Norma Bertoch said, the first sports information director for the program. I told them that maybe she just needed a little extra love and attention. 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. marriottmag@byu.edu, 16wSOC vs Long Beach State 832 (DONE).jpg. This is one way wecan search for the light. New episode and podcast released each week, focused on the team the Cougars play. She is the only coach the school recognizes since the club joined NCAA competition in 1995. 4) in the NCAA Tournament. In 1995 BYU officially recognized women's soccer as an NCAA sport. Everyone else on my team was really fast. We are aware that people are watching us, and you never know which lives can be touched, which doors can be opened, and what inspiration can be provided. To take His name, I will be strong Life is a journey, and we must always embrace iteven when we are asked to do something that we thought was absolutely unimaginable. overrideTextAlignment= But if anyone is up to the challenge, it's Rockwood. The milestone came in Rockwood's 26th season with the Cougars, putting No. 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. One save, and for the first time in their history, the BYU womens soccer team would be one shot away from a national championship. In fact, I first met several of the current players on our team at camp when they were only ten or eleven years old. I didnt have the height to play to my strengths, and I didnt have the skill to play to my height.. Facebook gives people the power to. Another important step for Rockwood was surrounding herself with mentors who inspired and believed in her, including womens tennis coach Ann Valentine, who was her supervisor for a time, and womens volleyball coach and womens athletic director Elaine Michaelis. Join Facebook to connect with Jennifer Hill and others you may know. Itis something that you cannot put into words. The pain of being so close to winning it all must have hurt, but as she normally does, Rockwood could only think about how much this meant to her players, especially to her two seniors Colohan and Tucker. 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. Throughout junior high and high school Rockwood acted as a four-sport athlete, in soccer, basketball, softball, and track. "Right now, I feel we are playing our best soccer.". Which voices can drown out the darkness and fill our minds and souls with the light? overrideCardHideDescription= After my first run of nearly six miles, I was okay, but it had been really hard and I had gone pretty slow. As President Monson stated, we want to be a light even to total strangers.. Jennifer Rockwood is BYU women's soccer, they say. He referenced a situation when I let the guys do what they wanted at practice for a few minutes, and they chose to stand around the front of the goal taking shots. Both (Colohan and Tucker) were leaders and both were phenomenal players. What an adventure! Itis for the entire team. overrideCardHideSection= We knew that we had the athletes to compete at the collegiate level, we just needed to give it a shot.. I think the seniors realize how much effort she's put into the program, the time to get us the right gear and everything else. A long list of All-American soccer players has emerged from BYU's program and Rockwood's influence. This archived news story is available 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. Yes, life is hard and we are all challenged, and at certain times we are challenged more than at other times. Now the Kaysville, Utah, native will take her talents to the professional ranks. The day I pledge When she became the head coach of a club-turned-NCAA-sanctioned team in 1995, nothing was ever promised. 1 seed in 2012, Advanced to the Sweet 16 sixtimes (1998, 2000, 2003, 2012,2016 and 2019), Advanced to the Elite 8 three times(2003,2012 and 2019), Led BYU to 13regular season and eighttournament conference championships and won conference championships in 16of her 25seasons, Led team to four-straight regular season conference titles twice, once in the MWC from 1999-2002 and in the WCC from 2012-2015, Finished with a winning record in 24of 26seasons, Reached highest national ranking of No. "I have known Ellie. Help people anyway. We must always stay on the lighted path and search for those things that we know to be true. So it was good that I had room to build, and do what I did, and they kind of left me to my own.. . 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. I used to drive the team around in a fifteen-passenger vanjust me and fourteen high school boys. They provided Rockwood with insights into team management and leadership development, lobbing her encouragement along the way. [The BYU Experience, BYU devotional address, 4November 1997]. A week or so after the camp, I received a thank-you note from her mom, explaining that this young girl had not wanted to come to camp. We have . I saw the potential.. You are loved, appreciated, and valued more than you will ever know. BYU, in part due to Title IX legislation, began its search to field another competitive womens team to add to its growing collection that already featured the likes of basketball, volleyball and gymnastics. By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's. As a child in Chile, she watched soccer every day. We get scared of failure, we fear the unknown, and we are burdened with losses, sickness, and pain. We have more and more forces working against us, and Satan will always give us his best shot. Yoshligi[tahrir| manbasini tahrirlash] archived form does not constitute a republication of the story. Will Rockwood ever leave BYU? 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. Jamie Shepherd has been fantastic. Far from a program, that's a dynasty, a consistent achievement layered by the individual bricks of three decades of top athletes the majority of which came homegrown from Utah and the surrounding region. . 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. 46 of Rockwood's players have gone on to win All-American awards.[10]. I see my players play their best. In a world where so many will not We are here to build the kingdom of God and to help our family and friends reach their highest potential. The team was expected to struggle out of the gate, but that would not last long. I wore a headlamp and a blinking red reflector. . The Cougars led by All-American Mikayla Colohan and All-WCC First Teamer Cameron Tucker had taken the 2021 NCAA Tournament by storm. 2 and received a No. Im not here to just win games, she says. I will be brave It is so important that we find ways in which we can inspire others. Weve had so many unbelievable kids that come through this program that just put their heart and soul into it for their time at BYU. But the Division I Womens Soccer team was only nine years from its formation, and Rockwood had unknowingly started on a path that would position her to take the lead. And although Iwasnt even aware of it at the time, I was actually a light for others. I know whats right People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. "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. Phenomenal experience for all of us some really special seniors, Rockwood said. 1 seed in the NCAA College Cup, the first women's program at BYU to ever be awarded a 1-seed. Christi Norris/BYU BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood talks to her team at the women's soccer preseason scrimmage for the 2022 season. Like Burleigh, Rockwood started the women's soccer program at BYU and is the 11th active Division I coach in wins. We must be disciplined and dedicated, and we must look for opportunities to learn and grow. They play with heart, for the love of the game, and just for fun and enjoyment. In 2019, Rockwood and her staff were recognized as the United Soccer Coaches Regional Staff of the Year. Rockwood would build indeed. . We can look to the west and appreciate the view of the lake, travel east and be enveloped in the canyons, or drive south and take in the magnificence and serenity of the red rock. So I took the shorter run. 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. Jennifer Rockwood, BYU. Be honest and frank anyway. But what a blessed life and what a ride it has been. Jen is a very competitive person to play on the club team was fun because shes very competitive like me, so we got along well, and at other times we didnt because wed be competing against each other., This competitiveness motivated each of them to greatness, and Smith-Bretzing appreciated that about her friend and coach. Dream big dreams and find your passionitis never too late. 4) and its first-ever No. Legends Brandon Doman. 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.. Over the last 25seasons at the helm of the BYU women's soccer program, Rockwood has accumulated a .714winning percentage. only for your personal, non-commercial use. Do good anyway. Rockwood would play with the Cougars club team from 1985 to 1988, and as a senior Rockwood was placed in charge of scheduling and budgets for the club team. "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. BYU had veteran coaches running its womens athletics, but soccer was a young sport in the state at the time, and Rockwoods experience with the club team set her apart. As a coach, I am in a position in which difficult decisions have to be made that can significantly impact young peoples lives. 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. We didnt know a lot about soccer, it was just getting started in the high schools, it wasnt a big sport in the States.. She coached players into All-Americans. Her dream was to play on the womens basketball team, but she knew reality was unlikely to cooperate. But no amount of club soccer matches could prepare her for what was to come: coaching a fully sanctioned NCAA soccer team. 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. Rockwood previously earned the honor in 2012, 2014 and 2018. Practice or not, it didnt matter to her or the team. A national championship was within their grasp. As I take my place, I will stand 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. Years ago President JamesE. Faust gave a talk titled The Light in Their Eyes. He recalled a historic meeting in Jerusalem about the new lease for the land on which the BYU Jerusalem Center would be built. Rockwood led the BYU Womens Soccer club team for six years, achieving an overall record of 128-25-9. I have often thought about what simple and direct words of encouragement might come from our Heavenly Father to remind us how capable and amazing we are. 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. Division regular season champion The run to Friday's Final Four didn't just start in the NCAA Tournament, or in the 4-1 win over South Carolina in a national quarterfinal. A couple of my players who were coaching her werent sure what to do with her. I expect to be the best, and when Im not, I try to learn how I can be better.. "We are thrilled to have Ellie coming to BYU," BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood said. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. 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. Another way to search for the light is to surround ourselves with individuals who inspire us and lift us to great places. Im here to see how good we can be.. Rock said gaining a following for soccer was extremely difficult for the womens team. Soccer as a sport was fighting for prominence in the United Statesespecially womens soccer. Are you an example of the Savior in your words, thoughts, and actions? As you can imagine, it was a bit disconcerting, and it was very challenging to stay on the path. The best advice I've ever gotten about coaching is. I try to make sure they feel that they are part of everything we do and prepare them to be great leaders, moms, business people, and coaches for the future. 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. minutes. Are you sure? BYU Speeches "She's done so much for this program, and even for me personally," senior forward Makaylie Moore told BYUtv. Jennifer Rockwood has never had an unofficial visit like the one she had with Carla Swensen-Haslam. These athletes include Shauna Rohbock, Katie Larkin, Jaime Rendich Beck, Aleisha Rose, Michelle Jensen,Lindsi Lisonbee Cutshall, Michele Vasconcelos, Ashley Hatch, Cameron Tucker and Mikayla Colohan. After one yearincluding a frigid winterin Rexburg, Idaho, Rockwood made the leap to BYU. Thats all it would take. To many in South America, soccer was akin to a religion. However, I also mentioned that if this was where she really wanted to be and if she was willing to embrace her opportunity here and make some changes, then she would have the opportunity to join us again the following semester. In whatever we are involved with here at BYU, we can make a difference. Following a successful month and earning a 6th seed in the NCAA Tournament, BYU Soccer Head Coach Jennifer Rockwood joins the show to discuss how the team ov. When I think about light and the many different meanings it has, Ireflect on an experience Ihad last June. You never know what light you might spark in others just through your kindness and your example. He searched for deeper meaning in his experiences, and he learned from some of lifes simple truths. 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. Legends: Season 2. Check it out online at speeches.byu.edu. Sara Sparhawk and Lyn Johnson find joy in bringing entrepreneurial opportunities to women everywhere through their company West Tenth. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. 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. Iamliable to find fault with this, that, and the other. A big part of my job and our staffs job is to recruit players to BYU. Conference regular season and conference tournament champion 14 BYU at 4-2 on the season, and 400-116-44 under the long-time head coach. Im not worthy enough or strong enough. Her mom basically had made her attend. All rights reserved. Having grown up in and around competitive soccer, which included teams with men on the field as well, Rockwood had overcome many obstacles to that point as a player and coach. Saturdays at 2 PM Eastern and 11 AM Pacific More success followed Rockwood. Uh, so how do we do that?. 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. . At the close of the season, the Cougars were ranked fifth nationally. Conference regular season champion We know and have been taught that the light leads us through this journey. BYU Women's Soccer (@byusoccer_w) September 10, 2021 BYU is another prestigious women's soccer program that longtime head coach Jennifer Rockwood leads. Soon after, a couple of runners came in behind me and thanked me for leading them to the end. "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. Do they help us see what is great about the world, or do they cast a shadow of negativity? We mostly have a choice of who we spend our time with. Reading or replaying the story in its There is nowhere I can go where the quality of the kids that I work with would be better.. Each team member runs three different routes, and the whole team runs a total of more than 180 miles. [Stand Ye in Holy Places: Selected Sermons and Writings of President HaroldB. Lee (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974), 115]. Other crucial figures came to help, as Carolyn Billings and Robyn Smith-Bretzing both joined the program in 1995. One penalty kick. Since then, she's become a local legend in Provo; she even has her own flavor of ice cream at the BYU Creamery, Cherry Rockwood a status symbol reserved for legendary BYU football coach LaVell Edwards (LaVell's Vanilla) and former men's basketball coach Dave Rose (Rose's Sneakerdoodle). She is the only coach the school recognizes since the club joined NCAA competition in 1995. 2 and went undefeated in the WCC a juggernaut conference in women's soccer. 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. She went on to graduate from BYU, serve a mission, and bless the lives of all those she came in contact with. As we follow the example of the Savior and live as He lived and as He taught, that light will burn within us and will light the way for others. This battle was not fought alone. overridebuttonBgColor= 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. However, to several of those inside of the program, including Smith-Bretzing, it wasnt a big shock. Video unavailable Watch on YouTube Watch on Universe Live Sports One penalty kick. 801-422-7696 Do you have that light in your eyes? PROVO, Utah BYU women's soccer will welcome national-champion UCLA transfer Ellie Walbruch to the Cougars for the 2023 season. Does your life seem too busy at times? When I was younger, one of my first coaching jobs was for a high school boys soccer team. This story is part of the March 2022 issue of TheDaily Universe Magazine and magazine show (below). (The Light in Their Eyes, Ensign, November 2005.). Photos by Bradley Slade, Marriott Alumni Magazine [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. Life is too hard!. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Cameron Tucker ranks second nationally with .84 goals per match, and Mikayla Colohan is fourth in scoring (.82 goals/match) and fifth in assists (.68 assists/match). She was rated as the No. An alumna of BYU, she's led the program to six Sweet 16 appearances and the Elite Eight three times, including back in 2019. 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. overrideCardHideByline= Last year I wasnt quite as prepared as usual after badly spraining my foot a few months before. . I thought it was unusual, but I opened the package. 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. I have a lot of support around me and an amazing staff that has helped me in my job.". A powerhouse offense that consistently ranks among the top shot-takers in the country, Rockwood's teams aren't afraid to shoot. And they needed one kick to seal it. However, she believed in me, and she believed that I had a future in education and coaching. Evidently they had been following my light all the way in. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. So many amazing people have crossed my path over the years, as I am sure many have crossed yours. Athlete, in soccer, basketball, softball, and track Universe Magazine and show. Team, but I opened the package 1 seed in the country, Rockwood made leap... The love of the Savior in your words, thoughts, and pain gone on to graduate from BYU we... That? shot-takers in the NCAA College Cup, the Cougars led All-American... About the new lease for the womens team the Top shot-takers in the Top 25 throughout the season and., one of my first coaching jobs was for a high school boys team! In soccer, basketball, softball, and she believed that I had a future in education and coaching unofficial. 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Into words we fear the unknown, and he learned from some lifes! Soccer club team for six years, as I am in a fifteen-passenger vanjust me and fourteen high boys! The country, Rockwood 's players have gone on to win All-American awards. [ 10.! Very challenging to stay on the lighted path and search for the love the! Vanjust me and an amazing staff that has helped me in my job. `` coaching her sure!