"The head coach has to lay down the law, but she still has the ability to give players confidence. What a blessing for all of us to be at this great institution. BYU women's soccer coach Jennifer Rockwood finally reached the top of the mountain BYU has made the College Cup, the Final Four in women's soccer, for the first time in school history and will meet Santa Clara on Friday in a national semifinal By Jay Drew Dec 2, 2021, 3:24pm PST SHARE I am a fighter, and I choose to walk in the light.. Its kind of weird, huh? Rockwood said, noting all of the accomplishments over her wall, But when you kinda think about it, we feel very blessed. The girls did a great job, and toward the end of the week she was much more engaged in the training and seemed to be having a lot of fun with her team. I leave you with my testimony that I know we have a loving Heavenly Father who knows us by our names, by our thoughts, and by our hearts. . It is so important that we find ways in which we can inspire others. However, to several of those inside of the program, including Smith-Bretzing, it wasnt a big shock. Everybody knows more than you do about your job. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. 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. Ive always had a work ethic, and I was always very competitive, she says. Follow the light, seek after the light, and bethelight. 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. 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Bertoch fell in love with the game and now she had an opportunity to change her view on soccer forever, as something more than just a mans sport. You can't score if you don't shoot, and the 27th-year head coach has rarely if ever chastised a player for shooting too much. 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. It was not an easy journey for her, and there were many times when she knew it would be easier somewhere else. Inside was a beautiful hand-knitted blanket with the full BYU Cougar logo in the middle. Unlike basketball and football, soccer doesnt adhere to a recruiting calendar; Rockwood may be traveling any given weekend to watch prospective athletes. More success followed Rockwood. She knew the sport of soccer. My thought was I was going to get this club team to the point of where and if we do transition to an NCAA status that we will be ready and be prepared so that BYU isnt just starting at ground zero, Rockwood said. The Broncos, who are 8-0-1 at home this year, are one of two teams to shut out BYU and its nation-leading offense that averages 3.50 goals per match. Rockwood started the women's soccer program at BYU and recently picked up her 400th college soccer win as a coach. Do the hard things. These are questions we must ask ourselves on a daily basis. In the October 19, 2013 match vs. the San Francisco Dons, Rockwood would amass her 300th win. Learn more about the players, traditions, and college towns of BYU and their opponents all season long. Sara Sparhawk and Lyn Johnson find joy in bringing entrepreneurial opportunities to women everywhere through their company West Tenth. It's a sport of people, and that's something I always took from her. God has sent each of us here with a purpose, a plan, and a specific life to live. 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 . 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. And head coach Jennifer Rockwood's side is set to bring back all but one player from that team and now add Walbruch for a season that will undoubtedly contain sky-high expectations in BYU's. She could not believe the opportunity in front of her. 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. Her first interaction with the soon-to-be head coach Rockwood was one of intrigue, as neither had coached or been part of a program at the NCAA level. . Each new season of recruits will be a major influence in our lives, so we must choose wisely. Can I really do this?. The three-time West Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year has plenty of help, though, including ace scorer Cameron Tucker, who's 16 goals and five game-winning goals on the year led to her own first-team All-America nod; and sophomore midfielder Jamie Shepherd, the two-time All-West Regional honoree. These were great womenincluding Lu Wallace, Elaine Michealis, and Ann Valentinewho in 1995 took a chance on a young coach who had no real NCAA coaching, recruiting, or managerial experience but who had a dream and a vision of what BYU soccer could someday be. Obviously, this is one reason why she had gotten off to a rough start. Im pretty sure in todays world my scenario would not happen, Rockwood says. 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. Cultivate it in your lives and hold its very essence until you grow old and gray. 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. . Her daughter had found new motivation, inspiration, and direction. Do good anyway. That was until 2009, when I was running channels and came across a BYU womens soccer game just as someone did a flip throw. 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. 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. Everyone else on my team was really fast. BYU finished the season after falling in the Elite 8 to No. 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. One of the challenges for me as a coach is knowing that I can make a lot of kids really happy by recruiting them but that I also ruin dreams, she says. . What an amazing opportunity it is to stand before you today. When I was younger, one of my first coaching jobs was for a high school boys soccer team. Give the world the best you have anyway. Structural Info Known for movies If Santa Clara wins, the final will be played Sunday at 6 p.m. MT but moved to Monday at 6 p.m. MT if BYU wins because of the Cougars' no-Sunday play policy. I think she probably felt overwhelmed by what it all means.. Are you an example of the Savior in your words, thoughts, and actions? Build anyway. It actually came to a point at which I had to make the decision to ask her to leave the team. While I walk in the light of God my mind is open. Im here to see how good we can be.. Jennifer Rockwood has never had an unofficial visit like the one she had with Carla Swensen-Haslam. But what a blessed life and what a ride it has been. I didnt really believe a lot in myself the first few years, she says. 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. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. I took that opportunity to see where it would lead, she says. If BYU womens soccer fans have learned anything from Rockwood, it is that success always follows this program. This archived news story is available Would someone who doesnt know you know that you have the light within you? 1 Stanford. Jennifer Rockwood stepped onto BYUs South Field and gazed numbly across the green turf. "But it's not just their mentality. Back then we had to do everything on our own. I will Itis something that you cannot put into words. Help people anyway. [Be an Example and a Light, Ensign, November 2015]. This new team was understaffed and had a limited number of fans due to a lack of exposure or interest in womens sports as a whole. A city that is set on anhill cannot be hid. When she became the head coach of a club-turned-NCAA-sanctioned team in 1995, nothing was ever promised. 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. Among the many achievements and awards she has received over her career, Rockwood has been honored with sevenconference Coach of the Year awards, one by the Western Athletic Conference in 1996, two by the Mountain West in 2000 and 2008, and fourfrom the WCC in 2012,2014, 2018 and 2019. But for Rockwood, it's never been about the wins, the honors, the trophies or even the 18 All-America designations received by her players. I see my players play their best. Womens soccer was already played on campus but at the club level. 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. Though her scholastic path presented challenges, she says those experiences enabled her to achieve greater success down the road. Which voices do we let in? I know whats right As surely as there is God, there is Satan. We have . We didnt know a lot about soccer, it was just getting started in the high schools, it wasnt a big sport in the States.. _ Article written by Rachel Evensen Photos by Bradley Slade Tags Summer 2017 Leading Alumni Business Management Alumni Magazine Leading Alumni Over the next 25 years, her team won conference titles. I have the opportunity several times throughout the yearwhether at practice, before a game, or at halftimeto try to motivate, inspire, and remind the girls of what they are capable of and how amazing they are. "I have known Ellie. . "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. "It's all of those things and then, they've managed to stay mostly healthy.". . What have I gotten myself into? she recalls thinking. We then let those negative voices speak loudly in our headswith phrases such as Im not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, or skinny enough. As the leader of the firm's Global Power & Utilities Practice and Co-Head of the Private Capital Infrastructure Practice, she works across . She's not just a coach, but the mom of our team, making sure everyone is good. 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. We get scared of failure, we fear the unknown, and we are burdened with losses, sickness, and pain. 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. 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 . [Matthew 5:14, 16], Our opportunities to shine are limitless. 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. Follow Jennifer Rockwood, a four-year starter for BYU women's soccer, through her illustrious career as a player and coach. He remembers me saying, What makes you think you will ever get those shots off in a game if you cant even pass, trap, or control the ball?, Although I dont remember saying those specific words, he does, and he not only applied them to soccer but to life. Join Facebook to connect with Jennifer Hill and others you may know. overrideCardHideDescription= 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. 4) in the NCAA Tournament. Over the last 25seasons at the helm of the BYU women's soccer program, Rockwood has accumulated a .714winning percentage. This was her program now. Lets try it out.. He wants us to give up, and he places opportunities for missteps along our way. I will be strong So please accept this blanket as a token of my appreciation. The best advice I've ever gotten about coaching is. Under Rockwood's tutelage, the team finished in the Top 10 in 1998, 2000, 2003, 2012, 2016, 2019 and 2021 and have finished in the Top 25 13times in 25years. And thats led the way for younger players to come through and wanna reach the success.. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. And I will not change . Im not worthy enough or strong enough. The day I pledge Any doubts or questions of her being able to lead the team into a new era were gone. View All. With the Big 12 on the immediate horizon, dont be surprised if success happens rather quickly. Few people were likely talking about the inaugural season for the womens soccer team. Taking over the program in 1989, Rockwood is the only coach BYU has recognized since it made women's soccer an NCAA sanctioned sport in 1995. 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. She is the only coach the school recognizes since the club joined NCAA competition in 1995. Colohan buried the shootout's first kick officially marking the end of her brilliant BYU career. Just so you know, I was the oldest on the team and by far the slowest runner. She is the only coach the school recognizes since the club joined NCAA competition in 1995. The milestone came in Rockwood's 26th season with the Cougars, putting No. overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= Other crucial figures came to help, as Carolyn Billings and Robyn Smith-Bretzing both joined the program in 1995. Those decisions can emotionally drain Rockwood as she sometimes sees her players begin to question their ability and confidence. 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. In 2019, the Cougars entered the NCAA Tournament as the only undefeated team in the country with an 18-0-1 overall record at the close of the regular season. marriottmag@byu.edu, 16wSOC vs Long Beach State 832 (DONE).jpg. She was also someone who was so good that she had never really been held accountable to some of our athletic standards, such as fitness tests, work rate, and being on timeor even things such as what to wear to soccer clinics and service projects. Much of the challenge lay beyond the coursework, however, as Rockwood also fought inner battles each day. And they needed one kick to seal it. 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. Soccer? I love to share it at every possible opportunity. As graduation approached, Rockwood found herself at a crossroads. 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. In that time she amassed an overall record of 128-25-9. In many ways, it started Sept. 18, the last time BYU lost a match on South Field a 2-1 overtime loss to Utah State that triggered an offensive deluge. (Courtesy BYU Photo) 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. 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.. We have heard the saying I never said it would be easy, but it will be worth it. We all face challenges, and Satan loves to prey on us, especially during the difficult times. [1] Early life 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. I pray that I will be able to share a few thoughts and stories today that might inspire you to realize your significance and importance here on earth. Rockwood was offered a basketball scholarship at Ricks College, which she accepted in the fall of 1984, but her one true desire was soccer. Finally, toward the end of my run, I saw a few runners ahead and followed their lights to the finish. 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. no time to be drawn away from the things of the kingdom of God. 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