But if Rockwoods pattern of success is any indication, bringing home a national championship trophy is only a matter of time. Our society is trending away from the spiritual and becoming more secular than ever. 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. [Be an Example and a Light, Ensign, November 2015]. After participating in basketball in the Fall-winter of 198485, Rockwood transferred and enrolled at Brigham Young University. [7] Rockwood began to have immediate success. [The BYU Experience, BYU devotional address, 4November 1997]. [Stand Ye in Holy Places: Selected Sermons and Writings of President HaroldB. Lee (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974), 115]. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 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. To many in South America, soccer was akin to a religion. 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. Jennifer Rockwood is BYU women's soccer, they say. 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). 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. She knew it may never come again. 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. We live in a world in which our lives are busier, noisier, and more stressful than evera time when nothing stops or even slows down. I will You are unique and capable of more success than you can ever imagine. In her 27 years as head coach, Rockwood's Cougars have made the NCAA tournament 21 times. Video unavailable Watch on YouTube Watch on Universe Live Sports One penalty kick. I saw the potential.. I took that opportunity to see where it would lead, she says. 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. 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. Generally speaking, however, it was also seen as a male sport. We have done everything that most coaches could ever want, she says. I just had the chance to be in a leadership position at a very young age, having no experience and learning as I went.. 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. The team won 22 games the following season, losing only once, and won the Western Athletic Conference title. 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). Going into a PK is tough because you cant practice those, I mean you can, but you really cant, Rockwood said. Athletes playing for Rockwood have seen continual success over those 27 seasons. "I didn't always appreciate it when I played, but I sure do now. 15 player in the country when she signed with the Bruins. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. A long list of All-American soccer players has emerged from BYU's program and Rockwood's influence. (Courtesy BYU Photo) 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. 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. 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. I loved it, Bertoch said. Smith-Bretzing couldnt help but laugh when she thought about those early years. This story is part of the March 2022 issue of TheDaily Universe Magazine and magazine show (below). She was her own person, had her own ideas, and marched to her own drumwhich was fine, but at the same time, it was holding her back from reaching her highest potential. Help people anyway. Rockwood started the women's soccer program at BYU and recently picked up her 400th college soccer win as a coach. As a child in Chile, she watched soccer every day. While enjoying the spirit of the Lord, we want the light all the time. Are they motivating and inspiring us, or are they bringing us down? But not even the 400-plus career wins, 14 conference championships and seven conference coach of the year honors can adequately describe the impact Rockwood has had at BYU since foregoing a basketball scholarship to Ricks College in 1984 and transferring to the club soccer program in Provo. But through the struggles, the fight, the dedication, and the choices, she was able to develop, mature, and grow. We must choose our friends and those we associate with very carefully. This moment, this chance, was the biggest in her coaching career. A big part of my job and our staffs job is to recruit players to BYU. Do you have that light in your eyes? Studied Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University. I expect to be the best, and when Im not, I try to learn how I can be better.. (The Light in Their Eyes, Ensign, November 2005.). There are so many times throughout our lives when we have experiences that shake our commitments and cause us to doubt our abilities. "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. 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. Thats something I have struggled with over the years.. When the girls play their best and get the best results, it all comes together. As graduation approached, Rockwood found herself at a crossroads. After my first run of nearly six miles, I was okay, but it had been really hard and I had gone pretty slow. Jennifer Rockwoodamerikalik futbol murabbiyi va BYU Cougars ayollar futbol jamoasining bosh murabbiyi bolib, u 1989-yildan beri faoliyat yuritib kelmoqda. Kayla and Cameron have the reins to do a lot of things. 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.. 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. Iamliable to find fault with this, that, and the other. When I think about light and the many different meanings it has, Ireflect on an experience Ihad last June. BYU CLUB RECORD:128-25-9; six years as club coach. The search didnt go on long. 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. Im pretty sure in todays world my scenario would not happen, Rockwood says. It just seems impossible sometimes to keep up with the pace. Always give everything your best effort. We know and have been taught that the light leads us through this journey. 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. I wish she were here to sing it, but the lyrics include the following: Ive made my choice Im here to see how good we can be.. Standing for Him We are here to build the kingdom of God and to help our family and friends reach their highest potential. only for your personal, non-commercial use. Jennifer Rockwood was the head coach of the BYUwomens soccer team when she delivered thisdevotional address on 15 March 2016. Like Burleigh, Rockwood started the women's soccer program at BYU and is the 11th active Division I coach in wins. 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. In whatever we are involved with here at BYU, we can make a difference. 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. I can comprehend it and understand the signs of the time and the working of the Spirit of God, and when a thing is presented to me by [the] servants of God, I can receive a testimony of the truth of that; but when Ilose the light I dont comprehend those things. Few people were likely talking about the inaugural season for the womens soccer team. Some may have been talking about Michael Jordans recent un-retirement and his upcoming return to the powerhouse Chicago Bulls. Love yourself so that you can love others. Now the Kaysville, Utah, native will take her talents to the professional ranks. 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. [1] Early life 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. Finally, toward the end of my run, I saw a few runners ahead and followed their lights to the finish. There is something about the way they play. I am sure that we all are qualified and have had numerous opportunities to be elsewhere, but we have chosen to be here at Brigham Young University and to stand for something more than ourselves. 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. And they needed one kick to seal it. . So much of the time, we need that little spark to keep us going.. I have a lot of support around me and an amazing staff that has helped me in my job.". We didnt know a lot about soccer, it was just getting started in the high schools, it wasnt a big sport in the States.. While Bertoch has grown to love Rockwood, neither knew what to expect at the time. 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. "She's done so much for this program, and even for me personally," senior forward Makaylie Moore told BYUtv. 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. 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 "The head coach has to lay down the law, but she still has the ability to give players confidence. 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. There were many likely talking about the upcoming football season for the Cougars and their excitement for a team led by quarterback Steve Sarkisian. Just so you know, I was the oldest on the team and by far the slowest runner. With so much that has been provided for us by a loving Heavenly Father, much is expected. In 1996 and 2012, Rockwood was also Region Coach of the Year. Each team spends more than thirty hours together with no sleep, not much food, and few rest spots. I will be brave BYU finished the season after falling in the Elite 8 to No. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. I had to stop a few times to shine my headlamp around for fear that I was off of the course. Think big anyway. We have more responsibilities, more pressures, more expectations, and more places to be, and we spend far too much time on our smartphones. Drawing a deep breath, the fledgling head coach set to work. I remember going up to the Utah High School Activities Association with other athletic directors, she says. She coached players into All-Americans. BYU was a team on the rise. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Evidently they had been following my light all the way in. All rights reserved. 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. 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. We are to use our gifts and our individual talents to share the light and bring the light to others. 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. Another way to search for the light is to surround ourselves with individuals who inspire us and lift us to great places. Aggression is the key in soccer, but so is patience, calmness on the ball, and tactical awareness in a game that can resemble both a chess match and a track meet and sometimes in the same 45-minute half. During Kate Toronto's first day of classes at BYU Marriott, she watched in awe as Marcy Fetzer taught a class on human resources. 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.. Olivia Wade is so good on the wing. BYU Women's Soccer (@byusoccer_w) September 10, 2021 BYU is another prestigious women's soccer program that longtime head coach Jennifer Rockwood leads. Will Rockwood ever leave BYU? When you seek after the light by surrounding yourself with positive and great individuals, you provide yourself with more opportunities to learn and grow. There was a handwritten note on top, and part of it read: I am an inmate of the Utah State Prison. Jennifer Rockwood, BYU. God has sent each of us here with a purpose, a plan, and a specific life to live. Are you lighting the way for others? It goes to show you that we never know what God has in store for us in the present or in the future. Billings became the first ever trainer for the soccer team, and Smith-Bretzing was one of Rockwoods first assistant coaches. We must be disciplined and dedicated, and we must look for opportunities to learn and grow. But no amount of club soccer matches could prepare her for what was to come: coaching a fully sanctioned NCAA soccer team. Jennifer Rockwood has never had an unofficial visit like the one she had with Carla Swensen-Haslam. Rockwood was retained and became the Cougars first NCAA women's soccer coach. coach to your personality. 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. Succeed anyway. He wants us to give up, and he places opportunities for missteps along our way. So many amazing people have crossed my path over the years, as I am sure many have crossed yours. 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. And then comes the summer, when she oversees BYUs soccer camps, which bring more than 2,700 children and teens to campus over a period of seven weeks. 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. "Honestly, Jen has been awesome. 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. All of these emotions leave us vulnerable, questioning, and sometimes searching for easy fixes. To me, this is a great example of someone who was able to apply a simple concept to his life and who continues to share that lesson with those he teaches. 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. She is a very versatile attacking player, a good goal scorer and will be a huge . Itis for the entire team. It was one of the few runs that took place on a trail in the middle of nowhere at 2:00 a.m. What an adventure! She graduated with a degree in Communications and began her career working in broadcasting, including working for CNN and KBYU-TV. 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. Rockwood previously earned the honor in 2012, 2014 and 2018. overrideTextAlignment= While Rockwood was tackling her business degree in the Tanner Building, she was also picking up additional training around the practice field. You could just tell that she loved soccer., Smith-Bretzing said that she also respected the process by which Rockwood was able to lead the program when she became head coach. 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. Im just a soccer coach! And then I thought, Oh, nothose new Marriott Center screens are way too big!. Just as the sun, the moon, and the stars light the landscape of this beautiful world, the light from above provides us with direction and purpose. 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. But at the head of it all was coach Rockwood. "It's all of those things and then, they've managed to stay mostly healthy.". 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. Life is too hard!. The Cougars have a challenge against Santa Clara, their WCC rivals with a 15-5-2 overall record and the reigning national champions. It is very hard to describe. I used to panic in my finance classes when they would be looking to call on someone to do a presentation or share a thought. 1974 ), 115 ] staff that has helped me in my.. Activities Association with other Athletic directors, she watched soccer every day think about jennifer rockwood byu married and the many meanings. 27 years as club coach are they motivating and inspiring us, are. Amazing people have crossed yours the Elite 8 to no motivating and inspiring us or. 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