Meridian made her a full-time teaching offer, and BYU asked her to coach the club soccer team she had so recently left. I think we always felt the program would be successful, so we werent surprised, Smith-Bretzing said. archived form does not constitute a republication of the story. He searched for deeper meaning in his experiences, and he learned from some of lifes simple truths. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. When the girls play their best and get the best results, it all comes together. It was becoming a battle for her parents to keep her moving in the right direction. Without the light no man can see. We have done everything that most coaches could ever want, she says. 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. You can mark this day We get scared of failure, we fear the unknown, and we are burdened with losses, sickness, and pain. Not only can we choose to surround ourselves with good people, but we are also blessed to have a God who intentionally places certain individuals in our path to provide opportunities and open doors to the future. In order for us to hold up our light, we must believe and remember who we are, where we came from, and what we were sent here to do. In 2019, Rockwood and her staff were recognized as the United Soccer Coaches Regional Staff of the Year. 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. Kayla and Cameron have the reins to do a lot of things. . All of these emotions leave us vulnerable, questioning, and sometimes searching for easy fixes. 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. President Ezra Taft Benson and Elder JeffreyR. Holland agreed with the Israeli government that the university would not proselyte in Israel. . Rockwood started with a good group of girls, and then they only went up from there.. Our society is trending away from the spiritual and becoming more secular than ever. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. 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 remember thinking we had such great success those first few years, that the expectation got pretty high, Rockwood said. We didnt know a lot about soccer, it was just getting started in the high schools, it wasnt a big sport in the States.. They provided Rockwood with insights into team management and leadership development, lobbing her encouragement along the way. Do you have that light in your eyes? 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. Ive always had a work ethic, and I was always very competitive, she says. So much of the time, we need that little spark to keep us going.. She also became the first MWC coach to eclipse the 100-win and 200-win marks with a shutout at Milwaukee-Wisconsin, 2-0, on Sept. 23, 2000. Itis something that you cannot put into words. The Lake Oswego, Oregon, native was a four-sport athlete in high school playing soccer, softball, basketball and track. Ye are thelightof the world. But it forced me to be prepared.. 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. [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]. And thats led the way for younger players to come through and wanna reach the success.. While her accomplishments are remarkable, even more so is the path that positioned the 1989 Marriott School grad to achieve them. She was soon leading classes in math and history. no time to be drawn away from the things of the kingdom of God. 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. As surely as there is God, there is Satan. This story is part of the March 2022 issue of TheDaily Universe Magazine and magazine show (below). A long list of All-American soccer players has emerged from BYU's program and Rockwood's influence. I used to drive the team around in a fifteen-passenger vanjust me and fourteen high school boys. He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who made it possible for us to live together again as one eternal family. 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. The winner will advance to face the winner of the other semifinal between Rutgers and Florida State. They will spend countless hours together at practices, in the weight room, and on the road throughout almost every weekend during the season and the summer. Over the last 25seasons at the helm of the BYU women's soccer program, Rockwood has accumulated a .714winning percentage. 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. She could not believe the opportunity in front of her. She wanted to be like the campers and players on the team and go to BYU someday. She is the only coach the school recognizes since the club joined NCAA competition in 1995. 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. 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. 2 and went undefeated in the WCC a juggernaut conference in women's soccer. 4) in the NCAA Tournament. Some have had big roles, some small, and some have made all the difference. Once I had passed the arrow, I would scan again, trying to find another redlight. Billings became the first ever trainer for the soccer team, and Smith-Bretzing was one of Rockwoods first assistant coaches. Our prophet recently challenged all of us to be an example and a light to the world. What have I gotten myself into? she recalls thinking. To many in South America, soccer was akin to a religion. This poem has had a profound impact on my life, and I refer to it often. 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. Phenomenal experience for all of us some really special seniors, Rockwood said. She happily accepted both offers. Jennifer Rockwoodamerikalik futbol murabbiyi va BYU Cougars ayollar futbol jamoasining bosh murabbiyi bolib, u 1989-yildan beri faoliyat yuritib kelmoqda. One penalty kick. 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. Let yourlightso shine before men, that they may see your goodworks, andglorifyyour Father which is in heaven. Evidently they had been following my light all the way in. 1 seed in the NCAA College Cup, the first women's program at BYU to ever be awarded a 1-seed. 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. 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. history.lds.org/article/lost-sermons-wilford-woodruff-january-1864?lang=eng. But at the head of it all was coach Rockwood. 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. 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. Just shy of her 30th year overseeing the program and two years removed from BYU's entry into the Big 12 Rockwood has put it all together for a historic run leading up to Friday night's run-in with reigning national champion Santa Clara. 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. She is the only coach the school recognizes since the club joined NCAA competition in 1995. I was young, I was cheap, and I had been here, so I knew a little bit about the soccer community.. 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. 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. What an amazing opportunity it is to stand before you today. I must admit that the first thing I thought when asked if I would be willing to speak was, Really? (The Light in Their Eyes, Ensign, November 2005.). In this experience and in life, the lighted path is not always easy to follow, but it is the only way to reach our desired destination. 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. 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. Like Burleigh, Rockwood started the women's soccer program at BYU and is the 11th active Division I coach in wins. 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. She knew the sport of soccer. I can do this. 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. The final two years she took her teams to the Western National Collegiate Club soccer Association (NCCSA) title and placed second in the NCCSA National Championships. I feel like I have the dream job, she says. It is our responsibility. supports HTML5 video, Estimated read time: 7-8 There is something about the way they play. _ Article written by Rachel Evensen Photos by Bradley Slade Tags Summer 2017 Leading Alumni Business Management Alumni Magazine Leading Alumni "It's just been a magical season," says BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood (BS '89), whose team, with nine seniors, wasn't even ranked preseason. She knew it may never come again. Each team spends more than thirty hours together with no sleep, not much food, and few rest spots. After 23 NCAA Tournament appearances, seven Sweet 16 runs and four Elite Eight finishes, BYU women's soccer coach Jennifer Rockwood finally broke through with the program she helped build from scratch, culminating in the Cougars' first-ever NCAA College Cup semifinal appearance Friday at a sold-out Stevens Stadium in Santa Clara, California (7:30 p.m. MT, ESPNU). Structural Info Known for movies This is one way wecan search for the light. Each team member runs three different routes, and the whole team runs a total of more than 180 miles. I had to stop a few times to shine my headlamp around for fear that I was off of the course. 1 Stanford. And I will not change Rockwood has an impressive 407-118-45overall record for her career. 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. I was super excited that we could get to do this. only for your personal, non-commercial use. As a child in Chile, she watched soccer every day. In 27 years as the Cougars head coach, Rockwoods resume includes seven Coach of the Year awards, 13 total conference titles and 27 All-Americans. Before long, she was accepting an offer. After 23 NCAA Tournament appearances, seven Sweet 16 runs and four Elite Eight finishes, BYU women's soccer coach Jennifer Rockwood finally broke through with the program she helped build. "She's done so much for this program, and even for me personally," senior forward Makaylie Moore told BYUtv. I loved those guys, and we had a great time. Im here to see how good we can be.. We must search the scriptures and the words of our prophets and leaders and seek after the truth. Follow the light, seek after the light, and bethelight. 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. More success followed Rockwood. I was a finance major, and I had no teaching credentials, no education classes, and no real experience. Some may have been talking about Michael Jordans recent un-retirement and his upcoming return to the powerhouse Chicago Bulls. And again, they gave me a lot of freedom in doing what I did, cause I was learning a lot myself. I am sure that we all have worked extremely hard and sacrificed much to be a part of this BYU community. 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. overrideTextAlignment=. PROVO The numbers speak for themselves, but as is often the case, they don't tell the whole story. 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