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In today’s newsletter:
Why I dislike Soccer, but also why it matters
The real reason behind choices
“You are where your feet are and that is where you should embrace being”
THIS IS NOT THE STORY OF A SOFTBALL PLAYER, BUT YOU SHOULD STILL KEEP READING!
Truth is, I do not love the sport of soccer. I never have. I never understood the rules and I never understood why someone would want to run for 90+ minutes straight. That is not a dig on anyone who loves it, either. I watched every USA Women’s Soccer game the last couple weeks. I even had my partner explain to me what “off sides” is with her sons lego guys. I felt really dumb, but she made it make sense..somewhat!
Anyways, this is not about my lack of soccer knowledge or why I dislike the sport, I promise you there is a point. Okay, Google Shauna Rohbock, bypass the fact that she is a decorated 2x Olympic Bobsledder and the fact she is one of the very few Female National Team Bobsled Coaches in the World; focus on her high school career at Mountain View (Orem, UT) and college career at BYU.
If you are being lazy, here is a brief breakdown:
Mountain View High School Accolades:
Soccer:
5A All-State First Team four times
All-Region First Team four times
State MVP twice
Regional MVP twice
All-time state scoring record of 145 goals
First-team USA Soccer Coaches Association (1994)
Track:
5A All-Star four times
State MVP twice
All-Region First Team four times
State record holder in 100 hurdles, javelin throw and high jump
Regional MVP twice
First-team USA Track & Field
Prep All-American in heptathlon (5,113 points)
BYU Accolades:
Soccer; Played in 90 games and took 368 shots, netting 94 goals and assisting for 26 additional goals
Soccer; Tallied 214 career points
Soccer; Ranks No. 6 on the NCAA career scoring list behind Danielle Fotopoulos, Mia Hamm, & Tiffany Milbrett
Soccer; Three-time All-WAC First-Team selection
Soccer; Six-time All-American
Track & Field; All-American outdoor track heptathlon
WOW, right? !!CLAP CLAP CLAP!!
OKAY BUT WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH SOFTBALL AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
I have the pleasure of knowing Shauna personally. She was absolutely the person who explained offsides to me with her sons legos.
When I started this job, I started asking people close to me about their recruiting experience. What went well? What didn’t go well? What offers did you have? Did you have any offers?
“I could have went anywhere; Clemson, Duke, University of North Carolina, LSU, Nebraska, Stanford, to name a few. I was dead set on playing my freshman year and I was not ready to give up track. If I remember correctly, University of North Carolina told me I would have had to sit my freshman year and Stanford was not going to let me compete as a heptathlete and play soccer…my decision came down to where I felt I was supposed to be.”
A year prior to her (Shauna’s) attendance at BYU, the soccer program was noted only as a club sport on campus. Her freshman year was the first time the program had been sanctioned as an NCAA D1 program.
(what a risk)
“It was a huge risk, I could have went in and been the best player in the program and not have had the competitive edge I was looking for. I wanted to be apart of a program where I was surrounded by other elite players, ones to push me, ones to feed me the ball.” Shauna said.
Shauna was apart of the BYU Women’s Soccer Team from 1995-1998 where she helped the Cougars compete in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). In 1996, one year after her arrival the Cougars were named WAC Tournament Champions.
“University of North Carolina (UNC) Women’s Soccer was 12-time National Champions prior to my arrival at BYU and twice during my time at BYU…. some people probably think I am crazy, but I wanted to build a program and we did that. We were WAC Tournament Champions in 1996, went to the First Round of the NCAA Tournament in 1997, and went to the Sweet-16 in 1998… I knew the type of player I was, my playing ability, and so did the coaches that recruited me. I wanted to make a difference.” She said.
(SR) San Diego Spirit
Shauna earned her dream of playing Pro Soccer for the San Diego Spirit and she got a CAP (appearance in an international match) with the U.S. Soccer Women’s National Team.
“I think that my goals of being on the National Team on a more permanent basis could have been different if I played for UNC. But I threw everything I had into an opportunity that presented itself (Bobsled). 2002, was the first time that Women were allowed to participate in Bobsled in the Olympics… I guess just like my time at BYU, I saw an opportunity to make a difference in something and I took it.”
Shauna Rohbock - 2006 (Torino Winter Olympics)
YOU ARE WHERE YOUR FEET ARE AND THAT IS WHERE YOU SHOULD EMBRACE BEING
Decisions come full circle, sometimes you don’t understand the meaning or purpose of why things do or don’t work out. In Shauna’s case, she would have never been an 2x Olympian/Olympic Silver Medalist. But in the same return, where would her Soccer Career have lead her if she chose UNC for the National Championships?
To me, there is more to college athletics than chasing National Championships. It’s okay to want to be apart of a program that pushes you, but that looks different to everyone.
Let me ask you a question, are you the player that:
Wants to play for a competitive program and continue a winning tradition?
or -
Wants to play for a program that has openly shown its ups and downs, but you have the power to be apart of the growth in its successes?
There is no wrong answer, the road looks different for everyone. Take a look in the mirror and see what you need to live your dream, not someone else’s.
Until next time, #12 out.
