Bitter-Sweet End

Courtney Harvey, Junior, Billings, MT.

"Anyone who has played a sport at any level will tell you that you can't focus on the bad things that might happen in a game or you won't be able to function properly when you are in the moment. You must be able to relax and compete aggressively while approaching the game with great confidence. It is the fear of failure that drives you, but it is visualizing success that gives you the positive mind-set and confidence to feel like you can accomplish anything."
~Drew Brees

For those of you who don't know, Drew Brees is the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. Although I am not a Saints Fan (GO BRONCOS!!) I found his book very inspiring and would recommend it to anyone who plays or is interested in sports and has faith. As I sat down to read Drew's memoir for the second time this year, the above quote seemed to jump out at me with a heavy importance. Over the past couple years I have realized how important the element of confidence is to any aspect of life and most definitely to soccer. With that being said, I believe the best way to achieve confidence is to be as readily prepared for the task at hand as possible and to surround yourself with people you can count on to do the same. I know that is exactly the case for the team and family at MSUB. That is why I will undoubtedly say the achievements and positive possibilities we can accomplish are endless!

I have also learned to dedicate my hardwork to and be motivited by those who have faith and believe in me rather than trying to prove the naysayers wrong. No matter what I'm doing... running sprints in the scorching heat or the early mornings in the upper gym (sorry to bring that up girls, I know it's a sensitive subject to most of us), lifting, kicking long ball after long ball with my left foot, or practicing my defensive headers... I think about the various people in my life who have inspired me to get where I am today. Consider the teammates, coaches, family members, and friends who have helped you and believed in you along the way. Allow that to motivate you through the remainder of the summer and into the fall. It's more rewarding than you could ever expect!

Although I may be kicking myself in a couple weeks for saying this (hehe), I have never been this excited for pre-season to start! The end of summer is always bitter-sweet but I can't wait to see everyone and begin the 2011-2012 season. I am eager to start playing with old and new teammates and to see all the positive ways the incoming freshmen class will impact our program!

Hope everyone's summers have been all you hoped them to be and we will be seeing eachother soon!

Progress

Danielle Gordon, Senior, Atkins, IA.

As I sat in the same spot that I sat in twelve years ago during the '99 Women's World Cup Final, I clenched my teeth, held my breath, and kept my eyes glued during every break away, every shot, every save, down to the final PK that determined the fate of the US team. Memories from the previous, victorious game flashed through my mind and I sat on hope that the same result would transpire. Unfortunately this was not their year to repeat history and the bitter taste of a loss will flood their senses for time to come, but all that matters now is the progression towards the next opportunity for advancement.

Progression is something that the MSUB Women's Soccer program is consistently striving for. From the beginning of the program and our first season to the very last second of the 2nd game in the NCAA Division II Tournament, fifteen years after the birth of the program, we have made progress. The upcoming season is drawing near with high expectations and the only thing that can continue the progress in an upward direction is work that has been put in throughout the history of the program and will continue to be put in for the future of the program.

I am looking forward to our team persisting and making further strides in the program this season. From the words of Benjamin Franklin: "Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning."
With that being said, I look forward to progress this next season and in turn, success.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and I cannot wait to see you all here in a few weeks!!

Danielle

Summer Check In

Kristen Kastelic, Junior, Phoneix, AZ.

Hi everyone!!! Hope you are all having a great summer! I can’t believe we only have one month left!

My summer has been great so far. I have been working as a summer camp counselor, hanging out with my friends and family, and doing the summer workouts (my dog Buddy likes to do them too :)! ). I have made two short trips to California, but mostly I have just been relaxing at home in Arizona. It has been super hot lately and scorpions keep sneaking into our house so that sucks, but other than that it’s so nice to be home!

Just a few days ago a giant “haboob” dust storm passed through Phoenix. It’s a really weird name, but that’s what it’s called and if you’re bored you should Google it, its crazy looking!

On Thursday, my boyfriend Ryan flew in and surprised me so that was awesome because I haven’t seen him all summer!

Although it’s been nice being home, I am really looking forward to the season starting! I am excited for the games, the traveling, meeting the new freshman and being with the team again! I know we are all determined to be the GNAC champions this year and making it further in the NCAA tournament!! It is sure to be a really exciting fall season and I can’t wait!

Everyone keep up the hard work and enjoy the rest of your summer!!! :)

Sumer Check In

Jen Larsen, Junior, Mesa AZ.

Sixty-two more days until our first regular season game, to enjoy summer, to do summer workouts. Sixty-two more days until our team reunites and is back together once again. Sixty-two days seems like a long time…but it will definitely go by fast! Half of our summer is already gone and in 62 days, our family will be back together once again, along with some new editions. I am SUPER excited to meet all of our new freshman and make them part of our MSUB family!

My summer has been quite an adventure so far! I have been studying abroad in Spain for the past 6 weeks and I am sad that I have to come home tomorrow! I have wanted to go to Spain for a long time and my wish finally came true! I stayed in Salamanca, which is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. I stayed in an apartment with a host mom, 6 other girls and a cute little dog. Although I was in class five days a week, I was able to travel on the weekends and see a lot of cool places. I saw the beaches in Portugal and Barcelona, the old architecture in Avila, the beautiful landscape of Segovia, and the museums in Toledo!

Living in Salamanca is…different. While in Salamanca, although I have enjoyed my time, I am excited to get back to the states where I fit in a little bit more! Even if I wore what the Spanish girls wore, my blonde hair and white skin still made me an outcast. Not to mention, I usually had a soccer ball in my hand and soccer cleats on my back. I thought that everyone in Spain played soccer…apparently not the girls because I got so many strange looks for being a girl with a soccer ball! I actually found a team to play with here, too…SHOCK: they were all boys. It is a little bit tougher than playing with American girls my age:).

After I leave Spain, I will just be hanging out with family and friends until preseason starts up in August! I cannot wait to be back in 704 with my roommates cooking, cleaning and having a good time. And, although I am very sad to end my summer vacations, I am very excited for the upcoming season and I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish this year. Looking forward to a great season filled with many good memories, laughs and WINS!

FINSIH STRONG <(“)

Summer Check In

Tyshea Davis, Senior, Idaho Falls, ID.

Summer kicked off with a late start for good weather, but not for soccer training. This past week, I was able to work with the MSUB Men’s Soccer coach Dan McNally and some of his incoming players put on a youth day camp at our very own turf field. I had the 5-6 yr-olds, and they were such a blast! The oldest group, a U12 local travel team amazed me with some of their skills, and they could really kick the ball! One kid scored with a header every corner kick I served them in a span of 15 minutes; I was thoroughly impressed with our youth here in Billings.

Additionally, I helped with MSUB Golf in putting on a huge golf tournament fundraiser that was really great, as well. Billings own celebrity, Jeff Ballard who played for Stanford and later the Baltimore Oreoles was there, and I got to watch his sweet lefty put. Even Coach Krakowiak came out for a fun rookie game of golf :) haha.

The weather has alas been cooperating with the coinciding summer season, which is flying by. We have a sweet overnight camp coming up in August I am looking forward to helping coach, and I’m just missing all the girls!

Beginning of the End

Kelley Minard, Senior from Helena, MT

Hello all! Hope everyone’s summer is holding up its end of the bargain promising hot temperatures and long summer nights filled with friends, family, and fun. I can tell you that Billings, MT is finally seeing some summer weather….as of June 16. It’s been pretty crazy here with flood warnings and tornado sirens, but it finally seems to be looking up.

My summer has been quite a busy one so far. As I start my senior year of college, I find myself stressing out a little bit about venturing out into the real world. What am I going to do? Where do I want to live? Should I continue with a Masters? Should I move to Mexico and become a beach bum? It’s all coming so fast and I am not sure if I am quite ready for what the world has to offer me…..considering I haven’t quite found it yet and I am still pondering what to do with my life. Recently I have discovered an interest in realty. It seems like the perfect starting point to a career. Why not?

As of two months from now, we will be in our second day of preseason. WHOA. I need to get this out of the way…………WHOOOOOOO LAST PRESEASON EVER!!!!!! But seriously, its bittersweet. Obviously preseason isn’t the most fun thing of anyone’s summer, but the bonds that are made and the relationships that develop are worth the physical and mental rollercoaster of preseason. It’s strange to think that this time next year I won’t be doing the day to day workouts or grabbing a soccer ball every chance I can. I will officially be booted into the reality of a college graduate. YIKES.

I look forward to seeing all my teammates, new and old, and reuniting to practice and train to the best of our potential. I have missed these girls way too much to be away from them this long. With all the changes that have happened this year already, we have become stronger and will remain strong no matter what else is thrown at us. This year will be great, I can feel it. Have a good summer and enjoy the sun!

Finish Strong.

Enjoying the Sun

Jenn Brookshire, Sophomore from Venture, CA



I hope everyone is having a great summer! My summer has been pretty laid back. I spend most of the time relaxing by the pool or beach or just hanging out with my family!! Whether it’s taking my brother to the farm or beating my sister at board games!! The workouts have been good and I run with my sister who plays on a college team too!! Danica is visiting for a week so we will be hanging out at the beach, going to universal studios, and riding the water rides at hurricane harbor! My relatives from France are coming to my house on July 7 to spend some quality family time together!!! I’m looking forward to that since I haven’t seen them in a year. It should be a pretty interesting month!! I go to Costa Rica in a month with my family, which will be so fun!! I have never been there before and I have heard it is an amazing place to visit! We have a bunch of things planned, like zip lining through the rain forest and swimming at the beach!! They only speak Spanish there so I definitely need to learn a few words in Spanish!!!! I hope everyone is having a great time at home or wherever you may be. I look forward to seeing all of my teammates in August once again for preseason.

Enjoy the sun!!!

Big News

Janae T Remsberg, redshirt Sophomore from Oceanside, California

It has been a momentous last couple of days for me and my family. It is not because Scotty won on American Idol, even though I consider that a momentous occasion, but we just found out the news on where my older sister will be serving her mission for the next year and a half. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and men and women have the opportunity to serve a mission if they please. My older sister Amy played for the MSUB soccer team for two years then transferred to BYU were she decided to put in her papers to go on a mission. Yesterday we all sat around while she opened her papers that determined the next eighteen months of her life. She proceeded to tell us that she was going to be serving in the Bucharest Romanian mission. So as of right now my summer seems pretty boring to what my older sister will be experiencing soon and am glad to share the news with everyone. Besides getting that information, I have been working many hours at IN-N-OUT and claiming my spot in front of my television with my sisters. I definitely miss everything and summer is already one third of the way done! I will see everyone soon and ENJOY what we all have left.

Summer Check In

Adrienne Biglow, Junior from Yakima, WA.

Wow, I can’t believe we are already nearing the end of May which means a month of summer break has already gone by. I can already tell that the last two months are going to fly by, and before we know it the team will be back in Billings starting preseason. This isn’t such a bad thought though seeing as I already miss all the girls A LOT!
The first week I was back in my hometown of Yakima Washington I got to enjoy being lazy and spending time in the sunshine (it was nearly eighty degrees all week). However, as of last Saturday I ventured back to reality when I started working. This summer for my second year I’m working at the local par three golf course in the pro shop. I can hardly complain though because I seem to spend most of my time there reading and chatting with the customers. It is the perfect job for me, when I’m not having disagreements with the cash register. Other than work, I have been enjoying spending time at home with my parents, and of course my adorable dog Mandy. I never quite realize how much I miss being around my house throughout the year until I come back home and it feels like I’ve left. I’ve also had a lot of fun catching up with my friends from high school and going on a few road trips.
Summer is the perfect getaway from the stress of the school year, where I feel like I can regroup and mentally and physically prepare myself for next fall, and most especially next season. I know my teammates are all off doing the same and getting ready for when we see each other again in August. Keep working hard on the summer workouts ladies and I hope everyone is having a great summer 

Summer Check In

Jaucelyn Richter, Junior from Billings, MT.

Hello everybody!!

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer break so far. I know I was definitely loving the lack of school and not having to get up bright and early to use my brain in the morning. I officially started SUMMER SCHOOL with Courtney Harvey in Bozeman. We're taking organic chemistry and we just love going to school in the summer so much. Hehe hopefully we survive this girls. ;)

"Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow." -Doug Firebaugh. This quote is definitely something to keep in mind as we survive through the summer work outs. I know working out in the summer heat, when we could be out enjoying the nice weather, is quite grueling but keep up the hard work, it always pays off in the end.

To the incoming freshman...Congrats on graduation!! Can't wait for you ladies to become a part of the team!

Soak up the sunshine, work hard, make a little summer money, and just enjoy life. Excited to see you all in the fall!!

Fisish Strong

Courtney Harvey, Sophmore, Billings, MT.
Finishing the 2011 Spring season 6-0-1 has left our team with an abundance of confidence and high expectations for the 2011 Fall season.

As most know the past year has consisted of many changes to the woman's soccer program here at MSU-Billings. The loss of six seniors along with their leadership and experience will most definitely be difficult to replace. A new head coach has also brought it's fair share of adjustments and difficulties.

With all this being said I have the utmost confidence in the future of our program. The intensity of games and practices this spring has shown the heart and dedication each girl is willing to put forth to accomplish our common goals. Wojtek has handled the new coaching position very well and positively encourages each one of us to be the best we can be for each other, for him and for the program. It's reassuring to know we have a coach that stands behind our team on and off the field and is willing to put in the amount of work required to be a successful program.

Many people would look at our team with an attitude that the 2011 Fall season is a season to re-build the team and adjust to all the changes. Expectations may be low from an outsiders point of view but as a team and a family we hold each other to high standards. We know next year is another shining opportunity to come one step closer to achieving our ultimate goal... winning a national championship!!

I hope everyone has a WONderful summer and I already can't wait to see what the future holds for our team. Goodluck on finals and see you all in early August!

Looking Toward the Future

Danielle Gordon, Senior from Atkins, IA

As we enter the last week of spring, we plan to keep our momentum going into our final three games.

We are now 4-0 and looking to finish strong this spring season.

This spring has flown by and is bitter sweet. For many of us summer is a time to spend time with our family for a couple months, but at the same time we are leaving our second family and trusting in them to put in the work during our time away.

Knowing that though, I have the utmost confidence in our girls. I love knowing these girls will put in the work necessary for us to be successful next fall. It is always hard to leave the group for months at a time, but I know when we see each other again in August it will be like we have never left.

These girls mean the world to me and I would do anything for them... Thank you girls for everything.

Finish Strong.

Spring Check In

Kristen Kastellic, Sophmore from Phoneix AZ

This week, the team spent most of our time focusing on our next game against Rocky. We came out to practice hard everyday preparing for the game. Unfortunately, on Friday we found out because of the weather we would postpone the game from Sunday to next Wednesday, April 6 at 4pm. We were pretty disappointed the game got moved because all of us we really pumped up and ready to play! On the bright side, it gives us a few extra days to get ready for the game! I know all of us are very excited and can’t wait get Rocky back for our loss against them in preseason.

On our off day from practice, Friday, we had a busy but fun day! First we went and cheered on our Yellowjacket tennis team in their matches against CSU – Pueblo. It was the first competitive tennis match I’ve personally ever watched so that was a lot of fun to see and support our fellow athletes! [Note: When entering the tennis bubble to watch don’t come in with 20 people while they are in the middle of the match and try to walk behind the courts. Apparently your not suppose to do that :)]

Next, we surprised Don at his going away party! We all signed a ball and a framed jersey and presented that to Don at the party. There was a nice video there to celebrate Don’s time as a coach at MSUB. It is very sad to see him go, he will be missed. But we all wish him luck at University of Wyoming and thank him for all the years of hard work he has put into this program!

After Don’s going away party, our team went to volunteer at Eaglefest. Eaglefest is an annual event to raise money for Eagle Mount, an organization that provides opportunities in recreation for children and adults with disabilities. We were in charge of running carnival booths for children and it was a lot of fun! I was in charge of the face painting station and had a blast attempting to paint Spiderman faces and the cartoon character Diego from Nick Jr. Our team looks forward to this event every year because it is always nice to give back to community!

It is weird we only have 3 full weeks left of spring soccer! I would be nice if the weather would warm up for these last weeks so it actually feels like spring :)!

A New Chapter

The Yellowjacket lady soccer team hasn’t missed a beat from the recent resignation of head coach Donald Trentham and the promotion of new head coach Wojtek Krakowiak. In fact, things could not look better. Coach Krakowiak, a huge contributor to our success this last season, has even more to offer than his coaching abilities-- his experience. We opened the succession with his very own words. “I know how to win a NCAA tournament, and I can take you there”. With Krakowiak’s own history of a NCAA division I championship in college and a heavy duty experience in the MLS, his words came without denial.

Practice kicked off with everyone proving themselves. For the most part, we have stuck to the regimen of last season, with some occasional changes. Every day is a new day for growth and development, competition and challenge, and character building and unity.

Practice in the snow made for an interesting afternoon, but it is just another factor that our team must overcome. We continue to prove our dedication as a family to the next chapter of the Yellowjacket history book; a continuum of the past 15 years of hard work.

In the past few weeks, we have had our jump-start into our spring season with a little inside competition from Billings’ own U16 and U18 club teams also coached by Wojtek and assistant coach and alumni, Kari Foreman. The games turned out to be a success, with all of our players stiff and sore on Sunday morning, and a 2:0 winning record to kick off the spring season. We look forward to a promising, civil game this upcoming Wednesday against rival team Rocky Mountain College.

Yellow Jacket Nation

Jen Larsen, Sophmore from Mesa, AZ.

Two weeks into practicing and the competitive atmosphere is back in action. Practices are jam packed with energy and filled with excitement for our upcoming games this weekend against the U-16 and U-18 Magic City teams. The last time we played a full field game was back in November at the NCAA tournament. Talk about an anxious group of girls. We are more than ready to start our spring season and bring that competitive atmosphere into actual games!
This past week was a busy one. In between practices and school, we found time to watch our Yellowjacket Golf Team come away with a victory. Unfortunately, we only were able to watch an hour of the match, but in that hour, we did learn something. We learned that golf is definitely NOT a yelling sport. All we wanted to do was yell and cheer for our amazing golf team, but we had to contain ourselves and resort to clapping. We also had the privilege of attending a softball game! Our vocal chords were much more useful at the softball complex, just ask Heidi Greenback:). I think all of the cheering helped because the team crushed the opponent and came away with a victory. Our team attended two games and came out with two victories. Coincidence? I think not. We look forward to going to many more Yellowjacket sporting events this spring!
Overall, this weekend was a success. We look forward to the upcoming week and wait in anticipation for next weekend! I know that our practices will be very focused as we get ready for our games! The competitive atmosphere will continue to flourish and get stronger as the games grow nearer.

Starting Anew

Posted by Amanda Brusic, Junior from Yakima, WA



As we all took our much needed spring breaks,we came back to some
bittersweet news: Don was resigning to take an assistant coaching
position at the University of Wyoming. It was hard to hear and most of
us shed a few tears when he told us of his resignation. This past year
was a challenging yet successful year and Don’s commitment to the team,
program, and sport was a huge contributor to our striving season, which
will not soon be forgotten. We are all happy for Don as he takes his
next step in coaching and wish him all the best in his future
endeavors.

We turn now to what lies ahead. I’m excited to have Wojtek, our new
head coach, take on the role and help continue our success. I trust he
will do a good job as the Spring/Fall seasons emerge. As we started
our first Spring practice outside this past Wednesday, we came out with
flying colors, ready to get after it. Everyone has a lot of energy and
I think we are excited to be outside again on the turf. I believe if we
keep our competitive spirits alive in practice, they will carry over
into our Spring games.

I look forward to what this team will accomplish amidst the changes. We
have each other, we are a family,and I think something as special as
that can turn any transition or adjustment into an easier one. It just
takes the right attitude and the willingness to work hard, on and off
the field.

"FINISH STRONG"

A New Challenge

Posted by Don Trentham
Former MSUB Women's Soccer Head Coach

Players, alumnae, fans and boosters of the Montana State University Billings Women’s Soccer program, as well as all of my great colleagues on campus, I announce today that I will be resigning as head women’s soccer coach of this university to accept the assistant women’s soccer coach position at the University of Wyoming. It is time for me begin a new challenge and pursue my goal of being a head coach at the DI level, and I believe this is a necessary step for me to get there.

First off, I want to thank all of you who made my time here in Billings and at MSUB so special. I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with and meet all of you over the past 9 years. So many of you have helped me grow as a person and a coach, and I cannot thank you enough. Jenn and I will leave Billings with a heavy heart, as this community, the campus and all of the wonderful people we have met here mean so much to us.

I have seen this program grow immensely over the past nine seasons, and am very proud of everything we have accomplished here. While this was a difficult decision, it was made a little easier by the fact that the program is in a fantastic place right now. We are coming off a 2nd round appearance in the NCAA Tournament, we have 18 very good players returning for 2011, we have a solid recruiting class coming in and most of all we have a truly special family atmosphere that makes Yellowjacket women’s soccer so unique.

In addition, I have great confidence that my former assistant coach, Wojtek Krakowiak, will take this program to the next level in the upcoming years. It is my hope all of you will give him the same support you have given me over the past nine years, as I know great things lie ahead for the program with him in charge.

As for me, I look forward to the new challenge that lies ahead and while I will no longer be on the sidelines to coach the team, I will now become one of the biggest fans of Yellowjacket women’s soccer. I will anxiously await the final scores of each and every game, and will follow the news of the program intently.

I also want to sincerely thank former chancellor, Dr. Ron Sexton, and current athletic director, Dr. Gary Gray, for giving a young coach his first opportunity to be a head college coach. Not only did you give me the opportunity, but your mentorship and your support through the years was awesome. Both of you deserve major credit for the success of the program.

Lastly and most of all, I want to thank all of the great assistant coaches and student-athletes who I have had the pleasure to be around the past nine years. Your commitment to this program and to me as your coach was appreciated more than you will ever know. I have always felt selfish through the years, as I know I learned way more from all of you than you could have possibly learned from me. Thank you so much...it will be all of you who I will miss the most.

Privileged to be a member of the Yellowjacket family!!!

Sincerely,

Don Trentham

First of the Lasts

Posted by Kelley Minard, Junior from Helena, MT

It is hard for me to believe that I will be running my last indoor sprint session on Wednesday. I have thought about this day since my first sprint session of my freshman year, thinking HOLY COW I have three more years of this? But time has really flown and here I am, conflicted with mixed feelings about this upcoming Wednesday morning. Crazy right? That I am feeling sad about not getting up at 5 45 in the mornings to partake in our infamous winter sprints. Not so crazy when I think about the people running next to me.

During my time at MSUB, I have learned the true meaning of second family. There are always small jokes passed around with good friend’s families, “oh this is my second mom” or “we’re basically sisters”, but it’s nothing like what we have here in Billings, MT. These girls are my true family and I am reminded of that every morning at 6 am, when we are about to start a sprint workout. The little high-fives with Miss Courtney Harvey after a rough set or the comments “Only twenty more sprints ladies!” when you’re really not sure what is worse, the fact that you have twenty more sprints or that you have already done thirty something, and the fact that Agen Heffernan and Sabrina Grandke-Bawab who aren’t running due to injuries and conflicting sports, are there every single morning cheering all of us on. May I remind you, this is 6 in the morning and we are college students—the brain does not function well at this early hour, so for them to put in the effort to help us complete this workout is huge. I know I could not do it without them. Those little things are what get me through those grueling mornings. I don’t know where you could find a better support system then looking to your own blood-related family.

Though we are not blood related, we share a stronger connection. We are all connected with one vision. That vision is to win. I am not just talking about winning on the field; I am talking about winning in life. Soccer has been so good to me these past 15 years and as I step into my last season of something that has been a part of my life for so long, it’s hard for me to let it go. It has taught me passion, determination, and love. I am so passionate for this sport --it could possibly come out my ears, I have been humbled by determination, and I love every single one of my teammates. I know these girls will be there for me as my life takes me out of the Billings bubble and I am adamant that they know I will be there for them as well. I am not ready to give up this sport and I am not ready to say goodbye to 18 of the most amazing people I have ever known. Kari Foreman stated it perfectly in her senior blog, “Soccer is trying to divorce me, and I am not quite ready”. I know exactly how she feels.

I participated in my last captain’s practice yesterday and it didn’t hit me until Jaucelyn Richter and I were talking about how fast the winter workouts went by. I have a feeling it’s just going to get faster. It will be gone in the blink of an eye. So I will try to “enjoy” myself during this Wednesday sprint workout, knowing it will be my last. Soccer has given me the tools to succeed in life and it is now kicking me out of the nest to see if I can fly on my own. It’s a comforting feeling to know that I will always have eighteen extra wings to help that flight take off.


Finish Strong.

Rocky Indoor Tournament Recap

Posted by Jenn Brookshire, Red-Shirt Freshman from Ventura, CA

As of Monday our rest times were shortend for morning sprints, which made the sprints a bit harder for most of the team. In addition, some players were getting sick and weren’t feeling good. This was definitely not a good week to be feeling that way because the Rocky Indoor Tournament was coming up soon.

When the weekend got here we played in the Rocky Indoor Tournament. The team was split up into two teams: "Easy A" and "Wii Fit". On "Wii Fit" was Jaucey, Andrea, Biggss, Kristen, Jackie, Sabrina, Kelly, Tyshae, and Amanda. The members of "Easy A" were Whitney, Heidi, Jen, Danica, Danielle, Courtney, Agen, myself and Janae. Also our Alumni put together a team, "Expired". All three teams advanced to the semi- finals, "Easy A" played "Wii Fit" and beat them 2-1. "Expired" played Carroll and dominated them 5-1. This meant that "Easy A" and "Expired" were in the finals
competing for the name of Rocky Indoor Tournament champions. Both teams were undefeated throughout the tournament. After a long fought battle, "Expired" came out with a 3-1 victory over "Easy A". All three teams played excellent this weekend as the only losses MSUB teams had during the weekend were to each other.

On Saturday the women’s basketball played NNU, this was also they’re Breast Cancer Awareness game. Our team went all out wearing every pink article of clothing and covered our faces with face paint. We were all having a great time and at halftime won a pizza party for having the most school spirit. After triple overtime the MSUB women’s basketball team pulled out a victory and we stormed the court.

Finish Strong!

Igloo State

Posted by Janae Remsberg, Sophomore Midfielder from Oceanside, CA

What an extremely cold week it has been. No matter who I talk to, it always comes back to the beautiful winter weather of Montana. I was talking to my Dad the other day, who lives in California, and he thinks that pointing out to me that I play soccer in an “Igloo” state is necessary. However, being here in Billings while the thermometer reads -15, is something I do not even mind anymore, on the sole fact that I’m getting up at six and bearing the cold with seventeen girls who I love and adore.

Besides the weather, everything else has been amazing. On Wednesday the team was able to attend the signing of Kaylee Kimmet. It was an exciting moment for the Yellowjackets to see a new and upcoming player sign those papers and become an instant member of the family. It just brings back memories of two years ago being in the same exact position signing those official documents to play here. Time really does fly by, and now I understand what the seniors really were talking about.
Last but not least, the highlight of my semester thus far, has not been the amazing sprints in the morning or the exciting lifting regiment, even though those were high contenders, but the birth of Landon James Trentham. I cannot explain to everyone how cute Landon is! It was fantastic to go to the hospital and see the happy healthy Mom, Dad, and baby. I can’t wait to see him grow up, put those blue and gold colors on, and become the number one MSUB fan.

Stay warm and have a wonderful week.

Love Janae T Remsberg # 20

Winter Conditioning

Posted by Adrienne "Bigzee" Biglow, Sophomore Defender from Yakima, WA

Well it's official, winter conditioning is fully underway and I think I can speak for the whole team in saying our bodies are already feeling it! Monday kicked off session one of our morning sprint program and after Wednesday's session we have them counted down to only six more remaining. Although that doesn't sound like a lot, its going to be pretty rough considering almost the entire team spent at least fifteen minutes in the ice bath each day this week and its only the beginning. By the end of the week, the trainers quit asking why we were coming into the training room and just kept the whirl pools ready.

Although winter conditioning is hard , we get a lot of variety in the training schedule that helps make it bearable. Between jump, sprints, individuals, lifting, and captains practices, we really are getting a little bit of everything which is a nice change of pace. Also, this is the time when a lot of our team bonding starts for the next season because we're all struggling through everything together. Not only that, but when we're doing workouts we aren't fully accustomed to, like bounding at jump, sessions are never short of entertainment. Here we get the opportunity to enjoy each others' company in different ways and get to see our teammates in a whole new light. Keep up the hard work girls!

"Finish Strong"

Multiple Reward

Posted by Jaucelyn Richter, Sophomore Forward from Billings, MT

"For every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward." -Jim Rohn

I read this quote and the first thing that came to mind was...fitness testing. Then winter conditioning, jump program, and spring season. The multiple reward? There is no question that all our hard work will pay off come fall season 2011, when we're working towards one goal...the NCAA tournament.

This past week was a challenging one for the team. We just got back into the swing of school and soccer, we've started individual training and we've ran the infamous Beep Test and YBMI. This upcoming week we'll start our morning sprint program and jump program. It is all hard work now, but it will all pay off in the end. On Saturday night, the team attended the MSUB women's basketball game together and it was a blast!! We all had a great time cheering like crazy together, and it was awesome watching the women's team win in the last second! Bottom line, its great to be back with the soccer family and we all look forward to a successful winter/spring!

"Finish Strong"

Back to School

Posted by Andrea Baytaluke, Sophomore Midfielder from Calgary, AB

Well winter break has come to an end and school has already started. As much as I wish I was still at home, visiting family and friends, it was a big relief to see my teammates again. It is crazy to go from seeing each and every one of them every day, to not seeing them at all for a whole month! During season we were a family. We worked together with everything we did, and all that work definitely paid off. We finished off with a great season, and now its time to get right back into it so we can have a great 2011 season.

Everyone worked hard over break and soon we will start our fitness testing, 7am sprints, lifting, Jumps program, individual training and captains practice. Along with school, all of these things are hard to fit in, but like I said, we are a team and all work together to accomplish things the best we can. I can't wait to get out on the field again with the big family and start to play. This spring is going to be filled with hard work and our first goal is to WIN EVERYTHING WE DO.

Lets hit if off to a great start girls!!!!

"Finish Strong"