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"