Sept 24 – The Sojourn’s Athlete of the Week, presented by Amplify Media, is Jackie Norris, an Indiana Wesleyan Women’s Soccer team senior.
Norris is a forward from Pickerington, Ohio, and a graduate of Pickerington North HS.
After moving to Ohio, Norris said, “A bunch of avenues to play in college started to open up, and that’s when I started to see the fruit of all the training that I’ve had in the past kind of transfer into the opportunities to play in college.”
Norris has had many accolades during the first three years of her Wildcat career, including Crossroads League Newcomer of the Year, Crossroads League First Team selection, Crossroads League Honorable Mention selection, leading the NAIA in game-winning goals in 2021, and four goals under her belt already this season.
“I feel like I’m pretty self-motivated in my own mind. That also has its downfalls because if I’m not playing up to what I expect that I should be, I go into a little spiral of not having enough confidence when I play. My parents helped me build up my confidence, even if I have bad games,” Norris said.
Head Coach Daniel Seiffert, in his 7th season for the Wildcats, lifts up Norris’s ability to have a contagious attitude and work ethic for her teammates.
“Jackie has always been a fantastic leader in not only what she says but what she does as well. She is a straight shooter and an absolute competitor,” Seiffert said. “This mindset helps motivate and inspire people to always compete in every activity, practice, or match that we have.”
Freshman teammate Katelyn VanderArk speaks highly of Norris and the IWU Women’s Soccer team’s senior class leadership.
“I see 100% the faith aspect Jackie [talks about] of pushing each other towards winning the testimony and not just the game and praying after every game with the other teams and just coming around each other,” VanderArk said. “The seniors make it feel really easy to talk to them and it’s been really fun getting to know them, but also playing soccer with them.”
Coach Seiffert notes Norris’s authenticity as a leader has grown over the past four years and raises the level of intensity of her teammates.
“She’s not afraid to have tough conversations and just be real with people, which I think is so refreshing because it builds a genuine trust in knowing how she truly feels or sees a situation,” Seiffert said. “She has an amazing heart for others and genuinely cares for those who are close to her.”
Norris sees her growth within the IWU Women’s Soccer program as being more off the field than on the field.
“I am definitely a very strong Christian now,” Norris said. “My team has poured into me, coach has poured into me. I’ve also just learned a lot of life lessons here with family, and the only thing I could turn to was God.”
Spiritual growth and intentionality are at the forefront of the program, especially in the way the senior class leads.
“I really love it when all the seniors share their testimonies, and I feel like that’s been the most impactful for me,” VanderArk said. “Being able to relate to them and their stories, realize a lot of us put on a face, and being able to dig deeper and hear stories opens up a space of vulnerability.”
The team’s closeness translates to the field as the Wildcats are currently ranked No. 15 in the NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll.
“My class has grown so much together as soccer players, but more specifically as Christians,” Norris said. “It’s just a completely different feel when the whole class has the same goal of loving each other well on the field and off the field.”
The senior class has only finished in the Top 3 in the Crossroads League and looks to continue the high success heading into conference season this week against Marian University.
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