The start and end of Jessica King’s university career are on opposite ends of the spectrum.
King spent her first two years in Langley struggling to get on the field with the Trinity Western Spartans women’s soccer team.
But the last three years have been a 180 degree turn, culminating with her winning the Canadian Interuniversity Sport women’s soccer player of the year.
And last week, she was announced as one of four female finalists for the BLG Award, which recognizes the top university athletes.
There are also four male nominees and one from each category will receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship.
The winners will be announced on Monday (May 4) at a ceremony in Calgary.
“I feel very honoured and excited,” King said about the nomination.
But if you had asked King when she arrived on campus whether she would be receiving so much fanfare to end her career, she likely would not have believed you.
“I am still a little bit surprised because of how my Trinity career started and how my Trinity career ended are very different,” she admitted.
King arrived in Langley from Liverpool, England, a country where soccer reigns supreme.
But it wasn’t the easiest transition to a new country and a new culture thousands of miles away from home.
“She has an exceptional skill,” said Trinity Western coach Graham Roxburgh.
“Jess can do things with the ball that no one else on my team can do.”
What King struggled with, however, was getting a chance to showcase those skills.
She played four games in her first season and eight in year two — never starting — and finished with one goal and four shots over those first two years.
King liked her team and teammates but was unhappy with her role and lack of production.
“Soccer-wise, I wasn’t playing,” she explained.
“I wasn’t getting into the game; I spent a lot of time on the bench and I didn’t really help myself by not putting in any extra effort. I just kind of accepted it for what it was.”
But that all changed prior to her third year with the Spartans.
“A lot of different things, but to summarize, it was something that my coach (Erin VanDyck) said to me.”
The message from the assistant coach was ‘you have a responsibility to your teammates to be as fit as you can and as strong as you can; to prepare your best over the summer and the off-season and hope that everyone is doing the same,’ King recalled.
“I didn’t come here to sit on the bench and I recognized that I had an opportunity and I wasn’t going to be defeated,” King said.
“I said to myself that I am going to do everything that I can that is in my control to make sure that I play and that I play well.”
King played in a dozen games the next year and had five goals and four assists. She followed that up with three goals and five assists in 12 games in the 2013 season. Both years ended with the Spartans winning the CIS national championship title.
And this past season saw King score a dozen goals in 11 Canada West conference games, including seven game-winners, en route to winning the national women’s soccer player of the year award. The team was denied a third consecutive national championship title, falling in the gold medal game.
“With her skill, add that to a growing confidence, when she was fit, when she was strong, when she was able to play and have the stamina, then all off a sudden, those skills take over,” Roxburgh said.
“She is a model of what a person can achieve when they put their heads down and get to work and dedicate themselves to be the best they can be in all facets.”
“She is getting rewards for all the hard work she has done the past couple of years,” he added.
Roxburgh said he was thrilled with King’s nomination for the BLG Award.
“Jess is a quiet leader, she is someone who has always been available to give of her time and her energy because she cares about others. She is very thoughtful,” he said.
“To watch the influence and the impact she has had quietly on people has been amazing.”
“She has grown in character and in her personal confidence. She is a very inspirational person.”
“The BLG Awards represent the epitome of what it means to be a student-athlete, and this year’s nominees more than meet the standard,” said CIS president Thérèse Quigley.
“Not only are these eight extraordinary athletes, each one is also a leader in the classroom and in the community.”
King joined a fellow teammate, Kristen Funk, in mentoring some Karen youth in the community, as well as giving back through coaching.
“School was something that I struggled with a little bit so it was nice to help other girls,” King said.
King was back in town this past week for her graduation ceremonies at TWU — she earned her degree in psychology — and after she attends Monday’s awards ceremony in Calgary, she will head back to England.
King is currently playing professionally with the Everton Ladies FC, a Division 2 team in the Football Association Women’s Super League.
She is also mentoring youth between the ages of 11 and 17 back home in England.
