As soon as Emily Jordan visited John Brown University, she knew that’s where she wanted to play college soccer.
“I knew the first day that I went,” she says. “It’s a beautiful campus. It’s just the right size. It’s the right distance from home . I met the team especially and I knew. They have the same aspects of family that Republic has, and I love that. I love being close with my teammates.”
The fact that JBU is a Christian school also weighed in her decision.
“The Christianity side of it that was something that I was really looking for, and it’s very present there, I can tell,” Jordan says. “I like the fact that we’re playing for God before anyone else.”
The decision clears the way for Jordan to enjoy her senior soccer season in the spring without the pressure of finding a college. She’s already one of the program’s most prolific scorers, and will look to build on that. But beyong individual accomplishments, she says her time as a Lady Tiger has taught her how important it is to have a good relationship with her teammates.
“You can have talent, and not a good relationship, and it really puts a stress on the team. We found with Republic, we’re not as talented as some schools but we can pull out a win by being close and knowing each other well,” Jordan says.
“Leadership was something I was taught by both my coaches. It’s important to know when people are looking up to you, to lead by example. It’s kind of like everything you do: people are seeing, so it’s important to have a good face all the time and play hard all the time.”