Grassroots soccer, for the most part, has been stopped in its tracks this season. For goal keeper Brooke Jones, that meant making her debut for new club AC Chehalem Valley was put on pause. But she’s making the best of her summer and getting ready for her fall season with George Fox University. We used email to responsibly distance for this interview…

What's your origin story; when did you start playing soccer and what players or teams do you follow?

Outside of rec when I was very young, I started playing competitively when I was 7 years old. The area I grew up in didn’t have many opportunities for teams, so I played on a team with girls two years older than me. Being tall, though, I fit right in. The team was low income so a lot of our training/playing was on grass fields with primary mud, not grass, and holes everywhere. I’m still grateful for nice surfaces to play on now. My team had one head coach and a few dads who would come help out as they could, but as I got older and developed, I outgrew their goalkeeping knowledge. My dad ended up getting invested himself and took to YouTube to learn as much as he could about the position. He had never played a day in his life but based on his YouTube searches was somehow able to coach me. When I got into middle school I joined a new team, Westside Timbers, when my family moved. I played for Westside until I graduated high school. I also played at Tualatin High School during my years there.

My favorite team and the one I follow most diligently is the United States Women’s National Team. Like most female players, I watched them growing up and wanted to be exactly like them. My family is also huge Portland Timbers fans and I’ve been to many games. Hope Solo is the player I’ve looked up to my whole life, she really changed the goalkeeping world. I follow other leagues and teams as well, but those are my big fan choices.

Nowadays, you line up between the pipes for George Fox University, have you always been a goal-keeper? If not, what other positions have you played and has that experience helped you in your current position?

I very briefly tried my luck as a field player when I first started playing, but it was not for me. I am 6’1” now and as you could imagine I had some awkward growth spurts that left me uncoordinated for most of my childhood and a terrible fit for life outside of the goal box. My dad’s YouTube coaching gave me my goalkeeping foundation, but our drills didn’t leak into many other positions on the field.

Sadly the 2020 NWPL season has been cancelled and you were unable to make a debut for AC Chehalem Valley, how much were you looking forward to the challenge and what's the highest level you've played at?

I was so excited to play and can’t wait for next season to be able to make my debut. I was beyond disappointed for this season to be canceled, as I’m sure many cancellations were a let down for everyone. This has been an unconventional year to say the least. I was most looking forward to meeting a new group of girls and facing the challenge of learning to play beside them at such a high level of play. I currently play Division 3 soccer, and in the past have competed in multiple state championships and playoffs in high school and club and have also played in the regional tournament with my club team.

In your academic career, what's your major or focus at George Fox University and where do you hope to take that?

I am an English major and a Criminal Justice minor. Basically, I read and write a lot.

I am not entirely sure what I hope to do after school. I’m hoping to find a way to advocate for people and work alongside individuals as they go through life. I am currently looking into Juvenile Detention work—possibly teaching or advocating for children within the system. We will see where it all takes me. My only plan as of right now is to not have a plan, and find my calling and love people along the way.

We never know what twists and turns life has in store for us, but how long after college do you hope to play soccer?

Until someone makes me stop.

Eventually, I won’t be able to play anymore and I figure my body or those around me will make it fairly obvious when that time comes. Until then I hope to be playing in some context, and after that hopefully coaching. Coaching is so needed in low-income areas. Many kids aren’t given the opportunity to be coached (especially in goalkeeping). While YouTube is great, that’s not the coach I hope to be. Soccer is a great platform to speak into people’s lives both on and off the field. Even when I can’t play anymore it will still be a part of my life.

Player Profile graphic artwork provided by Cory Mizer. For more of his artwork, check out his gallery on our site.