Editor's note: Halle Dixon is a Daily Universe sports writer and a member of the BYU women's soccer team. She offers her perspective on the Cougars' season — including their improbable run to the Big 12 tournament championship last weekend in Texas.
I would love to say I never doubted for a second, but there were a couple of seconds where I did not know what the future of our season was going to hold for our team.
As of two weeks ago, we were ninth in the Big 12 conference and only the top eight teams go to the Big 12 tournament. A lot had to happen for us to even qualify, let alone get to the NCAA tournament, but the faith was never lost and the last few weeks have been a sheer fairytale story of grit, desire, and evidence of the powerful culture of BYU women’s soccer.
So what changed? From starting out conference in last place, to winning the Big 12 tournament and now being a No.5 seed for the NCAA tournament, everything really did flip on a dime.
As I reflect back on our conference season, as seemingly imperfect to the world it appears, it really was a perfect story. How does that even make sense?
At the conclusion of last season and losing in the NCAA tournament first round, we got together as a team and began setting big goals. And I mean, huge goals. We looked internally and looked to each other. We began recognizing the problems within the team and how we could be accountable for these problems.
We began reading the book "Grit" by Angela Duckworth and holding weekly meetings going over the chapters, establishing our core values, and using bits and pieces from that book to redefine and shape the culture of the team. It was a powerful time from January to April.
I personally grew a ton and learned so much about myself and my teammates. This built the foundation, months before our next season even started. Additionally, having the opportunity to go to New Zealand as a team for two weeks continued to build the team culture and push us closer together.
Going into summer, which was full of lifting, conditioning and fitness tests, we really leaned on each other and kept our goals at the forefront of our minds. The team was in a really good spot. Waking up at the crack of dawn everyday for early morning workouts, and spending seemingly every second together, set us up for complete success.
The season began and we got off to a great start. Our preseason was nearly perfect with a record of 5-1-1, going into conference. We were feeling confident, ready, and focused. However, things took a turn. Really quick.
As a very real and normal part of the game, injuries plagued our team. One after another. This caused the mentality of “next man up” to be established and people did their best to step into their roles and do their best. However, it did not go our way.
A week into conference we were 0-2. Dead last out of 16 teams. I remember walking into a team meeting the day after losing to West Virginia unsure of how the day was going to go. I sit on the front row in our team room and knew I had to be on my game, and especially locked in for that meeting.
A set of stairs was drawn on the board. Sixteen stairs. We were on the bottom stair and we heard a message from our head coach, Jennifer Rockwood, about how she still believed in us and we were going to climb our way to the top.
That became the new motto: The climb.
Day-in and day-out, we discussed “the climb.” How were we going to get 1% better each day for ourselves, for each other and for the program. Our goals did not change, but we had to adapt.
The rest of conference play was far from perfect. Some miracles did happen for us. Every team that needed to to tie, win, or lose for us to climb our way to eighth place did happen for us. We knew going into the Utah game that if we took care of business and Arizona State would tie or lose to Arizona, we were in.
And guess what?
That happened.
Our ticket was punched to head to TCU to play the No.1 seed in the tournament, on its home turf. We were the No. 8 seed.
Going into the tournament, our coaches stressed to us the importance of staying in the moment and sticking to “our process.” We knew it was going to be a tough week, but for one of the first times in history, BYU soccer was the underdog. We had nothing to lose, but so much we wanted to prove.
We were playing with pure joy. Pure excitement. Pure gratitude. It was a gift to continue into post season play. Every single girl on the team, no matter her role, bought into that. It took all 30 players. Whether they were injured, starting, coming off the bench, or not even playing at all, it took every single one to get that title.
Last week was a result of pure grit. Selflessness, accountability, and adaptability to be able to reach that trophy and hoist it high.
As so many people questioned, what is happening to the BYU soccer program? People were asking me why we were falling apart? We were never falling apart. We were using our pieces to build and grow. That growth and this journey of conference play I believe is setting us up perfectly for the next chapter.
Our story is just getting started. Even beyond the field. This team is something special and being able to be a part of it all is something I will never take for granted. We climbed to the top of the Big 12.
It was amazing.
But the next test is if we can keep climbing.
I have full confidence that yes, yes we will.
I cannot guarantee results, but I can guarantee that the effort, grit and joy will be displayed in full force Friday night on South Field.