Rodriguez has style that suits Jones
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Olivia Rodriguez has a velvety and liquid style. Disparate parts — footwork, balance, vision — flow together.
Part of the natural beauty of the game is how it is open to different interpretations. Positions have their own prototypes. Rodriguez is the peculiar author of her own style as a defender.
In her own words, she is not an overpowering player. “As a somewhat smaller player, I see myself as fairly scrappy,” she said. “I am more technical than physical.”
Her game is intuitive, her reactions heightened and sharp. That acuity and feel for the game underscores her success and her different ability to impact the game.
Rodriguez just completed her sophomore year at Jones, one of the city’s top programs. As a freshman last year, her precocity and natural abilities emerged from the start.
Demonstrating a fearlessness and willingness to mix it up, Rodriguez thrived as a disruptor who was an essential part of an air-tight Jones defense that posted a program-record 15 shutouts last year.
It’s a natural high-wire act for any freshman, thrown into the mix and tasked with adjusting immediately to the speed and physical rush of play.
She negotiated that terrain impressively.
“Having an immediate impact really helped me feel like my game was improving,” Rodriguez said. “All of my teammates and (coach) Derek (Bylsma) were great and very encouraging.
“I could see that I was getting better.”
In building Jones into one of the city’s top programs, Bylsma has shown an egalitarian coaching style. He is open to all ideas and has never backed away from the idea of playing freshmen right away.
With her extensive background in club, Rodriguez came into the program almost fully formed. She had experienced a lot. Bylsma saw a skilled and ambitious young player who was avid to make her presence felt.
“She is an extremely hard worker, very smart and ultra competitive,” Bylsma said. “She is an amazing player who was an integral part of our success during her freshman year.
“She was also a great teammate who was very well liked and highly respected by the whole program.”
Classmate and Jones midfielder Lisa Rios chimed in her agreement.
“Olivia is one of the most nicest people I’ve ever met," Rios said. "She’s such a great player, and I know that I can always count on her.”
At the start of games, Bylsma liked to open with just three defenders and make tactical changes during the course of the game. That optimized Rodriguez’s role.
It played to her own strengths.
“I do like defense, especially how you are able to see the whole field,” she said. “I have a clearer view of everything, and I can see how the other goes and play against that, or try to take that away.”
The nature of the game is open and large enough to accommodate all styles. With her varied background growing up, Rodriguez experimented with varied roles and responsibilities.
Positions are not always hard, fast and immutable. Lately they have trended toward a more flexible manner.
Rodriguez had the freedom to play in different spots and locations, jumping from the back to the middle of the attack until she found her true comfort spot.
In the act of moving about, she discovered she was at her best as part of the back.
“Being able to play multiple positions helps me a lot,” she said. “As a defender I really like when I am ready to make a tackle, knowing I was going to get that ball or go past the player.
“That feels very nice.”
She started playing a little later than her peers, introduced to competitive action as an 8-year old youth leagues on the Chicago lakefront. She showed a moxie and competitive toughness, and joined her first club program at the age of 12.
She has a twin sister, Nora. When it came time to select a high school, she loved the atmosphere and environment at Jones during her campus visits there.
Everything coalesced, a young player of ambition and talent arriving at a school whose program was taking off. The team success off the jump only emboldened her further. Jones (18-7-0 in 2019) set a program record for single-season victories.
The team had a five-, four-, and two three-game winning streaks. The game was its own love affair.
“I just really like that soccer is a team sport, and you have this wonderful opportunity to connect with your teammates,” Rodriguez said. “I have done other sports, like cross country and running, and that was more about the individual.
“In soccer, on the field, you pass through a team, everybody knows each other, knows that they are part of a good team, and everybody knows how the other players like to play.”
That backdrop made the circumstances of the spring all the more heartbreaking. Bylsma had never been so excited about a collection of athletes going into a season.
The team flashed potential and throbbed with skill, competence and confidence in those early sessions. Bylsma was especially impressed by Rodriguez.
She punctuated the promise and excitement of her freshman year with even greater range and authority.
“Based on how she works and her attitude, I expect to see a big jump for her year after year,” Bylsma said.
Rodriguez bridged the two dominant groups at Jones, young enough to feel a natural connection to a group of talented freshmen and joined the returning players by the shared connections of last year.
“It was super sad at not being able to play,” she said. She had some runs and practice time with her younger sister at a neighborhood park.
Her club program, the Northbrook-based Eclipse North, staged a series of virtual practices that also helped her stay connected to the game and also work on her development.
For one July weekend, Rodriguez was able to imagine what might have been as she participated in a revamped and modified part of the PepsiCo Showdown at Olympic Park in Schaumburg.
The event was not sanctioned by the IHSA. The collection of Jones’ players defeated rival players from Elgin and Saint Viator.
Rodriguez took part in the shutout victory over Elgin. It provided some closure for the graduated seniors.
“It was nice to see everybody again,” she said. “I haven't really seen anybody since classes ended. Being able to win a game felt good, and it was wonderful in those moments seeing us coming out as a team.
“Everybody was so excited. We had three really good freshmen who joined us. We had all of this potential. What happened was obviously bittersweet.”
She is pursuing playing opportunities in college. Given how fractured everything is in the moment, Rodriguez is taking the initiative by contacting college coaches.
Just getting back into a playing rhythm is a jolt of sorts. It conjures brighter memories and sets up for a more optimistic future.
“Last year I was just coming into the team and this year I started out more comfortable,” Rodriguez said. “It was nice to feel that way.”
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Olivia Rodriguez has a velvety and liquid style. Disparate parts — footwork, balance, vision — flow together.
Part of the natural beauty of the game is how it is open to different interpretations. Positions have their own prototypes. Rodriguez is the peculiar author of her own style as a defender.
In her own words, she is not an overpowering player. “As a somewhat smaller player, I see myself as fairly scrappy,” she said. “I am more technical than physical.”
Her game is intuitive, her reactions heightened and sharp. That acuity and feel for the game underscores her success and her different ability to impact the game.
Rodriguez just completed her sophomore year at Jones, one of the city’s top programs. As a freshman last year, her precocity and natural abilities emerged from the start.
Demonstrating a fearlessness and willingness to mix it up, Rodriguez thrived as a disruptor who was an essential part of an air-tight Jones defense that posted a program-record 15 shutouts last year.
It’s a natural high-wire act for any freshman, thrown into the mix and tasked with adjusting immediately to the speed and physical rush of play.
She negotiated that terrain impressively.
“Having an immediate impact really helped me feel like my game was improving,” Rodriguez said. “All of my teammates and (coach) Derek (Bylsma) were great and very encouraging.
“I could see that I was getting better.”
In building Jones into one of the city’s top programs, Bylsma has shown an egalitarian coaching style. He is open to all ideas and has never backed away from the idea of playing freshmen right away.
With her extensive background in club, Rodriguez came into the program almost fully formed. She had experienced a lot. Bylsma saw a skilled and ambitious young player who was avid to make her presence felt.
“She is an extremely hard worker, very smart and ultra competitive,” Bylsma said. “She is an amazing player who was an integral part of our success during her freshman year.
“She was also a great teammate who was very well liked and highly respected by the whole program.”
Classmate and Jones midfielder Lisa Rios chimed in her agreement.
“Olivia is one of the most nicest people I’ve ever met," Rios said. "She’s such a great player, and I know that I can always count on her.”
At the start of games, Bylsma liked to open with just three defenders and make tactical changes during the course of the game. That optimized Rodriguez’s role.
It played to her own strengths.
“I do like defense, especially how you are able to see the whole field,” she said. “I have a clearer view of everything, and I can see how the other goes and play against that, or try to take that away.”
The nature of the game is open and large enough to accommodate all styles. With her varied background growing up, Rodriguez experimented with varied roles and responsibilities.
Positions are not always hard, fast and immutable. Lately they have trended toward a more flexible manner.
Rodriguez had the freedom to play in different spots and locations, jumping from the back to the middle of the attack until she found her true comfort spot.
In the act of moving about, she discovered she was at her best as part of the back.
“Being able to play multiple positions helps me a lot,” she said. “As a defender I really like when I am ready to make a tackle, knowing I was going to get that ball or go past the player.
“That feels very nice.”
She started playing a little later than her peers, introduced to competitive action as an 8-year old youth leagues on the Chicago lakefront. She showed a moxie and competitive toughness, and joined her first club program at the age of 12.
She has a twin sister, Nora. When it came time to select a high school, she loved the atmosphere and environment at Jones during her campus visits there.
Everything coalesced, a young player of ambition and talent arriving at a school whose program was taking off. The team success off the jump only emboldened her further. Jones (18-7-0 in 2019) set a program record for single-season victories.
The team had a five-, four-, and two three-game winning streaks. The game was its own love affair.
“I just really like that soccer is a team sport, and you have this wonderful opportunity to connect with your teammates,” Rodriguez said. “I have done other sports, like cross country and running, and that was more about the individual.
“In soccer, on the field, you pass through a team, everybody knows each other, knows that they are part of a good team, and everybody knows how the other players like to play.”
That backdrop made the circumstances of the spring all the more heartbreaking. Bylsma had never been so excited about a collection of athletes going into a season.
The team flashed potential and throbbed with skill, competence and confidence in those early sessions. Bylsma was especially impressed by Rodriguez.
She punctuated the promise and excitement of her freshman year with even greater range and authority.
“Based on how she works and her attitude, I expect to see a big jump for her year after year,” Bylsma said.
Rodriguez bridged the two dominant groups at Jones, young enough to feel a natural connection to a group of talented freshmen and joined the returning players by the shared connections of last year.
“It was super sad at not being able to play,” she said. She had some runs and practice time with her younger sister at a neighborhood park.
Her club program, the Northbrook-based Eclipse North, staged a series of virtual practices that also helped her stay connected to the game and also work on her development.
For one July weekend, Rodriguez was able to imagine what might have been as she participated in a revamped and modified part of the PepsiCo Showdown at Olympic Park in Schaumburg.
The event was not sanctioned by the IHSA. The collection of Jones’ players defeated rival players from Elgin and Saint Viator.
Rodriguez took part in the shutout victory over Elgin. It provided some closure for the graduated seniors.
“It was nice to see everybody again,” she said. “I haven't really seen anybody since classes ended. Being able to win a game felt good, and it was wonderful in those moments seeing us coming out as a team.
“Everybody was so excited. We had three really good freshmen who joined us. We had all of this potential. What happened was obviously bittersweet.”
She is pursuing playing opportunities in college. Given how fractured everything is in the moment, Rodriguez is taking the initiative by contacting college coaches.
Just getting back into a playing rhythm is a jolt of sorts. It conjures brighter memories and sets up for a more optimistic future.
“Last year I was just coming into the team and this year I started out more comfortable,” Rodriguez said. “It was nice to feel that way.”