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Jackson Emery—Moving On

JacksonKemba Jackson Emery—Moving On

Jackson Emery’s basketball career is over … and he’s okay with it. Emery, of Alpine, Utah, is the all-time career steals leader at BYU, and also ranks amongst BYU’s best in 3-point field goals, and games played. Often thought of as the ‘other guy’ to some guy named Jimmer, Emery ranks 22nd all time in points scored for the Cougars. Emery, named by Deseret News as its 2005 Utah Mr. Basketball, says his four years at BYU is enough basketball and he’s ready to take on his roles as a husband, a new father, and a new employee. Emery says he will continue to frequent the Marriott Center as a fan, especially when his highly-touted younger brother, Nick, arrives on campus in a couple of years.

Last season, you played for arguably the best and most popular BYU basketball team ever. What were your favorite moments of the season?

Obviously there were so many. It could range from winning big games at home against San Diego State, Utah, Colorado State, or Utah State, or by going on the road and winning at Creighton, or playing Vermont at Glens Falls, New York, winning at San Diego State, or UNLV. Then advancing in the NCAA tournament and advancing in those games, I will never forget those games. At the same time, I really enjoyed the off the-floor moments being with the guys, being friends, having fun. I think if people saw the demeanor of our team and how we got along so well off the floor, then you could understand why we did so well on the floor because of our relationships and trust for each other. When you step on the floor, you want to give all you can because you know your teammates are doing the same for you.

You set the all-time career steals record at BYU. What does this mark mean to you?

Any time you set a mark at a university it is a great accomplishment. For it to be at BYU, and having grown up here and seeing the players that have come through here, it means a lot to me. Not many players are able to set a record in their career, so to set one that I hope can stand for a while is quite an accomplishment. The steals record was not really on my radar, but just came along from playing the game.

Not only did you set the record, but you set it by passing Danny Ainge, which is like passing Babe Ruth in the BYU record books.

Exactly. Jimmer and I both passed Ainge on some big records, which makes it more special because we have great respect for Danny Ainge.

Is there a story behind wearing No. 4 for BYU?

There is not really a story. In junior high and in high school, I was No. 22. So that was my number for years. Going into BYU, if you are an avid BYU fan, you know that No. 22 belongs to Danny Ainge, so that number was not available. One of my good buddies was No. 4 and 2 plus 2 is 4, so whatever your conclusion is, I just ended up with No. 4.

JacksonJimmer2 Jackson Emery—Moving On

5 Minutes with Jimmer

What is your single greatest moment in playing for the BYU Cougars?
The greatest moment for me was probably when my team made it to the Sweet 16. It was something we had been working for since I got to BYU and to be able to accomplish that was pretty amazing.

In your mind, when did the craziness of Jimmermania begin?
I would have to say after the Utah game that we played at their place. I had a pretty big game, and so pretty much after that it was just crazy.

Eventually, NBA games will be played. How do you see your role with the Sacramento Kings?
I see my role as a guy who can make plays for my teammates and myself. I think that I can stretch the floor and give our team a dimension that they haven’t had lately.

If you were a professional athlete in another sport, what would be the ideal sport, position, and team for you to play?
I would definitely be a wide receiver. I love football, and I would play for the New York Giants. They are my team.

It is well known that your brother, T.J., played a big role to influence your basketball career from an early age. How do you see your role in influencing children of today?
I just want to let the kids know you can make things happen, no matter where you’re from, or what circumstances you’re under. It’s all about effort and hard work. If you believe in yourself you can do anything.

Much has been written and said about you. Is there anything about you that has not been publicized that you would like to throw out there?
Haha, not that I can think of. I think people pretty much know everything about me.

Describe playing with The Jimmer.

Jimmer is a great guy. I have known him for several years. He is a good friend, he’s a great teammate. I didn’t get caught up in the Jimmermania or any of that craziness. A quality to have as a teammate is to not raise someone up any more than any of your other teammates. Jimmer understood that, too. I think that’s why we kept winning because we all understood our roles, and what we were good at, and what we needed to do to win games. Jimmer is quite the player. He is a great offensive talent. He works hard. He deserves all the recognition because he earns it. People may say that he shoots the ball a lot, but when you look at the percentages and realize that he shoots a high percentage regardless of where he shoots from the floor. If it goes in and that’s all that matters. It was a fun year to tag along to watch Jimmer through the media. With us winning, with Jimmer scoring, it was just fun.

There’s a YouTube video of you playing a game of H-O-R-S-E against a member of the media. At the end of the video, Jimmer shows up saying that you couldn’t beat him. Can you beat him?

H-O-R-S-E? No. Definitely no. He’s the scorer. Now if we played one-on-one, he’s the offensive talent and I take pride in my defense. So, who would win? It’s rain versus fire. I think it’s 50-50 with us going one-on-one.

How do you foresee Jimmer’s future success in the NBA?

I think you need to evaluate a couple things with one being the player’s work ethic and, two, you evaluate the system they are in. First, you can never doubt Jimmer’s work ethic. He will always be consistent and will work hard. That goes a long way, especially on a professional level when you are already getting a paycheck and you might think why put in the extra time, but I know Jimmer will put in the time. I think he might feel he has something to prove. He always has an edge, so that may help him as well in staying motivated. The other aspect is what system you are in. If it’s a system that does not fit your needs or if you are not fitting with your teammates, that can greatly affect you regardless of who you are. So, it will be really important for him to get with the right system and with the right teammates. If he does, then I think he will succeed tremendously. Jimmer playing with the Sacramento Kings shows all indication that he will be accepted there and that he can succeed with this team.

You likely had opportunities to continue playing professional basketball overseas. What caused you to retire from basketball at this stage of your career?

There were many things that led to retiring from basketball. I obviously have a love for the game, I still have the passion, and it’s never easy to just give up on it. The basketball market is the lowest it has been in years. There are a lot of obstacles that would have to be overcome to be where I wanted to be. It is almost overwhelming thinking of where I would have to start and what I would have to go through and if I was willing to do to that. And not only willing to do that, but to yank along my family. My wife was pregnant at the time and she was going to have our baby in September. So, there were off-the-floor issues to consider as well. I think I have a level head and have always told myself that I would need to get a job one day. An opportunity arose with a promising company. This caused me to think more of the long term by staying around to be a dad, a husband, and being in one location with my family instead of yanking my family around overseas. It would have been a great experience, but we just wanted to look long term.

You had the opportunity to recently play in the Jimmer’s All-Star game featuring top incoming NBA rookies. What did it mean to you to be selected to play in that game?

That was extremely fun. To play with that kind of competition and that talent level is every player’s dream to be on that type of a squad. I was ecstatic at the opportunity to play. One, I hadn’t played for a while and I knew my career was over. But, two, also to play with guys I had watched on TV and respect so much. I always had the belief that I could play against top competition and I think for that night I was capable of doing that. It was definitely a great experience and something I will never forget. And to have that one last game at the Marriott Center was tremendous.

You have a brother, Nick, who recently committed to play for BYU. What should Cougar fans look forward to with him on the future squad?

Nick and I are very similar in our competitive nature and how we want to win. But, we are very different. He’s a point guard, I’m a shooting guard. He’s left-handed. I’m right-handed. I’m skinnier, lean, and stringy. He’s a little more solid and strong. I compare him more to how Jimmer plays than how I play. He has ability to score and to distribute. He wants the ball in his hands. Nick’s well beyond his years and well beyond where I was at his age. For him to have an older brother that went before him to learn the path and expectations I think helps him. But, he works hard, has success, and I know he will continue to work hard. I think he feels he has a chip on his shoulder, has more to prove, and has more to work on.

If Brandon Davies remained with the Cougars, the team may have had a better chance to make it to the Final Four, or possibly win the national championship. Yet, the team seemed to accept the circumstances. Looking back, how do you see the situation?

You always think of what ifs. But, life is built of what ifs. What if Mike Loyd was still on the team? What if Chris Collinsworth did not hurt his knee? What if Brandon had instead fallen in practice and hurt his ankle? That’s life. That’s sports. The Indianapolis Colts might be thinking what if they had Peyton Manning? They might be 8-0 instead of 0-8. You do the best with the situation you have and make the best of it. One of the most impressive accomplishments of last year’s team was the rebound from that experience. Everyone had different roles and I think we adjusted very quickly. I think most teams would fold thinking they couldn’t overcome. But, I think we did an extremely good job of bouncing back and still competing. I think it proved to people how much we wanted to win and how good our team really was.

What’s your outlook for the upcoming BYU basketball season?

I think this is a different team. You don’t really look at this team and expect an all-star to appear. I look at a complete team that any given night you could have anyone score a lot of points or make good plays. There is a lot of talent there, a lot of size, a bigger team than BYU has had in some time. One thing I see is there are a lot of guys that are willing to work hard and are willing to win. We’ll see how that plays out, but I think BYU fans can be promised that at least they will see a team that will work hard, will fight, and will hopefully do well in the West Coast Conference. By no means is this a rebuilding year or a setback because of me, Jimmer, or Logan finishing our eligibility, or with Kyle going on a mission. One thing that Coach Rose does extremely well year-end and year-out is that he builds on the momentum that was created by the previous year’s team.

Any closing thoughts for your Cougar fans?

It’s extremely fun and inspiring to look back at the program. My freshman year was also Coach Rose’s first year. We laid the base of this successful foundation. It’s awesome to look back to see what has been accomplished. A large part of this success is Coach Rose and the players that have come through this program. The fans have been patient with us as we have tried to make BYU basketball an elite program competing at a national level. Other fans are coming back to the BYU basketball wagon. We’ve taken large strides. There is still room to improve. The talent that is being recruited is amazing. Hopefully, every aspect of BYU basketball is improving because that is the expectation is to improve on the year before.

It sounds like you have not completely closed the BYU basketball chapter as you are still involved.

Yes, I think I am still emotionally connected. And with my brother to play there in the future, I think I will be involved for quite some time.

Nov 02, 2011 | Categories: Basketball | Tags: , , | Leave A Comment »

Duff Tittle—Defining Cougars

WIM Cougars 1 Duff Tittle—Defining Cougars

Duff Tittle—originally from Orem, Utah—is the Associate Athletic Director-Communications for Brigham Young University. In this capacity he oversees athletic media relations, web services, publications & graphics, video production, and is the liaison with BYU’s broadcast partners. Tittle served an LDS church mission to Melbourne, Australia and is married to Sherry Miller. Together they have five children. In spite of his busy family and career responsibilities, Tittle still found time to author two books—”BYU Football Vault: The History of the Cougars” and more recently, “What It Means To Be a Cougar”. Source: BYUCougars.com  Photo courtesy of Triumph Books.

It’s been an amazing past few months for BYU sports with the popularity of Jimmer Fredette and the overall success of the men’s basketball team, to the national interest in BYU’s honor code, to football independence and the move to the WCC, MPSF and WAC. How challenging has the past few months been for you and your team? How rewarding?

It’s been quite a ride. It started with the independence announcement on September 1, 2010, and continued to build through the success of our men’s basketball team, the relaunch of BYUcougars.com and eventually football media day in mid-July.

I have a great staff. We have been together a long time. They are seasoned communications professionals who really care about BYU athletics and the 602 student-athletes we have the opportunity to work with on a daily basis. So even though things were hectic and boarder line insane at times, we all recognized we were fortunate to be working at BYU in a special time—involved in day-to-day activities that were historically unprecedented.

With all of the speculation regarding independence how challenging was it to have family and friends come up to you and say, “So Duff, what’s going on with BYU athletics?”

I’ve been in this business for more than 20 years and it’s something you get used to. Confidentially is certainly a big part of the job and something we don’t take lightly. The 24/7 news cycle that we live in has certainly increased the workload in our business. Ultimately we will continue to do what is best for the athletic department and our student-athletes.

From a fans perspective the move to independence and conference changes have created a renewed excitement and anticipation for the coming athletics season. How exciting has it been for you personally? What do you look forward to the most?

I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am about the new opportunities ahead with our television and radio partners. Having an exclusive partnership with ESPN in football and also basketball through the WCC is incredible. Fans who paid attention to Jimmer’s amazing run where able to see how the ESPN relationship has already paid dividends. In a stretch of 11 days Jimmer appeared on ESPN programs 10 times. It was unprecedented exposure for Jimmer and our basketball program.

I am equally excited about the many things we will be able to accomplish with BYUtv and its national/global reach. That’s why our football media day in July was so exciting. Working closely with BYUtv we produced two live one-hour shows that were simulcast on ESPN3, several live Q&A Internet chats (including a Spanish session) and breakout sessions with the local and national media in attendance. It was unparalleled exposure and proved the sky is the limit with what we can do.

staff Duff Tittle Duff Tittle—Defining Cougars

Duff Tittle, Associate Athletic Director - Communications, and author of "What It Means To Be a Cougar". Photo: BYU Athletic Communications

For several months now we have been meeting with BYUtv 2–3 times a week planning and preparing for the 2011–12 season. In addition to the weekly True Blue Show, BYUtv will launch several new programs this fall. I’m really excited about the new BYU football pregame and postgame shows we are working on. Fans will have the opportunity to tune in each week an hour before the game and get an ESPN-style pregame show live from Edwards Stadium or wherever the team is playing on the road. There will also be a postgame show each week that will include live guest, highlights and postgame analysis.

With your ties to Hawaii, what were your feelings when you learned of the football team’s renewed rivalry with the University of Hawaii this year and beyond?

We had been working on the Hawaii football series for a while and I was hoping it would happen. Having lived in Hawaii, I have a real appreciation for that rivalry. In many ways, the Hawaii-BYU rivalry is as fierce in the islands as the BYU-Utah rivalry is in the state of Utah. There is great tradition in the Hawaii-BYU rivalry and I’m glad the two schools agreed to a long-term series.

In a previous interview—I believe you were referring to BYU’s digital sports media offerings—you were quoted as saying, “The content we will have available will be unmatched in college athletics.” That sounds pretty amazing. Can you speak more to that?

Absolutely! It’s another byproduct of teaming up with ESPN and BYUtv and the freedom we enjoy with both media partners. In a few weeks BYUtv and BYU Athletics will launch new digital media offerings that will truly be unmatched in college athletics. It will start with a new website we are working on together called BYUtvsports.com. The new site will be a one-stop-shop for all things BYU sports video—live games, video on demand, features, profiles, social media, etc.

We are also working on an iPad & iPhone app of BYUcougars.com. The app is being developed by a Provo company called CleverCoding. We are a couple of weeks from launching and I think Cougar Nation will love the new digital offerings. It’s like the best of our website with lots of video, stories, results, schedules, rosters, player bios, stats, etc.

With all that you have going on you still had time to put together your latest book, “What It Means To Be a Cougar.” How long did it take for you to complete the book, and what were some unique challenges you needed to overcome to complete it?

Time—or lack thereof—was certainly the biggest challenge. I started the book in October and completed the manuscript in early March. There were lots of late nights and weekends spent interviewing former athletes and coaches. Each interview was about 35–60 minutes. The biggest challenge was transcribing all the interviews. Fortunately my sister-in-law, Tanna Tittle, has amazing transcription skills and came to my rescue. She handled the daunting task of transcribing the majority of those interviews.

Another challenge was contacting the former athletes and coaches. Originally I wanted to include every All-American and all the major award winners from BYU’s storied history. Unfortunately I was unable to contact a few of them. I learned early on that if I didn’t get a response back after 2–3 attempts I had to move on. I’m sure many were because I didn’t have the correct email, address or phone number.

As a lifelong BYU football fan, how special was it for you to go through the processes of interviewing such legendary and respected individuals for the book?

It was an incredible experience. My dad started taking me to BYU football games in the early 1970s. Many of the former players I interviewed from the 70s and 80s were the legends of my youth. Others who had played before, like Eldon “the Phantom” Fortie or Virgil “the Blue Darter” Carter, were the super heroes from the stories my dad told me as a child. To have the opportunity to interview them was a real honor for me.

Everything we do in life teaches us and can be a benefit to us. What is something new or interesting you learned while writing the book?

Through many years of observation, I’ve come to understand that being a BYU Cougar is so much more than winning games, matches, meets, or tournaments. It’s about improving as an individual—mentally, socially, physically, and spiritually.

As I interviewed nearly 60 former football players, coaches, and administrators for this book, it became very clear that for them being a Cougar had less to do with what happened on the field and more to do with what happened as their lives were influenced by the BYU experience.

Many expressed their love and appreciation for teachers, administrators, equipment managers, trainers and other mentors who never coached or even played a down of football at BYU. Yet their examples and simple acts of service influenced thousands of BYU athletes and embodies the BYU spirit.

This may be obvious, but how important is the church in relation to BYU football and BYU sports in general?

Shortly after Bronco Mendenhall became the head football coach at BYU, he established three overriding principles for the program—tradition, spirit, and honor. He realized to be fully aligned with the university the football program must embrace and exemplify the principles of the Honor Code and be rooted in the spiritual foundation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

BYU isn’t like anywhere else. It wasn’t designed to be. Its purpose is distinct, different, and unique. It’s extremely important that the athletic department mission is inline with the mission of the university and The Church.

And finally, what are you hoping readers take away from your book.

That BYU is a unique place. The true meaning of “being a Cougar” is found in the stories of the individuals who came to BYU as a great athlete and left as a better person. I hope the book captures their legacy.

Aug 24, 2011 | Categories: Administration, Basketball, Football | Tags: , , | Leave A Comment »

Marques Whippy

marques whippy byuh1 Marques Whippy

April 26, 2011—Marques Whippy recently completed one of the most successful careers in BYU–Hawaii basketball history. The 6′ 5″, 215 lb. guard from Suva, Fiji is the Seasider’s all-time steals leader with an impressive 245 take aways in four years. He was named the 2011 Pacific West Conference Player of the Year and was also tabbed 3rd Team All-America by Basketball Times. He holds the distinction of being a part of four NCAA II Sweet Sixteen teams including this year’s squad that advanced to the NCAA II Elite Eight, Final Four and championship game. Photo: BYU–Hawaii Photography.

Congratulations on a great season. What was the experience like traveling to the Elite Eight in Springfield, Massachusetts?

For me everything was new. This was my fourth time making it to the finals of the sweet sixteen and (previously) we’ve never been able to make it over. I tried real hard to prepare for that game. A lot of things happened (for us) to get there—a lot of patience, a lot of hard work. It was a good feeling and a great accomplishment. Not only for the team but also for myself. It was really fun to be there. Everything was new. It was something that I would never exchange for anything else in life—being in Massachusetts.

Was it all basketball or were you guys able to do some fun things up there?

We were able to go to the Basketball Hall of Fame up there, and saw how the game evolved to what it is today. We were able to go to church and do a fireside. We did a few things but we were there for a purpose. We tried to stay focused as much as possible. But yeah, there were a few things we did together as a team. It was a great team bonding experience.

marques whippy byuh3 Marques Whippy

This past season, Whippy averaged 14.2 points, 2.9 steals (5th in NCAA II), and 11.5 rebounds (3rd in NCAA II) per game. He reached career highs for points in a game with 31 versus Cal State-Dominguez Hills, and rebounds in a game with 21, twice. Once versus Chaminade and again versus Hawaii-Hilo. Photo: BYU–Hawaii Photography

What is basketball like in Fiji?

Well, basketball is not that big in Fiji. It’s still developing. The competition is getting better and (the interest is getting) bigger in Fiji. I was grateful to play at a young age. Why? Because my parents both played for the national team back home so we were brought up playing (basketball). I played for the national team when I was fourteen years old. The sport is not that big and not many people play it, but it was good to play back home and then come to America. We always looked forward to watching the NBA (on TV), and to be able to come to America and play, it was a great accomplishment for me and my family.

I’ve watched you play a few times and you’re a pretty physical and aggressive player, yet you are the first to help an opponent who may have fallen to the floor. What is your attitude and mindset when you play basketball?

I want to help our team out in anyway possible, but yeah I (can) get carried away and get too physical, but my mom always told me to be kind to others regardless of age, race or whatever it may be. Basketball is something that is very important to me but it’s not the end of the world. Through basketball you can make lifetime friends. I think every school that I’ve played against; I have a few friends because life goes on (off) the court. I play not only to win, but also to maintain good sportsmanship.

You have a couple of brothers playing rugby at BYU.

Yes, my two brothers (Josh and Jared Whippy) are up there. One just had surgery on his knee. They’re up there doing well. They just got out of high school and they’ve been playing. I heard both of them are planning to go on missions after this season. It’s really good to have them also come to America to play rugby for BYU, which is what they love to do.

So did you play rugby?

A little bit growing up. Not too much, not like my brothers, but yeah, I think that’s where I get my aggressiveness, probably from playing rugby.

Looking back at your time at BYU–Hawaii, what do you think you’ll miss the most about being there?

Just being able to be with my teammates. Since I’ve been here I’ve been able to witness the Lord’s hand in seeing some of my (teammates’) conversions. My freshman and sophomore year, two of my close friends on the basketball team got baptized. Last year, another two got baptized. It’s been a humbling experience being here. Missionary work doesn’t end. Just being with those guys, my teammates, and sharing the gospel with them. Being around great people from all over the world here in Hawaii. I’ll miss being able to associate with them. I’ll be very happy to move on with my life with my wife. Something that I was able to do in Hawaii was get married. I’m grateful for my wife, who’s from Tahiti. She’s helped me a lot. I won’t miss too much because she’s coming along with me wherever I go.

I understand. So what are you currently doing?

Right now I’m actually doing an internship here at BYU–Hawaii at the papaya farm. I plan to be a farmer so I can go back home and not only help develop the country, but also help my friends find a job and do missionary work.

marques whippy byuh4 Marques Whippy

Whippy reads his commemorative plaque on Senior Night. Photo: BYU–Hawaii Photography

Do you have any plans to play professional ball?

Yeah, I’m trying to look for places to go. I’ve talked to an agent and I’ve talked to coach (Ken) Wagner about finding a place to play, but right now nothing has come up. I’ll try to stay in shape and play pick-up ball, go for a run. Wherever the Lord wants me to go I’ll be happy to go. It’s more like a mission now. I’m waiting for somewhere to go.

Who’s the best player that you’ve played with at BYU–Hawaii?

I would say Paul Peterson who went on to play professional basketball. Reason being is not only was he a good player, but he also helped me to develop my game. He was a senior when I was a freshman. Sometimes when you come to play (on a team), the friendship or bond between a freshman and senior doesn’t mix well. But when I came here he welcomed me with open arms, and our friendship just took off from there. He was a great role model to me. Although he was not a member of the church, he was always around me; he always acted just like a Mormon. He was one of the reasons I think we went further this year in the nationals. He came back to BYU–Hawaii as a student, but he also helped out with the team. He was able to help me develop my game and also help me understand how to get my teammates more involved to help us go as far as we did.

Who was the best player you played against?

There are quite a few … I would always look forward to playing against Dixie, Chaminade or Hawaii. I would say any of the big guys from Chaminade would be up there. Not only were they good players, but they also were a part of the rivalry we had between us. They would step up every game (we played with them).

What was your best pre-game meal?

This year I stopped going to the pre-game meals. Before the games I used to throw-up because I was nervous, but sometimes I would come home and my wife would be making something for me. When my wife cooks, it doesn’t come up. I don’t know why. Whatever it is my wife makes, a sandwich or some chicken something with stir-fry. But I would say the best pre-game meal apart from my wife’s cooking would be Quiznos. On road trips we’d go to Quiznos before the games.

What was the best city to play a road game?

I would say San Francisco. We usually played Academy of Art University for two games and the Fijian community would come out, and the Fijian branches would come out to support us. We felt like we had home court advantage. So playing in San Francisco would be the best city to play in. Also, we went to Fisherman’s Warf and saw the sites. We saw Alcatraz from up on the mountain … so it was pretty good.

What was the most humorous moment you had as a player?

Just being on the road with the team. We were talking about who the funniest guy on the team was. Those that came up were SeQuan Lawrence or Jordan Anderson. Every year there’s a different clown on the team. I would say this year was probably one of the funniest teams to be on. It was also one of the most successful teams as well. It was not only more business but also more jokes (as well). When we were in San Francisco we were at the hotel and SeQuan came in the elevator with Paul (Peterson) and myself. For some reason he said something, and me and Paul just threw him out of the elevator. He flew about ten feet in the air and all the boys were just laughing. SeQuan didn’t talk to us for the next two hours or so, but we looked back and had a good laugh just remembering the good old days. That was one of the funniest times we had.

What was your most memorable game?

I would say my freshman year, we played against Notre Dame de Namur and we were losing. (In my freshman year I didn’t play that much. I came off the bench and averaged probably about two minutes a game.) For some reason, the big man got into foul trouble and coach put me in. So I just went out and I was so excited. We were down by about ten points going into the half and after I went in, we came back and we won by ten points. I think that’s when I started to understand basketball here in America—the competition level. In order to make it here you have to play even harder and get out of your comfort zone. I think that game really opened my eyes and I felt like I was needed on the team. I didn’t feel like, “Marques only comes in when we’re up by twenty points.” I felt like I was able to contribute to the team and that game helped me move up to the next level you could say.

Apr 26, 2011 | Categories: Basketball | Tags: , , | 1 Comment »

Bailey Pendley

bailey pendley SUU 2 Bailey Pendley

March 24, 2011—Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Bailey Pendley is finishing up her final season with the Southern Utah University gymnastics team. She has fought through many injuries throughout her career, but has still been an important part of SUU’s success. Pendley was named second-team all-Western Athletic Conference on vault after scoring a 9.850 at the 2010 conference championships, and was also named to the Academic All-WAC team that same year. The 2010 WAC champion Thunderbirds have once again qualified for the NCAA regionals, and although Pendley will not be competing, her teammates stand to benefit from her leadership and positive attitude. Photo courtesy of SUU Athletic Media Relations.

I understand that you recently had surgery. How are you doing?
I’m actually doing a lot better since I’ve had the surgery. It’s called an ulnar nerve transposition. They basically go in and move your ulnar nerve under your forearm. I’ve actually had less pain since I’ve had the surgery so it’s definitely helped a lot.

How did you sustain the injury?
I tore my tricep three years ago and as the years went on that pain moved into my elbow. I ended up tearing the sheath that protects my ulnar nerve. Because of this, my nerve was always shooting down into my hand and fingers. We finally decided to do the surgery, and while they were in there they fixed up my tricep.

So your gymnastics career is done then?
Yup, unfortunately my career is over. I am already a fifth year senior, so there is no coming back next year, even if I wanted to!

What are you doing presently to help your team?
Since being injured, I have had to change up my role in the gym. I am not able to contribute physically anymore, so I am always mentally there for my girls. They know that I always have their backs. I have been called the “mom” of the team, and if that is how I’m needed than I am okay with that title. Even though I am not contributing physically, I am screaming my lungs out for my girls.

bailey pendley SUU 1 Bailey Pendley

Southern Utah University gymnast, Bailey Pendley competing in vault. Photo courtesy of SUU Athletic Media Relations.

What was your team roll prior to your injury? What were your specialties?
Prior to my surgery I competed vault and floor. Floor was my favorite event to compete. I love being in front of the crowd and doing my floor routine. I love the emotion you can pull from the crowd. In previous years, I had trained all four events, and competed bars many times in 2010 for the T-Birds.

How’s the team doing?
We’re doing pretty well. We are obviously facing a couple of injuries. Myself being out and then a fellow senior tore her Achilles in December. We’re pretty deep on each event which is nice, but having your starters out can hinder you a little bit.

Describe a typical day for you.
I actually live an hour away from the school. I’ll leave my house about 7 a.m. I have an internship at child protective services. I come up here to Ceder City by 8 a.m. and I’m at my internship until practice at 2 p.m. We are usually out of practice at 6 p.m. I get my physical therapy done and I get home about 8 o’clock at night.

You’re pretty busy.
Yeah, a gymnast’s life is always really, really busy.

So when do you find time to study?
I’m really lucky. Because I’m a 5th year (senior) right now, my degree is basically already done and completed. That’s why I took the internship for so many hours. I actually don’t have a lot of studying to do, just a lot of work for my internship, basically.

I noticed that you actually went to school at San Jose State and transferred to Southern Utah.
I did.

What was it like at San Jose State?
I enjoyed the school a bunch and the atmosphere. I just didn’t feel like I fit in with their gymnastics program. I think they have a great program, and have continued to improve throughout the years, but it just wasn’t a good fit for me.

How did you end up at Southern Utah?
I had lived with my grandparents growing up and my grandpa got really, really sick and I decided to transfer a little closer to home so I could come home more often. I needed to be around my family a little more.

Has it worked out for you?
Yeah, I’m so blessed to be at Southern Utah now. It’s definitely been a great path for me.

What have you enjoyed the most about being at SUU?
Cedar City is basically a college city so it’s nice that we have so many fans that come to our gymnastics meets. We are so well known here and that’s good. It’s amazing, the publicity we get. Just the small town and being so close with everyone is really nice. We are essentially a big family in this athletics community.

bucketlist Bailey Pendley

BAILEY PENDLEY

1) I would love to go back to my husbands mission (Dominican Republic) and visit and see people that he taught and baptized. I think that would be really cool.

Baker Pendley Bailey Bailey Pendley2) I don’t know if this is really a “bucket list” item, but having my family and having them grow up in the church—being able to give my children what I didn’t really get growing up. That’s just really important and something that parents should strive for. I think Heavenly Father put us all here on earth for a reason, and I want to validate that reason by teaching my children how to get back to Him.

3) I’m a huge Disney freak and I’d love to visit every Disneyland there is in the world.

4) I would also like to go to a Yankees game in New York City! I am a huge fan!

—Photo courtesy of SUU Athletic Media Relations.

How long have you been a member of the church?
I converted on December 6 of 2008.

How did that come about?
I met my (future) husband and he was a returned missionary. I started going to church with him (but) we actually ended up going our separate ways for a while. I had joined the church (during) that time. I just started talking to the missionaries and just really enjoyed it. I decided to convert a couple of months later.

What in particular peaked your interest in the church?
I loved the emphasis the church had on families. I am so thankful that I am sealed to my husband, and our children will be sealed to us as well. I have always felt that families are together forever, and the church just reaffirmed that belief I always had.

You obviously got back with your husband to be?
I did. (laughter) We got back together about 6 or 7 months (after I joined the church).

Your husband played football at SUU?
He did. He was a fullback here. His name is Taylor Pendley.

What are your plans for the future?
My husband is already graduated. He works at a youth correctional facility. We’re just kind of putting ourselves out there and looking for new jobs. I personally would like to start a family fairly soon. We’ll just end up moving wherever jobs take us. That’s the beauty of being young, we will just go where the winds take us!

What are you currently doing in the church?
I teach primary. I have the 9 year olds.

How’s that going?
It’s great. I obviously didn’t have primary growing up so teaching these lessons has actually taught me more than I think I teach them. I’ve had to learn all the primary songs. I had no idea they actually existed until two years ago, so it was definitely a big assignment starting to teach primary. I absolutely love it though.

I grew up in the church but the primary songs are a lot different now. There’s a lot more.
There are. There are lots of new songs coming out and I gotta keep up.

Yeah, I don’t know them either—just the basic ones.
I know!

As a fairly new convert to the church, what has helped you learn, grow and stay committed to the gospel?
I think staying in constant communication with Heavenly Father, and surrounding yourself with positive influences can do wonders. I am blessed to have a husband who always stays true to what he believes in and this helps me stay on the right path. I think having a temple where you live is extremely important!

Mar 24, 2011 | Categories: Gymnastics | Tags: , | Leave A Comment »

The Jimmer and Cammer Story

JimmerNewMexico The Jimmer and Cammer Story

March 16, 2011—As my kids sat and ate nachos at yet another BYU sporting event I dragged them to, Jimmer Fredette entered my radar. San Diego State seemed to be holding a comfortable 14-point second-half lead on its home court, but the Cougar sophomore hit a shot, and then another, and then another. This evening in San Diego seemed to trigger years of curiosity wondering if BYU would ever have another bona-fide basketball star like Danny Ainge. I was just 9 years old when Ainge carried the Cougars to the Elite 8, the first year I started following BYU sports. How was I to know then that 20-point comebacks in the final minutes of a bowl game or that a length-of-the-court drive through five players in the final eight seconds of an NCAA tournament game was not normal? What a year to become a BYU fan. I was up on BYU sports then because my oldest brother was a freshman student at BYU that year and he would regularly mail home newspaper clippings of the Cougars. In my mind, Jim McMahon and Ainge set the bar for future BYU athletes. Back to this particular evening in San Diego, there was something different as I watched Jimmer. He tied his career high with 28 points in willing the Cougars to a convincing 10-point victory. It was then I knew to keep an eye on this kid.

One year later, my 6 year-old son, Cameron, and I were playing basketball on our seven-foot rim in the front yard. Cameron hit a few consecutive eight-foot jump shots and made some wild layups. Knowing that we were again going to San Diego that evening to see BYU at San Diego State for the second straight year, I plugged the evening game by telling Cameron, ‘nice shot Cammer.’ He knew I was mixing his name with Jimmer, but had not caught on to the honor behind the nickname. As he continued to make shots I continued to call him ‘Cammer.’

JimmerCammer The Jimmer and Cammer Story

Jimmer and the Cammer.

That night, Cameron, his four sisters, and I entered the energy-filled arena of red and black to cheer on the Cougars. Jimmer had already gained national respect a month before when he torched Arizona for 49 points. In this game we attended, Jimmer quieted the noisy Aztec crowd as he scored 33 points including seven of the last nine BYU points for a 71-69 win. After the game, dozens of Cougar fans gathered near the BYU tunnel as the Cougar players exited the floor to the locker room. The lone player remaining was Jimmer as he was on the court being interviewed by TV reporters. Cameron and his 8 year-old sister, Brenna, made their way through several adults down the arena stairs toward the railing above the tunnel. As Jimmer finished his interview, he shook hands with some VIPs, posed for a couple of pictures, and then made way directly toward the locker room. Just as Jimmer passed a few outstretched hands, he stopped and cut back. He must have subconsciously seen my kids. Jimmer went straight to Cameron, gave a fist bump and then slapped five with Brenna. There were many other people swarming the railings, mostly adults, but for some reason Jimmer only went to my kids. The moment was very brief, and then Jimmer bolted to the locker room. Cameron and Brenna were very, very pleased to catch the attention of the star of the night. The events of that night launched a basketball interest for months to come in our home. We were Jimmered before Jimmered was even a word.

In preparation for Jimmer’s senior season, we grabbed the BYU schedule and looked for games we could attend. Being in southern California, we circled UCLA and, again, San Diego State. In addition, I luckily had a need to be on a business trip in New Mexico, which allowed me to schedule to attend that game. As the Cougars were riding a 10-win start to the season, Cameron and I drove to Anaheim to watch BYU and UCLA in the John Wooden Classic. A BYU insider and friend said before the game that there may be an opportunity for us to meet Jimmer after the game, but once the game was ending in the Cougars first loss of the season I offered to bypass the meeting. My friend said Jimmer was good to kids and he would certainly make time for Cameron, even after a loss. And that is exactly what happened. Jimmer met Cameron, signed his shirt, and posed for a picture. I told Jimmer that Cameron is a decent basketball player, which prompted us to call him Cammer on the court. Jimmer smiled. Jimmer has certainly forgotten that moment by now. Cameron will never forget.

Fortunately, and unfortunately, I witnessed the same exact pattern one month later. BYU again won 10 straight games, and then I went to The Pit in New Mexico and the Cougars lost. After the game outside the team bus, the BYU insider and friend jokingly said I was banned from any future BYU games because I was bad luck. I couldn’t argue with him. After all, BYU was 0-2 with me and 20-0 without me. But, what I enjoyed most outside the team bus was watching Jimmer surrounded by young kids. I knew none of the youngsters, but they each had the same look as my kids as I watched them interact with Jimmer as he signed autographs and posed for pictures. Jimmer is a fierce competitor and it’s obvious he doesn’t like to lose, but it was a pleasure to witness him being an example to my kids and others, even after a loss.

Simultaneous to Jimmer’s senior season, the local youth basketball season began. Cameron, Brenna, and their sister, Sydney, each signed up for their first season in the sport. Cameron, now 7, is fully accepting of the nickname Cammer as he plays basketball. Cameron regularly listens to the games online through KSL and watches BYU highlights. He has learned how to mimic his hero as he is constantly in the front yard shooting hoops. In games, Cammer has surprised us as he makes some long shots and has even attempted, without coaching from us, some Jimmer-like crossovers and some no-look passes. After scoring in double figures a few times, he jokingly said the other teams got Cammered. I responded once by asking him to Teach me how to Cammer. He blushed. It’s lots of fun to have these moments with Cameron, especially when we recall his own history. Cameron had heart surgery five days after he was born. At that time, we wondered if he would ever get these opportunities to play anything at all.

As mentioned, we circled the San Diego State game early in the season, but being superstitious and carrying bad luck of the previous two games I attended, I couldn’t get myself to pursue tickets. More importantly, Cameron and Brenna both had games of their own that morning and afternoon. And how could I miss this day? Cammer nailed a then career-high 12 points and I for the first time witnessed Brenna score a bucket. Obviously, what Jimmer is most known for that day is scoring 25 points on national television in leading BYU to another victory over nationally-ranked San Diego State. What he doesn’t know is, that through a fist bump and a high five the previous year, he inspired young children to play a sport they grew to love and enjoy, and they too had a successful day.

I am obviously tempted to find a way to go see BYU in the NCAA tournament this March. However, I am aware of my 0-2 record at Cougar games this year. To the relief of BYU fans everywhere, I will not be bringing my bad luck to any tournament games. Cameron is expecting his fifth sister (still no brothers) any day, which will keep us home during March. Of course I suggested to my wife that we find a way to somehow get ’Jimmer’ into the baby’s name to which she refuses. But, one evening as Cameron and I were listening to a game on KSL, my wife from a distance said she discovered a baby name she would like to place on the short list. Emery. This March will be madness in more ways than one as our household awaits the victor of the tournament and the arrival, and name, of the baby.

—Roy Southwick

Mar 16, 2011 | Categories: Basketball | Tags: , , , | 6 Comments »