Coming back for the love of the game

By Cecile Nguyen

Senior forward Jen Gottschalk hasn't always been a Bronco athlete, but she never lost her love for basketball.

Her commitment to playing tough, physical basketball is the key to Gottschalk's game, a game she initially picked up in the fourth grade. Gottschalk began playing basketball when her dad introduced her to the sport. At the time, Gottschalk also participated in soccer, field hockey, swimming and softball, but decided hoops was not only her favorite sport, but the one in which she excelled.

"I ended up being best at basketball, so I stuck with it," the Colorado native said.

Gottschalk played basketball throughout her youth, and continued to play in high school at Heritage High School in Littleton, Colo. In addition to basketball, she also lettered in volleyball, tennis and track while at Heritage. Her favorite moment in high school athletics, however, came on the hardwood during a match-up against rival Highland Ranch during her junior year.

"They were in our conference and had four girls going on to top 10 schools," Gottschalk said. "They hadn't lost in like three years, and we won the game by three points; it was awesome."

In her senior year at Heritage, Gottschalk helped lead her team to the Colorado State Championship game, where they faced Thunder Ridge High School. The Thunder Ridge roster included Abby and Emily Waner, both of whom now play at Duke.

"It was really cool because we played at the Pepsi Center where the (Denver) Nuggets play," Gottschalk said. "We ended up losing in the last minute, which was hard, but it was still the coolest day of my life."

Gottschalk decided to attend Santa Clara and said that making the jump from high school basketball to college was a hard adjustment.

"It's a huge difference. That's something most people don't realize," Gottschalk said. "The commitment you think you have in high school is not even close to the commitment you have to have for college."

The forward said the competition and talent level was also something she needed to adjust to.

"Usually on a high school team, there's one or two really good players. But in college, every single player is good," said Gottschalk. "Every single player was the best player on their high school team. It's not just one step up from high school; it's more like 10 steps up."

Freshman year was a growing experience for Gottschalk, who won the Ms. Spark Plug award for the energy and attitude she brought to the Bronco squad.

"I think my freshman year I was trying to figure myself out," Gottschalk said.

But by the time the season ended, Gottschalk questioned whether she wanted to continue playing basketball. She decided to take a two-year break from the game and experience life away from the student-athlete perspective.

"After freshman year I wasn't sure if I could fully commit," said Gottschalk. "But at the end of my junior year, after I played basketball for a year, lived abroad, and had been a regular student, I asked myself what I would do again with those three years and I decided it was basketball."

The senior said that her time away from basketball was a growing experience.

"What I took away from the break was learning to be independent, living on my own, making my own decisions and figuring out what I wanted to do. And that's what brought me back to basketball," Gottschalk said.

The Broncos are currently 13-4 and 2-1 in WCC play. Gottschalk believes the reason for the turnaround this season is the team's attitude and their refusal to lose.

"Between Tracey (Walker), Chandice (Cronk) and I, this is our last year, and no matter what, we're going to have it end the way we want it to," Gottschalk said. "I don't think you have to be the most talented team to win, but the team with the most heart. And that's what this team is based on -- heart."

Head Coach Michelle Bento-Jackson said the intangibles that Gottschalk brings to the team have contributed to not only the team's success this season, but also Gottschalk's own success.

"(Gottschalk's) determination, high energy and character is contagious," Bento-Jackson said. "I'm extremely proud of her growth and development. She's an integral part of the success of this team."

As for her future after college, Gottschalk says she's not certain what she'll do.

"I don't have anything set in stone," the forward said. "Eventually, I want to live in Colorado again, but I think I want to go to grad school on the East Coast, or travel for a bit."

Contact Cecile Nguyen at (408) 551-1918 or cnguyen5@scu.edu.