Young Mills Leading Husker Soccer On and Off Field

By Katie Copeskey
Nebraska Life Skills

When Jessica Mills arrived at the <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>University of Nebraska last fall, not only was she the youngest player on the team, she was the youngest player the soccer program had ever recruited. Mills showed in her first year at Nebraska, that wisdom and ability might not have much to do with age.

 

Amazingly, her ability to speed through high school both on the field and in the classroom, dated back to her elementary school years. Mills began to fly around in front of the soccer goal as a keeper in third grade, and a year later, she started to fly through math. 

 

“I started playing soccer in the third grade,” Mills said. “My best friend played soccer so I followed her to the field. In fourth grade I took an accelerated math course, which put me ahead of my classmates by two whole years.”

 

Mills said her team needed a goalkeeper, and even though she wanted to play midfield, her height gave her an advantage at the goalkeeper position. As the years went on, she excelled as a goalkeeper and realized it gave her a better opportunity to move up in the sport overall.

 

Mills also broadened her experience by sampling a variety of activities as a youngster.

 

“Soccer was not the only sport I played while growing up," Mills said. "My parents enrolled me in ballet and tap dance classes for about nine years. I hated wearing tights and ballet slippers, but overall, it helped my balance and coordination, which enhanced my soccer performance.”

 

In her first year of high school she was a dual-sport athlete, playing both volleyball and soccer. After her freshman year, she decided to focus her attention solely on her soccer club team.

 

In Mills' homestate of Texas, the club teams get you noticed, she said. Nebraska assistant coach/goalkeeper coach Wally Crittenden, took notice of Mills for the first time when she was in seventh grade.

 

“Jess is a player that I have known since she was in middle school," Crittenden said. "She has always exhibited tremendous commitment and dedication to high level achievement. Since she has been here, she has improved in various areas and her resolve to bring a high level of commitment to training day in and day out has seen significant improvement.  With the tremendous athleticism she has and the ability to learn on the fly, we expect great things from her over the next three years and beyond.”

 

Mills said her familiarity with Crittenden helped her look closely at Nebraska, and after her visit to campus, she knew she wanted to be a Husker.

 

“I really liked having Wally as a coach when I was younger, so it was easy for me to come to Nebraska.”

 

In the classroom, her early success in math also allowed her to get ahead in science. She stayed ahead during high school, and by taking four classes during the summer of 2007, she was able to become the Huskers' freshman starting goalkeeper at age 17.

 

It doesn’t seem as though her age has had any impact on her academic or athletic performance. As a mechanical engineering major taking courses to fulfill pre-medicine, her 3.742 grade-point average as a freshman was impressive. Inspired by her love of math and science, and after shadowing an aerospace engineer at NASA for one month, she knew that engineering was the right path for her.

 

Her quest to integrate medicine into engineering has a more personal story.

 

“Fifteen years ago, when I was only three years old, doctors performed back surgery on my father," Mills said. "A mistake was made during the surgery, and he has been confined to a wheelchair ever since. Even though the operation made him quadriplegic, I have always seen him as a hero. He is always in good spirits and joked about his condition. Something you might not expect."

 

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Mills' focus and determination to succeed while helping others has carried over to all aspects of her life. It has also sent her in pursuit of knowledge in a global perspective, while creating leadership opportunities for herself here at home.

 

Mills has already taken time to explore her major through study abroad programs in Spain and Italy, and is a member of the Engineering Student Advisory Board on the Nebraska campus.

 

“I had an amazing time in Spain and learned a great deal about the history of science and technology,” Mills said. “In high school I was involved with Engineers without Borders, which is similar to Doctors without Borders. Since the University does not have this program, I am looking into starting a chapter here in Lincoln.”

 

Outside of engineering, she has taken a leadership role within her sport by contributing to Nebraska's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. As a SAAC member, she is an advocate for the soccer team and all Husker student-athletes.

 

Goalkeeper is a natural leadership position on the defensive side of the soccer field, but Nebraska Coach John Walker said Mills' energy and enthusiasm transcend well beyond the pitch.

 

“She’s brave and she’s willing to sacrifice her body,” Walker said. “Her upbeat personality, energy, charisma and confidence also lend itself to this position. She always has a smile on her face, even when she’s being pulled in multiple directions. Her enthusiasm toward her academics and athletics is incredible and admirable.”

 

Mills is off to a strong start to both her academic and athletic careers atNebraska, and is hoping to continue to accelerate her performance as a sopohomore for the Huskers this fall.

 

“This first year went by so fast," Mills said. "I’ve learned a lot about myself and where I see myself in the future. I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of my time here.”