Photo provided courtesy of J. Sievers/ taken by Vincent Torres

Rio Rancho, New Mexico- New Mexico is a big state, and there are a ton of coaches doing phenomenal things. At CPS, we want to highlight a coach each week to showcase some of the great things happening, spotlighting people who might go under the radar.

This week, we have Rio Rancho high school’s Jenna Sievers who is the head coach for the Rams girl’s soccer team. Last season, Sievers young squad played in the 5A state championship game. Here are the questions we asked her.

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Q: Could I get your first and last name, your role, and the team that you coach for?  

A: My name is Jenna Sievers, and I’m the head coach for the Rio Rancho High School girls soccer team.

Q: Did you compete in soccer in college or high school? If so, what was your experience? If not, what is the background in soccer?

A: Yes, I actually played soccer, basketball, and ran track in high school and then went on to play soccer in college at Eastern New Mexico University.

Q: Any favorite memories during your coaching career?

A: One of my favorite memories so far, has to be winning the state semi-final game at Volcano Vista last year. That game was so high intensity and the energy and effort the girls put in made it unforgettable.

Q: What is your philosophy or just some coaching tenets that you live by?

A: At the high school level, coaching is so much more than just developing skills within your respective sport. It’s about shaping character and preparing these athletes for life. My main focus is building relationships and instilling values like respect, discipline, work ethic, and accountability.  I’m a big believer that doing the little things right makes all the difference, and that starts the second we begin our warm-up and should carry through every rep in the rest of practice. I do my best to keep the focus on continuous growth (myself included), holding each other accountable, and working hard while having fun. If we’re doing that, the results on the field should take care of themselves.

Q: What is one of your favorite things about coaching?

A:  Without a doubt, it’s watching the athletes grow. Meeting the girls when they’re 8th graders or freshmen and seeing them develop into strong, capable young women is really cool and knowing that I got to play a small part in their journey is really special.

Q: Who would be in your karaoke squad if you could pick staff from your current school (any staff member)?

A: I think I’d have to go with my fellow math nerds, Gage Chavez-Cowles, Emily Savinelli, and Jake Hardy.

Q: Best place in Rio Rancho to get food?

A: It’s gotta be Turtle Mountain! And O’Hares is a close second!

Q: Any team traditions or any pre-game rituals you have?

A: Personally, I don’t have any pre-game rituals. As for the team, the girls always bring great energy with their own warm-up routines and pre-game music that gets everyone locked in and ready to compete.

Q: Besides soccer, what are some things you enjoy?

A: I love reading–though I don’t get much time for it during the season. I also enjoy cooking, watching sports, and spending time with my family & friends.

Q: Was there a coach that was influential in your life? 

A: Clay Stout and Mike Hankins are both phenomenal coaches who taught me so much beyond the sport itself. But the coach that’s influenced me the most was my mom, Traci Sievers. She coached me for most of my life for both soccer and basketball. I learned so much from her as an athlete, and I learned even more when I served as her assistant. She’s the reason I’m a coach today.

Q: What can people expect from your team this season?

A: People can expect hard work, resilience, and energy. These girls are putting in the work day in and day out, and I’m really excited to see how the rest of the season unfolds for us.