A soccer player for most of her life, it was back injury that took Orange Lutheran senior Jessica Vandenberg off of the pitch and allowed her to discover her love for distance running.
 
"I couldn't play soccer for a while, and I really wanted to get stronger and continue to do sports, so I tried cross country," says Vandenberg. "It looked fun, and I figured I'd keep up my speed and endurance. I showed up to practice in the summer, and I really learned to enjoy it."
 
Training for distance running can be grueling, but it's her teammates, the discipline and the sense of accomplishment that are rooted in Vandenberg's passion for the sport.
 
"It's probably the best dynamics I've ever had on a team," says the 17-year old. "I also love how disciplined I have to be…There are so many times where I just want to quit, but I have to keep going. It's so rewarding."
 
Vandenberg is a senior leader on a young girls cross country team this year, and among her goals are logging some PR's and helping to lead the group to another CIF postseason appearance. She leads by putting in "that one percent more effort in each day" and setting a positive example of what it means to operate within a growth mindset.
 
"Jessica is one of our program's four year seniors and has been a critical component of our girls' varsity team the entire time," says OLu cross country head coach Kristen Goossens. "Her commitment, leadership and drive this season have been paying off, and we are incredibly excited to see how it translates into PR's for her final cross country season here at Orange Lutheran."
 
One of Vandenberg's favorite courses to race is at Woodward Park in Fresno, the site of the Clovis Invitational and the California State Meet. But no matter where she competes, she is honored to represent her teammates, coaches and Christ as a Lancer.
 
"I really love competing under Orange Lutheran because I love representing the cross," says Vandenberg. "We don't race for ourselves, but we race to glorify God. It's good to put that into my mind when I race and show others God's love."
 
Injuries, mental barriers and the struggles that come with distance running can be challenging, but whether she's on the trail or the track, Vandenberg has learned discipline and perseverance.
 
"I've learned that not every day is going to be a success," says Vandenberg. "I'm going to have those moments where things are definitely not great and there's room for improvement, but (I focus) on getting better each day and not giving up."
 
Outside of running, Vandenberg enjoys surfing and gardening. She co-founded a pickleball club on campus and is involved in OLu's Missions program. In addition to serving as a Mission's officer, she has attended a number of mission trips, including NART, Appalachia and a summer trip to the Czech Republic.
 
"It's really special to have the opportunity to be able to go out and serve God with our school," says Vandenberg. "We're not only serving the people that we go to serve, we're also serving each other and building each other up in Christ."
 
Vandenberg is undecided on if she will continue running in college, but she is leaning toward studying biology and animal science. She looks to her grandmother as one of her biggest role models due to her work ethic, and she is grateful for how her faith has helped her in her pursuits as a student athlete.
 
"I think in those moments where I'm putting myself down, knowing that my identity isn't in my sport or how well I do but it's in Christ is really comforting," says Vandenberg. "If I didn't have that relationship with Christ, I don't think I'd be strong enough to run and push myself as much as I do."