ORANGE PARK - Rebecca Cannon Jollow, the former Rebecca Cannonk, may be a familiar name in Orange Park High School Raider athletics when she was a hard-driving soccer, swimmer and tennis ace in her days before her 2014 graduation.
"I was a state swimmer and tennis player only, I think because I was a good overall athlete and I had a very athletic family," said Rebecca Jollow, 31, and now the first female varsity boys coach maybe in Clay County, definitely at Orange Park High School. "I understand sports and the effort it takes to achieve and that's how I pushed myself when I competed. I don't think I was born with any natural athletic gifts except hard work produces results."
Jollow's story came full circle about a month ago only with a hesitant interest in doing some coaching at Orange Park High in any one of a number of sports.
"I was here as a volunteer coach on the boy's soccer team for about two weeks, then the boy's coach left and Athletic Director Destiny Brightman asked me if I thought that might be something of interest," said Jollow. "Sure, why not, I'll give it a try."
For Orange Park High Athletic Director Destiny Brightman, Jollow's choice, as one of Brightman's tennis players in her coaching days, was a no-brainer as an athlete very confident, astute in being an athlete and with a strong background of caring about athletes on her team and around her.
"For me, because I live in a man's world myself, I know she is a strong, confident woman who absolutely knows her sport and once that dynamic comes out, I think the team will, and already has, move to trusting her and gravitating to her direction. The kids want to see that the coach knows what she is talking about."
Jollow's journey back to Orange Park traveled to a stint at the University of North Florida soccer before an injury ended her stint, a nursing school journey after graduating from UNF in 2017 that got her to Orange Park Medical Center as registered nurse in the cardiac area and a family that includes lacrosse stud husband Adam, at one time, the top lacrosse player out of New York, and eventually three lovely young children; Hudson, 2, Grayson, 4, and Roman, 5, all very early athletic kids. Adam Jollow is a local Certified Public Accountant and will be part of the Fleming Island High School lacrosse coaching staff in the spring.
"Met Adam, 30, at a bible study at UNF," said Jollow, with degrees in neuro-psychology and nursing. "I thought I wanted to do concussion studies, but I finished college, got married and had a lot of kids. We both wanted to be contributing to the community we live in and sports was the avenue."
For Raider soccer, Jollow entered the picture recently and saw the team struggle through a 0-4-1 season start before taking over and earning a 2-1-2 start thus far.
"I was just looking to get plugged into the community and reached out to coach Brightman to volunteer on one of the teams," said Jollow. "It has had its obstacles and challenges to be a boys coach, but I'm super appreciative of the opportunity and I am very pleased that they have taken to me and shown me the respect of being their coach."
Jollow's demeanor on the sideline in her second win against Ridgeview on Tuesday was always positive on the effort on the field.
"Ultimately, I think players know when they mess up and they don't me to reiterate that," said Jollow. "My thing is to encourage them to be better, play a team and learn from mistakes. I truly believe in them to do great things."
Ironically, Jollow earned her first red card in the 3-1 win over Ridgeview which has created a fervor even from her opposing coaches, including Ridgeview coach Paul Tomaro.
"We haven't got the actual complaint yet, but, from what I know Rebecca, who is very soft-spoken, never gets crazy and I know, is always respectful, was just asking the referee to protect her kids as well as the Ridgeview kids because the game was getting a little rough," said Brightman. "I've talked with coach Tomaro and he has said he would challenge the complaint as well as Rebecca did not act out of character for a coach protecting her players."