By Carson Vercoe | Sports Writer
The one thing that separates a player from watching from the sidelines to becoming a star is simple: opportunity.
Senior midfielder Aryanna Jimison got her opportunities early in the season, coming off the bench for No. 13 Baylor soccer, and made the most of them. In her four games as a backup, Jimison recorded seven shots on goal, one goal and one assist.
Head coach Michelle Lenard noticed Jimison’s explosiveness off the bench and started her against Pepperdine. She went on to get an assist in that game.
Jimison has become a consistent starter for Baylor. She has developed into a shot-creator from all over for the Bears. Inside or outside the box, the midfielder has added depth to an already talented offense.
Jimison’s rise to the starting 11 has been fueled by her team’s confidence in her.
“Honestly, [it’s] practice and confidence,” Jimison said. “[I’m] getting confidence from my teammates and also my coaches.”
That confidence was displayed to the Baylor faithful when Jimison scored a miraculous long-range goal against Kansas. The goal gave the Bears a lead going into halftime after a slow start.
Jimison described the shot as a knuckleball, the result of repetition in practice. Her strike gives the ball unpredictable movement that opposing goalkeepers cannot anticipate, making it a threat from outside the box.
“I actually scored one just like it in practice,” Jimison said. “I’m not even kidding; it was the same.”
The goals aren’t new to Lenard. Jimison has shown her scoring threat since she first arrived in Waco from Houston. The difference for Lenard now is that Jimison is doing it all the time.
“She’s been consistently doing it since she got here, but she’s doing it now more frequently,” Lenard said.
Teammates have also noticed Jimison’s growth. They recognize her ability to shoot from anywhere and see her as a threat to other teams.
“She’s dangerous, and teams are noticing that,” senior defender Natalie Vatter said. “We’re all confident in her when she takes a shot.
The success has not changed Jimison’s approach, though. She credits her teammates with giving her the confidence to take risks on shots from outside the box, even when they might miss.
“Even if I do miss, it’s okay, because I will get the next one or the next one after that,” Jimison said.
Jimison’s improvement extends beyond the offense. She’s become more involved defensively for the Bears. Her presence on both ends of the field has earned her more playing time and helped establish her as a starter.
“She always has been able to score goals, but now she’s putting in hard minutes defensively and winning the ball back for us and creating attacking opportunities and making hard recovery runs,” Lenard said.
Jimison has also recognized her growth as a two-way midfielder. Instead of strictly offense, Jimison has brought that same intensity to defense.
“It’s allowed me to get more because I am helping the team not just attacking-wise, but I am also helping defensively,” Jimison said. “It’s allowed me to be able to stay on the field and also help my teammates.”
Jimison’s mindset has helped her become the leading scorer for the Bears. With growing confidence and two-way playmaking, the Bears have a player who can change the game at any point.
Jimison fought for that starting role at the start of the season, but with a few opportunities, she’s become a player the Bears can’t take out of the starting lineup.
