The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Sister act: Soccer's Godbolt squares off against sister in LSU match
09.18.2007 | Soccer
There's a "sister act" -- not a "sister pact" -- in town Tuesday evening when the No. 6 ranked Texas Longhorns and LSU soccer teams square off at 7 p.m. at Myers Stadium.
If you see fans dressed in both Texas burnt orange and LSU purple and gold for Tuesday night's 7 p.m. match, don't do a double-take -- they are probably friends and family members of UT sophomore midfielder Jordan Godbolt and her sister, LSU sophomore redshirt defender Veronica, coming to watch the sisters face each other from opposite ends of the field.
Texas fans will see 5-6 midfielder Jordan, known as "Jordy," who transferred to the nationally-ranked Longhorns squad (4-1-0) this fall from the University of Houston and who played high school soccer at Austin's Bowie H.S. Known for her quickness and solid decision-making, Jordan has seen action in all five matches, picking up one assist.
LSU will send the strong, physical 5-8 defender Veronica onto the pitch. This season, Veronica has one goal and an assist for the 5-0-1 Tigers after returning from a medical redshirt season, sitting out the entire 2006 season after undergoing knee surgery. Veronica had started 14 of 15 matches she played in during her rookie year.
The Godbolt household 10 years ago was inhabited by four highly-competitive, athletic kids between the ages of seven and 13.
With a Boston College football star for a father (Bucky Godbolt, who is a former UT assistant football coach and currently an on-air personality in Austin), it's surprising that his son A.J. (now 23), Veronica (20), Jordy (19) and other son Kyle (17) all chose to take up soccer as kids. Kyle currently plays high school football as well.
It's likely to have been a competitive environment that has produced a family of such successful athletes.
Soccer was clearly the right choice for the oldest three.
A.J. set the tone on the pitch, starring in the sport at the University of Maryland. The 5-10 midfielder now plays professionally (Major League Soccer, MLS) for the Kansas City Wizards.
"My brother definitely started our love of soccer," Jordan says. "We all watched him and wanted to play, too, so we would have pick-up games in the backyard -- competitive ones! From there, it turned into neighborhood games, and we all ended up getting really into soccer."
It wasn't just soccer that allowed the Godbolts to compete hard against each other, however.
"It was anything really that got us going competitively, especially video games. But even though everything was competitive for us, it was also always friendly and fun-loving," Jordy said.
The competitive nature came from Bucky, their dad, while their mom, Patty Godbolt, gets the credit for chauffeuring the athletes around and keeping their schedules in order -- and teaching responsibility and hard work.
Jordy has found her way back home to Austin, where she recorded her first point as a Longhorn last Saturday with an assist against UT-San Antonio. According to UT head coach Chris Petrucelli, she has created her own niche on the team already.
"Coming in here and working as hard as or harder than everyone else is something Jordy does every day," noted Petrucelli. "It's something you have to do to survive in our environment, and it's the biggest reason we had for taking her onto the team as a transfer. Really, based on Jordy's work ethic and strong skills with the ball, the decision was a no-brainer."
That brings us to Tuesday (Sept. 18) when Jordan, playing her third home game in burnt orange, meets her sister on the Myers Stadium field.
"We've been talking about it since the first day of preseason," explains an excited Godbolt. "There's been some trash talking between sisters -- more from her! -- and we both keep saying, 'I hope I mark you.' We keep constantly telling each other to make sure to 'bring it' Tuesday night! I keep telling her she just has no idea how good we are, and that I really just can't wait. It'll be a great game!"
Luckily for both Jordy and Veronica, their entire Austin-based family will be in the stands to see it.
And yes, they will be recognizable because of their clashing attire.
Their combination of burnt orange, white, purple, and gold might not please most eyes, but it will absolutely satisfy the two Godbolts playing in the Big 12-SEC matchup under the lights at Myers Stadium Tuesday evening.
