Ohio senior Veronica Rock might be listed on the roster as a forward only, but she has played a multitude of positions throughout her Bobcat career.
Rock has played forward, center back and midfielder. Most recently she has practiced as a defensive midfielder. In her senior year, she has not only benefitted from offseason work but also from a new mind-set developed during the start of her junior year.
“Last season deciding that I wanted to change things for myself and help the team as best I could,” Rock said. “I just think that since my freshman year I’ve just had a ‘won’t quit’ attitude,” Rock said. “Things may have not always gone my way but my attitude and sort of relentlessness I had was what kept me working hard.”
Her mind-set transitioned to a team-first mentality.
“I just felt I had achieved a level I wanted to be playing at and I was able to come into the season starting there already,” Rock said. “I was able to focus this year on the team more instead of myself.”
Ohio assistant coach Amy Rossi worked with Rock on her first touch, moving the ball, connecting passes, and strengthening her dominant left foot. Rossi said Rock is the type of player any coach looks for, not only from a versatility standpoint, but in her attitude as well.
“From day one she’s been a cheerleader for the group,” Rossi said. “She’s kept that role throughout and I think that’s really allowed her to build relationships with her teammates because they all look up to her.”
Rock has not only seen her shot totals and assists rise, but her minutes as well throughout her Bobcat career. This past season, she appeared in 20 games, with two points and 11 shots, four on goal. She accumulated one goal on the season that proved to be a game-winner.
Rock is the designated corner-kick taker for the Bobcats. She has assisted on one of Ohio’s four goals scored this season.
Rock has steadily increased her minutes throughout her Bobcat career. She played 55 total minutes in her first two seasons before this past season, when she tallied 492 minutes. Four games into this season, she has tallied 326 minutes.
Senior defender Paige Howard said Rock is a great learner and listener and has done a fine job with her transition to center back.
“Center back’s a huge role on the field; you need to keep your head and learn how to communicate,” Howard said. “It’s a whole different outlook to the game, so I think she did a great job just really trying to understand how to play her role.”
Rock said having the opportunity to play at several positions has made her see the game differently.
“The fact that I’ve had the opportunity to play nearly every position for a field player definitely helps a lot, anywhere from the back to playing up top,” Rock said. “I just feel like having the experience of playing all over the field gives me a little better of an idea of what my teammates are going through in those positions as well.”
mk277809@ohiou.edu
