Field-hockey player Jessica Jaworski shares number, dedication with dad.

Lucky No. 7 brought a shot at the Super Bowl to former Eagles

quarterback Ron Jaworski in 1981. And now, that same digitand a lot

of dedicationis working magic for a bird of a different feather: his

daughter Jessica, a field-hockey player for the Temple Owls.

I just got No. 7 this year. It was sort of given to me in honor of my dad,

said the younger Jaworski, a 22-year-old from Voorhees, N.J. My sister

and brother were also athletes, but they've never been No. 7.

Growing up in a sports-loving family, Jaworski spent a lot of time on the

links, lacrosse field and basketball court before committing to field hockey.

(Her older sister also played field hockey, and went to the final four with

Rowan College's team last year in Division III.)

We just pointed Jessica in the right directionshe took the ball and ran

with it, said Ron Jaworski. She just always enjoyed playing field hockey.

I think she really likes the team aspect.

Despite her athletic lineage, Jaworski isn't one to hog the spotlightor the

ball. If she's one of the team's leaders in points, it's due to providing five

assists.

Dad says I'm too much of a team player, that I'm not individualistic

enough, said Jaworski, who is close to her teammates and lives with three

of them.

Head Coach Lauren Fuchs said Jaworski came through for the team when

it lost a key midfielder, who's out for the rest of the season with an injury.

Jessica had mainly been a forward, but now she has seen time in both

positions, Fuchs said. She did a great job adjusting for us.

I was kind of apprehensive at first, about playing more defense, because I

was used to the attack, said Jaworski, who has started in nearly every

game this year. Now, I really like the change.

Birds of a Feather
Jessica

Jaworski, seen here celebrating an Owls

goal, gets tons of support from her father,

Ron, the former Eagles quarterback.

The field hockey team's 4-11 record reflects its struggle with scoring early in the season, when it faced the best competition: top-ranked schools such as Penn

State, Duke, Old Dominion and Delaware.

It was the schedule from hell, Jaworski said. But we've been learning all season long. When we went into the A-10 games, we had an edge.

The stick women improved their record with a three-game winning streak, including victories over local rivals West Chester and La Salle.

We had been struggling with scoring, but we've been playing very well as a team, both offensively and defensively, said Fuchs. I think we play a total team

game, not depending on any one person.

A good example: five different Owls scored in the recent 5-0 shutout against Ursinustheir biggest lead all season.

Like her team, Jaworski counts on hard work, team play, and support from the sidelines to achieve her goals. Her mother, Liz, and father, who come to almost

every home game, play a big part.

Sometimes Dad flies the red-eye home from California to be at my game the next day, instead of just staying out there another night, said the broadcasting and

international politics major.

When she graduates next year, Jaworski hopes to stay at Temple to get a law degree, in preparation for a career as a journalist covering international politics.

In life and in sports, Jaworski said, her famous father has proven to be an invaluable coach.

Dad always says that if people already know your name, just take that starting point as an advantage, and then put talent on top of it, she said. Jennifer Rauch

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