This was in the El Paso Times today written by Wayne Thornton......... Wayne Thornton: Anderson sisters left mark on youth sports in EP Posted: 10/23/2014 12:00:00 AM MDT It is said the best things in life come in threes. In the case of Jennifer, Jessica and Jocelyn Anderson — three special, vibrant, intelligent young ladies from Irvin High School — nothing could be truer. The Anderson sisters — all who stand close to 6 feet — are athletic legends. Each played basketball and volleyball and swam. They were also ultimate leaders and friends to the many teammates over the years. Their careers were not surrounded by a run of district championships or individual awards, but each went on to play collegiate volleyball. Each had a unique bond and an inner spirit and drive to succeed on and off the court. The sisters are charismatic, inspirational and caring young women who not only stood tall in stature but were also mesmerizing with their gifted athletic skills, leadership and caring attitudes. The trio are now married and raising their own children in various parts of Texas. The girls were born to Julie and Joe Anderson. Julie was a longtime teacher with the El Paso Independent School District. Joe was a teacher, coach and principal for 42 years also with the El Paso school district. Their parents were from Fort Dodge, Iowa. However, all three girls were born in El Paso. Joe Andersons love of sports is well-known, as he coached at Irvin for many years. His daughters grew up playing in the McDonalds basketball and volleyball leagues, which at the time were the largest of their kind in Texas. Jennifer, at 6 feet, 4 inches, was the tallest and the eldest of the Anderson sisters. She is a 1989 graduate of Irvin and went on to play at Texas Womens University. Jennifer and her sisters swam for the Park Foothills Sharks. The girls were introduced to swimming by Leo Cancellare, who between him and William W. Cowan knew or coached every swimmer who lived during that time period. At least it seemed that way. Jennifer is now a physical therapist in Houston and is married to Gregg Haan, another Irvin graduate. They have two sons, Hayden and Carson. Jessica, who is 5 feet 11 inches tall, is a 1991 graduate of Irvin. She played volleyball at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth. Jessica is a social worker in Fort Worth at Baylor All Saints Hospital and has two daughters, Megan and Molly. She is married to Tom Forrestal. Jocelyn, who is 6 feet tall, also graduated also from Irvin, in 1993, where she played volleyball, basketball and ran track. She attended LSU before finishing at UTEP playing volleyball. Cancellare introduced her to Todd Roberts, and they eventually got married. They live in El Paso with their three boys, Magnus, Raif and Reece. Jocelyn works part-time with her husbands business. Athletics has always played a big part of the Andersons lives. Two things stand out about Jennifer Anderson. The first is when she, along with Rennie Rebe, a fellow basketball player at El Paso High, and Courtney Gentry at Austin High School, signed up for the McDonalds Summer Basketball League. It was like the stamp of approval for other high school girls basketball players to sign up. With the addition of these three girls, it raised the bar for girls basketball in the city. The other significant item about Jennifer was in 1989 at the first McDonalds High School Senior Basketball/Volleyball Showcase which is still going strong 25 years later. The event is a way to give graduating high school seniors one last time to represent school in front of family, friends, and coaches. In 1989 at the Carolina Recreation Center, in front of a standing-room-only crowd, Anderson and Ysleta Highs Wanda Brown put on a show that no one who was there could forget. Brown, who stood 6 feet tall, was as imposing in the middle as any other player at the time. The El Paso Times Player of the Year led the Indians to one of their best seasons ever. Jennifer was the only player in the city who could match Browns size and strength. She put on a show of shows as she blocked shots, had multiple tip-ins and jaw-dropping assists. It was just a performance that legends are made of. The El Paso Parks and Recreations McDonalds Basketball League also had select female players travel to Phoenix for the BCI National Championships with teams from throughout the country. Jennifer, Jessica and Jocelyn all played on the select teams over the years. On one such trip to Phoenix, Jennifer played against the Los Angeles Lady Watts Magicians led by Lisa Leslie, a hall-of-famer whom some call the greatest woman player ever. Each year at Christmas, the sisters have a reunion of their families and one place they can all be seen is at the WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Basketball Invitational at UTEP. So here is a suggestion for the Irvin High School Alumni Association. Next year, when you are selecting an outstanding ex, dont consider one — consider three.
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 15:01:53 +0000
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