Alexis Sherard stepped into a new role when he became the new head coach of the Liberty University Women’s Basketball team Aug. 28. While this role came with some adjustments, he knows he does not have to face them alone — he has the support of his wife, Jennifer Jordan-Harrell.
Jordan-Harrell has always loved sports. Whether she was supporting her children on the sidelines or behind the camera shooting professional sporting events, sports have always had a place in her life.
“I have always loved sports,” Jordan-Harrell said. “I’m kind of athletic. I have three children that are very athletic, … so sports have been a big part of my life and something that I really enjoy.”
Following her passion for athletics, Jordan-Harrell found herself at a naval academy basketball tournament where she first met Sherard. Now, almost a decade later, she is honored to be serving as a basketball coach’s wife.
“It was good timing,” Jordan-Harrell said. “I knew that his career was very solid and he was not wanting to relocate, and I love the atmosphere here and was ready for a slower pace. So I thought this was an opportunity for me to take the step and relocate.”
This, however, was not something Jordan-Harrell had in the cards for her life at the time.
“At that point in my life, my question for God was … show me the right direction, whatever you have for my path, make it so obvious that I can’t ignore it,” Jordan-Harrell said.
It did not take long for that prayer to be answered, giving Jordan-Harrell signs that she could not ignore.
“One of the very first conversations we ever had was about travel. He said, ‘Where would you like your next trip to be?’ And I said, ‘Definitely Cuba,’” Jordan-Harrell said. “And he said his family is from Cuba. … (They) go there every few years. And I was born and raised in Rhode Island. He coached in Rhode Island early in his career, and we frequented so many of the same places but didn’t know each other at the time.”
Prior to meeting Sherard, Jordan-Harrell worked as the director of corporate membership, development and marketing for the Air & Space Forces Association. She also continued to pursue her passion for photography doing freelance work in fashion and MLS games for online soccer magazines like “Prost Amerika” and “American Soccer News.”
After the two were married, Jordan-Harrell learned to adjust to the slower pace of life in Lynchburg where she now works as a sales and marketing consultant for ABC13, the local affiliate of Sinclair Broadcast Group.
“It was a bit of a culture shock, coming from the D.C. area to Lynchburg, just from a corporate standpoint,” Jordan-Harrell said. “It’s much more laid back here, … but it’s balanced out well.”
As a lover of travel, Jordan-Harrell has enjoyed being able to accompany her husband during travel and tag along with the team on occasion, allowing her to gain new experiences.
Living close to the university has also given Jordan-Harrell the opportunity to support her two stepchildren, both members of the track and field team at Liberty. As Jordan-Harrell’s daughter ran for the track team at Georgetown University, she holds a special love for the sport.
“I think it’s just been a really nice atmosphere for me. … I really enjoy it,” Jordan-Harrell said.
In her time on the mountain, Jordan-Harrell has also had the opportunity to develop unique bonds with the athletes in her husband’s program. Though Sherard is new to the role of Lady Flames head coach, they are no strangers to the team as he has been a part of the staff for the last 18 years, and Jordan-Harrell has been alongside him for the last eight.
Jordan-Harrell said that Sherard’s familiarity with the team has made for a smooth change in leadership this season.
“They’re so solid to begin with, and he’s been here for so long,” Jordan-Harrell said. “It’s a very easy transition.”
Just as Sherard was mentored by former Head Coach Carey Green, Jordan-Harrell received guidance from Green’s wife, Denise, on how to support her husband and the team.
“I spent a lot of time talking to Denise Green,” Jordan Harrell said. “I’ve spent a lot of time at her home and just watching her as an example of support, leadership and things like that for Coach Green over the years. She’s so welcoming with the girls and their families, with her hospitality, meals and little thoughtful gifts for the girls at different times, and (she) constantly interacts with the parents during the games — just getting a feel for all that she does.”
With Jordan-Harrell having a desire to provide mentorship to young women, she strives to learn from other coaches’ wives to find better ways of supporting the team.
“I try to … take some things from her playbook and asked, ‘What do you do? … What should I be doing,’” Jordan-Harrell said. “She gave me some advice on things like that and just little things that she does. But I definitely have a heart for girls and want to be active and supportive of them.”
One of the ways Jordan-Harrell serves the team is by keeping in contact with athletes’ parents, especially those living internationally and not able to watch their daughters play in person.
“I’ll take videos of their daughters playing or clips that they’re in, send them to them. … I know from when my kids went to college how hard it is to leave them,” Jordan-Harrell said. “I think from a parenting standpoint, any way that I can reassure a mother that this is a good place … I think to reassure them in that way is nice.”
Another way Jordan-Harrell goes above and beyond to help the girls feel comfortable adjusting to college life is by providing them with their favorite meals from home.
“Sometimes I have gotten recipes from some of the international parents of things that their daughters like, and I’ll try and make it,” Jordan-Harrell said.
Not only has Jordan-Harrell been a blessing to the athletes, but she also finds herself inspired by their faith and maturity.
“I am always impressed when the girls do circle time or pregame prayer, postgame prayer,” Jordan-Harrell said. “Just hearing how young they are and how faithful they are and how strongly they can speak on the things that they know God has done in their lives — that’s very impressive to me.”
In her five years as a coach’s wife, Jordan-Harrell has made an impact on the women’s basketball team by providing a mother’s support for many of the female athletes who have gone through the program.
Jordan-Harrell also noted the blessing it has been to play a role in an athletics program that is founded on Christ.
“I just think that it’s an amazing place. I think there are so many opportunities for it to be amazing in so many ways for different people,” Jordan-Harrell said. “Players that come here (who) don’t have a Christian faith, I think it definitely moves them in ways that they probably didn’t expect, and that’s beautiful to witness.”
White is the sports editor for the Liberty Champion.