Our Sunshine

Every now and then, a rare soul radiates such joy and light, that every room she enters is illuminated. On January 12th, 2021, Jordyn Clark left this earth and is now at peace. She was 23. 

From the beginning, Jordyn danced to the beat of her own drum which was reflected in her unique style, outgoing personality and love of the spotlight. This was evident during her five years on the Minnesota Vikings Junior and All-Star Dance Teams which laid the foundation for her future as a cheerleader, for everyone she encountered. 

She never met a karaoke machine she couldn’t conquer and when it came to music, she was an old soul – her favorite artists included Elton John, Frankie Vallie, Queen, The Beach Boys and Cher (to name a few). Our most cherished memories include time at the cabin, many vacations, cruises, Broadway musicals, and concerts (Jordyn knew every lyric). 

Her soccer career began at age six. She quickly became a top scorer so imagine our surprise when she volunteered to step in as goalie. The rest is history. After years of protecting the net, Jordyn helped lead the Concordia University (CSP) Bears to their first ever NCAA Central Regional Tournament. This was the perfect capstone to her final year of competitive soccer. 

Jordyn holds the CSP record for career wins (26), shutouts (17) and ties (8), was an NCIS Goalkeeper of the Year, and CSP Female Athlete of the Year, among many other achievements. As she so fiercely helped lead her teams to victory, she also made her family beam with pride. 

As if going to school and playing soccer were not enough, Jordyn was the co-head coach of the Edina Soccer Club (ESC) U10 Girls Green Team (age 10), and goalkeeper coach where she provided individual and group-based specialist training to the majority of the ESC goalkeepers. She was also Director of Goalkeeping at Park Valley United Soccer Club where she worked with girls and boys in K-12. 

Coach Clark’s relentless smile, energy and passion were evident at each training session. She commanded the respect of all those who interacted with her regardless of age/level/ability. Jordyn was an integral part of the ESC coaching staff and according to them, her future in coaching had no limits. 

In some ways, being a goalie was a metaphor for her life. Jordyn was fiercely protective of family, friends, teammates and those less fortunate. She also protected us from her own internal struggles so it may be, she was a warrior for everyone but herself. We pray the memories of her leading, winning, teaching, cheering, laughing, dancing and singing, will be the inspiration others need to make it through difficult times. 

Anyone who knows Jordyn knows no summary of her rich life is complete without mention of Mickey, her prized Goldendoodle and best friend. The two were inseparable as is evident by Jordyn’s Instagram page, @mickeymom1. She loved Mickey, and Coco – they brought her immense comfort and joy.