POCATELLO, Idaho- Idaho State women's basketball Jordan Sweeney knows what it takes to compete on the court and in the classroom.
 
The California native grew up with both of her parents and older brother showing her the ropes of hard work.
 
"I live with both of my parents and my brother," said Sweeney. "My mom is a P.E. teacher at a high school in California and my dad works for the gas and electric company there. My brother is three years older than me and he is currently in chiropractic school. We're a pretty tight family. We do pretty much everything together."
 
Being a tight knit family, it's no wonder Sweeney picked up some characteristics from her parents.
 
"I carry a lot of my dad's characteristics when it comes to being competitive and I can be hot-headed and stubborn in a sense," said Sweeney. "I think my mom has always been the person who has been able to make me see through my mistakes or bad games and really become better in that sense. Like after not playing well, my mom has always been there to pick me back up."
 
Her brother had a big influence on her as well.
 
"My brother was a big part of my childhood," Sweeney said. "We did everything together and I hated it. He would totally bully me when we played sports but it made me a lot better, it's part of the reason why I'm here. But yeah, he did a lot for me growing up."
 
Not only did she grow up close to her family, but the kids in her neighborhood, too.
 
"I grew up in a really close court," Sweeney said. "There were a lot of children, it was a total typical like stay out until the street lights turned on just playing kick ball, baseball, roller hockey, or whatever. We spent a ton of time outside."
 
All of those days spent outside playing turned into a love for organized sport.
 
"I played a lot of sports growing up and my mom was a pretty well-known basketball coach in California at the time that I was growing up," explained Sweeney. "So she obviously got me into basketball but I also played soccer, volleyball, and softball."
 
Following in her mother's footsteps, Sweeney's passion for the game of basketball grew. 
 
"Basketball wasn't always my favorite but going into high school I really started to take basketball more seriously," said Sweeney. "And that's what I chose to try and pursue in college. I played for an Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) team in California called Cal Stars. I owe them a lot, they're a big reason why I got recruited."
 
Her recruiting process to come to Idaho State started her junior year of high school and she never looked back.
 
"I came on an unofficial here and after meeting my teammates and the coaches and being part of the community just for a couple days it really felt like a place that I wanted to be," Sweeney said. "And it felt like women's basketball was important here. The style of play was right up my alley and I knew I would get along with the team and that's something that was really important to me."
 
Playing Division I sports is not for the weak-minded. Luckily, Sweeney has prepared for this her whole life. 
 
"Hard work is something that my family has always instilled in me at a really young age," said Sweeney. "And everything I did I was never allowed to quit. If I was uncomfortable my parents never let me take the easy way out of anything. I think it was really good for me to be comfortable being uncomfortable."
 
Sweeney thinks of her competitiveness as both her strongest and weakest suit.
 
"I always liked to be the best at things growing up," said Sweeney. "Playing sports I would have breakdowns and I would cry and be mad if I played bad or made a mistake, it was my downfall then but I think it has pushed me to become a much better athlete, a better student, a better person. Just like being hardworking and pushing through things that get in my way."
 
The sophomore is currently majoring in sports management and keeps education as a priority in her life.
 
"My mom is a teacher so school has always been something that has been important," Sweeney said. "My whole life getting good grades was always most important before anything else. My brother was always a great student so I was always in competition with him just in my own head. He always pushed me to do better probably without knowing it and I've always kept that with me. School has always remained extremely important."
 
Sweeney has a passion for women's sports and plans to make a difference. 
 
"My intended career path is to go into the sports world," said Sweeney. "I don't exactly know what I want to do but I wouldn't mind working at a university like this. I think my purpose, what I really want to do, is work in women's athletics and try to fight and push for equality for us and I think I have a good chance of doing that with my current major." 

Just like in her childhood, Sweeney still looks forward to hanging out with her friends in her free time.
 
"I like to spend a lot of time with my friends," Sweeney said. "Back home I was the same way whether we went to the beach or movies or whatever. Here I spend a lot of time with my teammates, go on hikes, hang out and watch movies and literally do nothing."
 
With the mentality of a hard worker and a passion for the game, Sweeney strives to see her team succeed. 
 
"I really want to contribute in any way I can to help this team win the Big Sky Championship this year," Sweeney said.