1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: To make it. To be great at anything, the traditional 2 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: ordinary route doesn't always work. Sometimes you have to go 3 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: out of bounds, seeking out a path that looks like 4 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: no one else's hustling, trusting your gut even when other 5 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:20,479 Speaker 1: people tell you know. I'm Hannah Waddingham and this is 6 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: Hustle Rule, an audio docuseries featuring the untold stories of 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: women's soccer players around the world, based on the book 8 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: Under the Lights and in the Dark, written by Gwendolen Oxenham. 9 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,159 Speaker 1: Like the story you're about to hear, I know what 10 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 1: it's like to be just outside your dream, to be 11 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:42,559 Speaker 1: on the brink, to have to keep pushing and pushing. 12 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 1: In my own life, I did have to fight for 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: every step of my success. Before I got ted Lasso, 14 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: I had been hammering at the door of television for 15 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: a really, really long time, for like twenty five years. 16 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: I always got what I refer to as the also 17 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: ran part, but I could never land the main role. 18 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: Because I was in musical theater, a leading lady on 19 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: the West End stage. People treated me like, well, you're 20 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: mainly a singer, and I was like, no, no, no, no, 21 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 1: I'm not give me a chance. This is the story 22 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,479 Speaker 1: of a relentless chase, a player's refusal to give up. 23 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: This episode is La Gringa, The Alley Long Story. Nobody 24 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: Here's Gwen our author. While writing my book, I was 25 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: interested in the players so close to their football dreams 26 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: who put in triple days to stay ready and still 27 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: don't get picked for the national team. Twenty three players 28 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: make the World Cup roster. What's it like to be player? 29 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: You watch your best friends make the team when they're 30 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty years old. How does it feel to be 31 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:13,639 Speaker 1: nearly thirty, still holding on, still hoping, even though that's 32 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: around the age most of your heroes start retiring. But 33 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: Ali still told herself one day I'll play in the Olympics. 34 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: I'll play in the World Cup. And to do that 35 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 1: to get there, she knew it would take something a 36 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:35,959 Speaker 1: little different, something nobody else was doing. In this episode, 37 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 1: we head to the underground leagues in New York to 38 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: cutthroat games with high stakes, big crowds, and cash prizes, 39 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: where Ali Long plays against the men. This will be 40 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: her approving ground. The environment is something that I have 41 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: never experienced anywhere else in my life. The games were crazy, intense. 42 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: There's a lot of people, all thousands of people. There's 43 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: sometimes I like you could Burley played. They're all like 44 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: almost incited, feel like you gotta be pushing people around. 45 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,359 Speaker 1: And especially when there's big tournaments like that you play 46 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: for ten thows, Like one day, there's music blasting. You 47 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: have people in the in the corner selling food and panadas, 48 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: rice and beans, beers, drinks, and then everyone's yelling screaming 49 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: every shot they take, every goal they score. Literally there's 50 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: a guy walking around taking bets with this little chart 51 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: and taking cash and kind of just being the bookie 52 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: on the spot. There's a lot of steak, whether it's 53 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: you know, a check, whether it's just playing for pride. 54 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: And the level and the speed of player that they 55 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: were playing at was insane. And these leagues there's a 56 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: lot of pro players. You see a lot of like 57 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: ex World Cup players, ex national team players, Colombian, Peruvian, Paraguayan. 58 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: You see all these players in these gyms playing because 59 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: they still love the game game. There's an atmosphere that 60 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: nobody wants to be, especially being a football and you 61 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: see things that you've never seen a wrong anywhere. I 62 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: would sit on the silo and I'm like I just 63 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: want to play so bad. In her gut, she knew 64 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: this was where she was supposed to be. She just 65 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 1: had to prove it. Can't she hang with the men. 66 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: It's a good question, and to answer it, you'd have 67 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: to know a little bit about how Ali ended up 68 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: here in the first place. Let's rewind to suburban Long Island, 69 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: late nineteen eighties. Ali has been playing against guys since 70 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,719 Speaker 1: the very beginning. She started playing soccer when she was four, 71 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: on a team, and she was crazy. She was so 72 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: into it. It was a co ed league, and she 73 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 1: would go there and she would run over all the 74 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: little boys and score goals and then just jump up 75 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: and cheer. You could say it's genetic. Ali's mom, Barbara, 76 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 1: has been playing her whole life, and she passed her 77 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: love of the game on to Ali. My mom is 78 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: actually such a g She still plays pick up to 79 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: this day with guys. She's like the only girl. But um. 80 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: Growing up, she played in a women's league, so she 81 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: used to bring me to her games every weekend. We 82 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: used to go out and on the street in front 83 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 1: of our house and kick the ball back and forth 84 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 1: for hours and count how many times we could get 85 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: it back and forth, and it would get dark at 86 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: we'd still be playing because the street lights would come 87 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: on and I love that summer air. And we finally 88 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 1: my husband Chols and say come on in. You know, 89 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: we have to go in now, you know. And when 90 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: she was eleven years old, Ali made up her mind 91 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: she was going to play for the US women's national team. 92 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: Ever since I saw the nine win the World Cup, 93 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: I knew right then that's exactly what I wanted to do. 94 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 1: I didn't even think of another option. My mind was set. 95 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: I wanted to play for the U s wims actual team, 96 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: and I wanted to win a World Cup. There was 97 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: one national team player in particular who Ali really lee 98 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: looked up to. I love me and him growing up. 99 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 1: I wanted her to sign anything. I didn't care, and 100 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: one day she got her chance. Here's her dad, James, 101 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: Ali's grandfather, her biggest supporter, brought us tickets to a 102 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:25,039 Speaker 1: national team game against Australia. And as a game came 103 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 1: to an end, I see my wife and a whizz Ali, 104 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 1: I don't know who's elliot. I go to my fall. 105 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: I wis all you don't know? So then everybody's like 106 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 1: five deep at the fence at the ground floor of 107 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 1: the stands because the little girls are coming around giving 108 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: autographs except for me. She was across the stadium from 109 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: where I was sitting, like where she chose to go 110 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:51,679 Speaker 1: sign next, you know what? I thank god. I see 111 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 1: her on her hands and knees and she's crawled between 112 00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 1: people's legs like five geep, I'm telling five next, you know. 113 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 1: And I see her climb over the fence. I'm like 114 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: what So then I shoot down and I'm behind her 115 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: and actually I had to uh push a few people 116 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 1: out of the way, and I see her now she's 117 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: running across the field. I literally hopped the fence. I 118 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: don't even know how this happened, and ran to where 119 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: she was and I was like, can you sign us? 120 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: And she signed it and I like hopped the fence 121 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: back over and my dad was like, you're out of 122 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: your mind, but good job you got her signature. She 123 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: is relentless. She perseveres in every avenue and everything she does, 124 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: and that's what makes all those champions champions. Her me 125 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: obsession is part of why she transferred from Penn State 126 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 1: University to the University of North Carolina. Chapel Hill a 127 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: legendary program for women's soccer North Carolina. For me was 128 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 1: where the best of the best play. That's where me 129 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: and Hamm went. You know, I wanted to be just 130 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 1: like her, do what she did and stepping on the 131 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: same field Mia did and being coached by the same 132 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: coach that coached me in hearing what he said to 133 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: her and he's talking to me about it. Here's head 134 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: coach antson Dorren's describing Ali. I mean she was sort 135 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: of a street fighter, and we certainly like that quality 136 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: in her. She is very good in possession, She sees 137 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: the field beautifully. Her decision making is exquisite. But the 138 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: ring that rules the mall is competitive fire and if 139 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 1: you want to have one ring to try to build 140 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: your game on, that's probably the most critical one. And 141 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: she had that in spades. The summer after her junior 142 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: year at U n C, Ali's longtime club coach invited 143 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 1: her to train with his men's semi pro team in 144 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 1: Long Island. And on the first day of practice, we're 145 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 1: playing like five five and it was five minutes or 146 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 1: two goals, So whoever was winning at the end of 147 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: five minutes or if you scored two goals. Then another 148 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: team comes on and so my team we didn't even 149 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: last the five minutes, Like right away the team scored 150 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 1: two goals. It was the third time that this happened. 151 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 1: We're running off the field and one of the guys 152 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 1: in my team was like, we keep losing, like made 153 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 1: a comment under his breath, like, oh, we keep losing. 154 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 1: And as I'm running past this guy to like go 155 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: to the sideline, He's like, because you have a girl 156 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,959 Speaker 1: on your team, And I was like, are you kidding me? 157 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: Who is this kid? I literally hated him, I think 158 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: after that game, though my team won every game, like 159 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: I made sure of it because he made that comment. 160 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: So I appreciate him in inspiring me to like just 161 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:37,559 Speaker 1: shut him up. The guy who enraged Ali Jose Baptista, 162 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: but most people call him Botti. She hated me after that, 163 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: I guess just just because she was on that team 164 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: and they lost so quick. I like blamed her for 165 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: it kind of, you know. I mean, I thought it 166 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: was also funny, but yes, I for sure meant it. 167 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: But they ended up doing well. But I'm like, wow, 168 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:01,079 Speaker 1: she's really good. But despite the rough star, he broke 169 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: her down joke by joke play by play, So Botti 170 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: is like really funny, and so he would always make 171 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: these like little comments and I was trying not to 172 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: laugh at his jokes. As the summer went on and 173 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 1: the more we played with each other, I got to 174 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: know him off the field and like totally understand the 175 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: person he was on the field. I gave myself the 176 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: opportunity to get to know him, because before that there 177 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:28,319 Speaker 1: was zero chance that I wanted anything to do with him. 178 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:30,839 Speaker 1: But once I was cool with him, and I guess 179 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 1: like start to like him. I brought that up immediately. 180 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 1: I was like, are you serious, that was your comment, 181 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 1: your very first comment, and he just like thinks it's 182 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: so funny. He's like, I was obviously joking and I 183 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 1: said it as you're running by, so you heard me, 184 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: just mess with you. I just decided to give her 185 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: to give her banter just to see how she would 186 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: react to it, and yeah, she didn't take it lightly, 187 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 1: but I thought it was hysterically funny. Ali and Botti 188 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: start training to get They're outside of practice, hitting long balls, 189 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: talking smack, learning each other's tendencies. I've always been so 190 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 1: impressed with the confidence that he has many plays going 191 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: up to a p K. He's always a fifth shooter, 192 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 1: the one to kind of like solidify the wind, and 193 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: he just chip the keeper every single time. I think, 194 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 1: just always having fun with each other, joking with each 195 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,439 Speaker 1: other is kind of like what was like the foundation 196 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: of our relationship. Also like his belief in me, his 197 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:32,199 Speaker 1: support in me. It was unfamiliar from just a guy athlete. 198 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 1: They understood each other and played off of one another 199 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: on the field and off of it. Little by little, 200 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: they began introducing each other to their worlds. When Ali 201 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: left for her senior year at U n C, Botti 202 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: and his friends regularly made the ten hour drive to 203 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: see her play, unpacking this car out with as many 204 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 1: friends as I can. You know, I remember going to 205 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:00,839 Speaker 1: see uncavers Duke and we got to the so cool, 206 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: like the rivalry, the tackling is extra, the cheering his extra. 207 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: Just to witness all of that, it was cool, especially 208 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: like my friends who didn't go to college, who got 209 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 1: to witness that. And after Ali takes Botti to her games, 210 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: Botti introduces her to the games that meant the most 211 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: to him, these underground football leagues with men from all 212 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: over the world. Football is a fast paced, smaller version 213 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 1: of soccer, usually five aside, played on a gym court 214 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: using a smaller, harder ball. It originated in the nineteen 215 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 1: thirties in Uruguay. Football means everything to my family. They're 216 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 1: immigrants from South America. My dad's Brazilian, my mom's Colombian, 217 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:56,719 Speaker 1: so it runs in the blood. I started going to 218 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 1: these leagues to watch my dad and his friends play. 219 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: The league's have a rich history of fathers passing down 220 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,560 Speaker 1: the game to their sons. Here are Bodsy and his 221 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: friends explaining the game's roots. It started as like a 222 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: Hispanic thing where families would come together and rent these 223 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 1: gyms out and play. And then they got so competitive 224 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:24,199 Speaker 1: that these families started getting ringers and like giving them 225 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 1: money to help them play with their team to try 226 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: and win. And that's how he just kept growing and growing, 227 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 1: and the money just started getting better and better. My 228 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 1: mom would have me in the stroller, would be eating 229 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 1: in banadas, you know, on the sideline, and just hanging out. 230 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 1: My dad, being from Columbia, he came over here and 231 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 1: you know, back then there was no real professional league 232 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 1: in the US, and this was the only place to 233 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 1: play for these guys and there was just so many 234 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 1: good players. They were just insane. That's Mike Pelacio. He 235 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: played for the New York Red Bulls for two years 236 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: US and he's one of the guys who plays on 237 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,959 Speaker 1: battist footsal team. So my dad would be going from 238 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: game to game, hustling, playing in these games where each 239 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: country had a league. You know, you have the Peruvian league. 240 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: They paid this amount. My dad would be on a 241 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: team there that would be a game at nine am 242 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 1: and Brent would and then at five o'clock he would 243 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: have a game in Flushing with the Columbian League. You know, 244 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: he's making five dollars a game. Thirty years ago he 245 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 1: made a good living doing this. My name is Mohammed 246 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 1: Mushriki from Flushing, Queens, New York born and raised. I've 247 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: played soccer for the national team of Afghanistan for about 248 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 1: four years and uh I've played soccer in underground leagues 249 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: actually since I was fourteen up until these days. There 250 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: are crowds you get, you know, wrapped around the field 251 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: that they put the pressure on you. You know. Then 252 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: we have Diego Boluto. He is Argentinian. Probably one of 253 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: my favorite people to be around. His Argentinian barbecues are 254 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: the best. But um, he's he just played in Gym's 255 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,760 Speaker 1: his whole life. I'm from New York and just a 256 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: regular street boiler pretty much. You know a guy that 257 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: love soccer. You know. I've been playing soccer since I'm 258 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:24,120 Speaker 1: three years old and and I've been doing it ever since. 259 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: My name is annas Vedo. I grew up in Maniji, Colombia. 260 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: I was nine years old when I got here. I 261 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: used to work at a hotel in the city now 262 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 1: in the housekeeping department. I quit my job just too 263 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 1: that it came myself to play in those leagues because 264 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: the money was really good. I call him the King 265 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 1: of underground leagues because he made a killing. He was sick. 266 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 1: The most I've got in the game half an hour game, 267 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 1: but I'm talking about fifteen minute halves. There was Allen, 268 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: along with another kid on the team, Jules Escobar, actually 269 00:15:56,760 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 1: went on to play with the U. S national football team. 270 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: When I first told Ali about it, obviously she had 271 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: no idea and she was like what she wanted to come? 272 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: She was like all about it. She was really excited 273 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: and then she came to my first game. I knew 274 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: how good Botty was. I knew how good his friends were, 275 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 1: but I didn't know how good the other players were 276 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: and how the other teams were. I'm in street clothes, 277 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 1: I am probably getting an impanada. I am enjoying my time. 278 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 1: I watched it in a way to kind of learn 279 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 1: the game as well. I would want to know how 280 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: did they just get out of that situation, or what 281 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: made them shoot the ball that way, or how did 282 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: they get free there? Movement off the ball on the 283 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 1: ball was so intriguing to me, So I loved it 284 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 1: kind of almost as like a student watching and a 285 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: fan watching, but of course almost dying to play. We 286 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: were scared to play her because you know, she's playing 287 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: at a high level and I we didn't want her 288 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 1: to get hurt. That's Alan, and here's Botti. It's not 289 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 1: like a normal soccer game in the sense where the 290 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 1: refs are going to call everything, you know, fouls a foul. Know, 291 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 1: in these leagues they let a little more go than usual, 292 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:10,880 Speaker 1: so there's a lot of body contact. There's a lot 293 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 1: of pushing and shoving. So I was always scared for 294 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 1: something that happened to her or her to get her. 295 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: There's always a fight or about to be a fight 296 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: almost every single match that I watched up until that point. 297 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: So when they said I didn't want to get injured, 298 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: I understood in the sense I was like, Okay, I 299 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: see what you mean. So for the first couple of seasons, 300 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 1: Ali would just watched the games from the sidelines. She 301 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 1: graduates from YOU and C and then she starts playing 302 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: professionally for the Washington Spirit in two do intend. She 303 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: even got called up to play with the full US 304 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: national team. It did not go well. Second day of camp. 305 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:57,679 Speaker 1: She tore her mc l I attempted to train like 306 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:00,159 Speaker 1: I tried to pretend that I was fine, but I 307 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 1: just couldn't move at all in that moment. I was 308 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:08,240 Speaker 1: obviously devastated. After that camp, I kind of had this 309 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 1: mindset of like, Okay, what do I need to, you know, 310 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 1: improve on? My mentality was like I have to be 311 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 1: so good that they literally couldn't ignore me. Four months 312 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: after camp, her knees better. She's in New York watching 313 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: Botti and his friends playing a four before FOOTBALLITO tournament 314 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: with a three thousand dollar cash prize, and she's more 315 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: hungry than ever. One of our good friends gets a 316 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 1: red card right away, and so they're down a player 317 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: and I'm just like I can go in, like hello, 318 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:40,919 Speaker 1: first thing she says, like I have my stuff, and 319 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: they're like looking at me and they're like no, And 320 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:44,879 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, the other team scores and the 321 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: right away I'm like I'm out. I'm getting myself. So 322 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: I like ran out to the car. I come back, 323 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:52,960 Speaker 1: and I just felt like I knew that I needed 324 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:57,719 Speaker 1: to play fast. I needed to be confident, and I 325 00:18:57,760 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 1: needed to go in and like almost like prove my 326 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 1: elf because the game happened so fast. The space is 327 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:06,200 Speaker 1: so small, the ball small, and they're closing you down faster. 328 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,200 Speaker 1: The first ball I get like, I make a pass goal. 329 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: I remember her going for her first tackle. I remember 330 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 1: clear because it's one of the things I was like 331 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 1: most worried about. And she actually won that tackle and 332 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: I was like, okay, okay, she can hang. Here's Alan. 333 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 1: So the guys started talking like talking bad about her, 334 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 1: like oh, you can't even play this, what are you 335 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 1: doing here? Like I'm scared to hit you, like you 336 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:35,399 Speaker 1: feel bad for you? And she made them. Actually the 337 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 1: crowd went nuts. It was just so fun to be 338 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: on the court with them, and to be able to 339 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 1: score and like assist and win that game when they 340 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: were losing was one of the best feelings and just 341 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: they I still talked to them for it. Let me 342 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: tell you, Ali played the freaking game of her life. 343 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,199 Speaker 1: That's the ag We be done. We made it to 344 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:06,120 Speaker 1: the final. And there's so many kids, little kids, different ages, 345 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,680 Speaker 1: you know, girls. He was following us all over the place, 346 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 1: obviously Ali, you know, because all the girls were like 347 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:14,640 Speaker 1: so amazed. The little girls were like, oh my god, 348 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,679 Speaker 1: how she played so good. The following weekend, I started 349 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 1: talking to my teammates and coaches and like, yo, let's 350 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:23,360 Speaker 1: give Allie like five or ten minutes and here and there. 351 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:27,400 Speaker 1: And then that's how it went until she became one 352 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: of us. You start hearing like whispers and like my 353 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:34,639 Speaker 1: friends on other teams are like, is Alie playing with 354 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 1: you guys? I'm like, yeah, she's playing today. A lot 355 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:42,160 Speaker 1: of times after the big game that day, a lot 356 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:46,919 Speaker 1: of people leave. Everyone stayed to watch us play. And 357 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: I think it was more to watch her play, to 358 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 1: see how she would do. To see this girl gonna 359 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: play with the men, the whistle about to blow and 360 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: the other teams looking at your team and you're looking 361 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 1: at them and you're kind of just seeing, like who's 362 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: on the other team. Are they good? Are they not? 363 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 1: Like what's this game gonna be? Every time I'm on 364 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:07,679 Speaker 1: the field, right away, it's like, okay, they have a 365 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 1: girl on their team. They're thinking that I'm going to 366 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 1: be nowhere near as good as them, without ever seeing 367 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: me play. It's almost like they will let me have 368 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: the ball first, they won't really like pressure me right away. 369 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:23,959 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh, you're gonna give me space, let's go, 370 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: And then as soon as I start playing, they're like, okay, 371 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:29,159 Speaker 1: they know that they have to play me as if 372 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 1: I'm a guy. I always loved it because it made 373 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 1: me play like it was the World Cup final. Every 374 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: single time I was on the field. Occasionally there'd be 375 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: someone who didn't want her out there. And it was 376 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 1: a playoff match, so the game was intense. Loser goes 377 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:49,919 Speaker 1: home and we're playing like older guys. And I played 378 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 1: a one touch passed and he kind of just came 379 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: in right behind me like hit me a little bit late, 380 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 1: and I said something to him back, like are you 381 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: serious or what do you doing? And he like responded 382 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 1: in Spanish like go play with dolls, and actually didn't 383 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 1: know what dolls translation was in Spanish. All of a sudden, 384 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: the guys are like in his face and I'm like, 385 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,680 Speaker 1: what do you say? What do you say? And right 386 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 1: away I think bati or someone said to me, he 387 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:19,719 Speaker 1: told you go play with dolls. I was like, no, 388 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:23,439 Speaker 1: he didn't, and I'm kidding me. Um, but yeah, so 389 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:25,679 Speaker 1: after that, I was like, oh, I'm gonna like, I 390 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:29,200 Speaker 1: have to just like score as many goals as possible. Um. 391 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:32,680 Speaker 1: We won, and I don't know if I scored that many, 392 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: but I scored a couple and I think I said like, 393 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:36,120 Speaker 1: you go play with dolls. At the end, I didn't 394 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 1: even know how to pronounce the word dolls. But guys 395 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 1: like that were the exception. For the most part, she 396 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 1: won everybody over. Every time she touched the ball was like, 397 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:49,399 Speaker 1: oh she made it a past. It was like oh um. 398 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 1: And then as as time went on, and all you 399 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,639 Speaker 1: hear is la gringa, la gringa, which means like a 400 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:57,120 Speaker 1: little white girl, a white girl, you know, a blonde girl. 401 00:22:57,359 --> 00:22:58,679 Speaker 1: Like I'll get the ball and I'll make up the 402 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: most basic past. I think initially they're like kind of 403 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 1: whistling like, oh, she completed her past a condescending whistle 404 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 1: in away um, but also like cheering for me too. 405 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 1: It's a weird it's a weird feeling um. And then 406 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: once they could tell that I can play, it was 407 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: like we want to watch her play this whole time, 408 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:20,920 Speaker 1: like put her in, keep her in um. Any time 409 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:25,879 Speaker 1: I did anything, they would cheer, clap, yell at me 410 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 1: um in Spanish. It definitely started as kind of like like, oh, 411 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:34,160 Speaker 1: good for her, you know, she's playing cool. Let's cheer 412 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:38,400 Speaker 1: for the girl. And then as I earned the respect 413 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: or as the game played on, then it was more 414 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:44,960 Speaker 1: of like, okay, like we want to watch her play. 415 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:47,960 Speaker 1: There's been times where the gym is packed and we're down, 416 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 1: we go down early, and then ADDIE's scoring a goal here, 417 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 1: two goals here, three goals here, and the gym was 418 00:23:54,119 --> 00:24:01,360 Speaker 1: going crazy, and then they're making fun of the other 419 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,400 Speaker 1: team because of girls scoring on them. She would put 420 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 1: on magic. She likes fit footwork and all of that, 421 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:09,959 Speaker 1: and she should put on the show. Her dream, of course, 422 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:14,159 Speaker 1: is still to make the national team. After the Washington Spirit, 423 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,439 Speaker 1: she plays for New Jersey Sky Blue. Then for Paris 424 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:21,440 Speaker 1: Saint German, but she always comes back here to these 425 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 1: gyms across Queens. These games are what she thinks will 426 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 1: get her there. But two thousand and eleven passes without 427 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: getting called up. In two thousand and twelve, she didn't 428 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: get called up. In two thousand and thirteen, she's drafted 429 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: to the Portland Thorns, where she will play with some 430 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: of the best players in the world, Christine Sinclair, Alex Morgan, 431 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: Tobin Heath. She plays more minutes than any other player 432 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:52,879 Speaker 1: on the team and they win the championship. Still she 433 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: does not get called up. All the football guys pay attention. 434 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 1: They call her or text when she scores, when she wins, 435 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:06,480 Speaker 1: when she loses. To me, she's she's like a sister. 436 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:09,199 Speaker 1: I call her sister. I follow all her games. You know, 437 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 1: after the game, you know, sister, what an amazing game 438 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:16,439 Speaker 1: you did? You know, amazing you play? Sick, keep it up, 439 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 1: it is going to come. That's diego. I've seen how 440 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 1: much work she put on to be on the Nation 441 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 1: Room team, and I remember her getting to a point 442 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: of being, you know, frustrating, because she'd be like, what 443 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 1: else do I gotta do? I used to tell her. 444 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 1: I was like, listen, it's gonna come no matter what. 445 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 1: You know, It's just a matter of time. And then 446 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 1: the U S women's national team gets a new coach 447 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: and in May two and fourteen, after years of waiting, 448 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 1: Ali gets an invitation to the national team training camp 449 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 1: for long ass years. This time, she doesn't get injured, 450 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 1: she plays well in the first camp, and she gets 451 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:01,199 Speaker 1: called into another. She is in the running for a 452 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 1: World Cup roster spot. At the end of the January camp, 453 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: just a few months away from the World Cup, Ali 454 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 1: and head coach Jellalis have a meeting. She sat me 455 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:17,440 Speaker 1: down and she was like, you're not in my plans 456 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: for this World Cup. It takes experience to win these things, 457 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:25,160 Speaker 1: people that have been in these situations under pressure. And 458 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: that was her deciding factor in that moment. And so 459 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 1: the camp was in l A. I flew home to 460 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 1: New York. I think I cried the entire flight. I 461 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: think the person next to me felt so bad for me. 462 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure they handed me tissues midflight. It was 463 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 1: horrible to know that I'm so close. That was my dream. 464 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 1: It only happens every four years. The US woman's side 465 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 1: went on to win the World Cup. Ali watches from 466 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:59,600 Speaker 1: home as her friends become champions. It was hard and 467 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 1: at the same time like I want nothing but success 468 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:05,200 Speaker 1: for them and I want them to be the best. 469 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: So it was a bittersweet balance for sure. I remember 470 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:10,879 Speaker 1: when she was trying to figure out a way to 471 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 1: get some attention to make the US full national team. 472 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:16,480 Speaker 1: We would talk all the time. That's hands in durance again. 473 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 1: Ali's coach at U n C, and she kept saying, 474 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:21,199 Speaker 1: you know, and what do I need to do? What 475 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:22,679 Speaker 1: do I need to do? What do I need to do? 476 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 1: I finally said, well, Ali, let me give you the 477 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:30,680 Speaker 1: bottom line. If you score goals and create goals, it's undeniable. 478 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:35,119 Speaker 1: You're gonna make it the next season playing in the NWSL, 479 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 1: Ali has an even bigger chip on her shoulder. When 480 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:41,119 Speaker 1: you go to the World Cup, it's a twenty three 481 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:43,879 Speaker 1: man roster. When you go to the Olympics for the 482 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:46,680 Speaker 1: next year, it's an a te man roster. And so 483 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:51,159 Speaker 1: like the chances of me making if I didn't make 484 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:53,919 Speaker 1: the World Cup team at twenty three players, they just wanted, 485 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 1: why are you going to change much to an a 486 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:00,399 Speaker 1: tea man roster? Um? You know, everyone told me basically 487 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:04,240 Speaker 1: like be impossible and so, but I kind of like that, 488 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:07,719 Speaker 1: Like I enjoyed them telling me that there's no chance. 489 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 1: That season, she's named the team's most valuable player, and 490 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 1: as a defensive midfielder, a position that doesn't typically score 491 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 1: that much, she is the NWSL's second leading goal scorer, 492 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 1: but again she doesn't get called in. In January of 493 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 1: two thou and sixteen, there's a national team residency camp 494 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:35,280 Speaker 1: and of the players invited, there are ten new faces. 495 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 1: Ali isn't one of them. It was one of the 496 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 1: hardest things to kind of feel and deal with at 497 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 1: that time. That's when she got stronger, she got quicker, 498 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: she got fitter, and I feel like that's when she 499 00:28:56,760 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: became an all around player, the best, so the best. 500 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: I was literally going to make this team or I 501 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: was going to die trying. She keeps training, keeps putting 502 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:15,320 Speaker 1: in the double and triple days just in case, and 503 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 1: as the next NWSL preseason begins, she's still playing like 504 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 1: an m v P. Even among international stars like Almondine 505 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 1: Henri and Lindsey Horan. I felt the best, I've ever felt, 506 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: the fittest, strongest, just on fire, you know, my speed 507 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: of play was the best it's ever been. And before 508 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:39,680 Speaker 1: we even played our first game, I get an email 509 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 1: from the USIM's national team saying that I was invited 510 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 1: into the next camp. We're driving to a team bonding 511 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 1: experience with the Portland Thorns and I'm in the back 512 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 1: of the van with Tobin and I just like show 513 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 1: her my phone and she was freaking out, but silently 514 00:29:57,480 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: freaking out because she didn't want everyone in the bus 515 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 1: to be like what happened. And I literally like cried 516 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 1: when I got it. And I couldn't believe it, but 517 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 1: I could because like I felt like I knew this 518 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 1: was going to happen. I knew that I that like, 519 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 1: once I got my chance, that I was gonna absolutely 520 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 1: make the most of it. On April six, the United 521 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:20,040 Speaker 1: States plays Columbia in a friendly and Ali starts in 522 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 1: the center of the midfield. This game, everything is on 523 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 1: the line. This is her chance to prove she belongs 524 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 1: in the stands. Ali's parents and Botty, Diego and Alan 525 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: from the NYC footsal Leagues make up the Ali Fan Club. 526 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 1: I remember it like yesterday, to be honest, it's freezing. 527 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 1: I'm talking about freezing cold. Alie's like on the brink 528 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 1: of making the team, not making the team. Then in 529 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 1: the thirty second minute, it's Ali's first international goal and 530 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: there's a second goal not at all maxit to us, 531 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 1: it's her fust internet show goal gives the U s 532 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: A a two to nothing lead. Yeah, so if it's 533 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: start so long as the USA, but she's not done yet. 534 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 1: Second goal. That when she scored one goal, we were 535 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: like yes, And then she scored another, we were like, 536 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 1: she made it. That was like the best game I've 537 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:33,280 Speaker 1: ever sat through with her because she did so well 538 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:35,720 Speaker 1: and we knew that that was going to be her 539 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:39,480 Speaker 1: beginning on the team. But we went in saying we're 540 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: throwing beer, we're throwing water, we're jumping, we're hugging, we're yelling, 541 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 1: you name it, we were doing it. I think that 542 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:53,600 Speaker 1: game she put herself on that roster and she was 543 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:59,200 Speaker 1: being there and being able to witness that all the 544 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 1: hard work it in, all those days you were crying, 545 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,239 Speaker 1: all those days you didn't want to wake up, all 546 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:06,440 Speaker 1: the days you didn't want to run in the snow, 547 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:10,239 Speaker 1: train in the rain, Just like all those days was 548 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 1: worth it. And you feel that every single player in 549 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:23,080 Speaker 1: those gyms. I have so much gratitude for all of them, 550 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 1: even though they made it extremely difficult. They gave me 551 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 1: um no room to mess up. They held me to 552 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: the highest standard, and sometimes I hated them, but at 553 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 1: the end of the day, it made me better. After 554 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 1: two more friendlies, Jill l S tells everyone she'll give 555 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:45,200 Speaker 1: them a call to let them know who will be 556 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 1: going to the Olympics. When I saw her name on 557 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:55,600 Speaker 1: my phone, I wasn't nervous, but I felt like I 558 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: did everything I can and at this point her decisions 559 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 1: may it so I just have to accept it. And 560 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 1: you know, she said, congratulations, you made the Olympic roster, 561 00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:10,120 Speaker 1: and she's like, I'm so proud of you. You earned it. 562 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 1: And I started to cry, like on the phone. I 563 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:15,840 Speaker 1: was like tearing, and she was like, she started like 564 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:19,600 Speaker 1: giggling a little because it's I guess, like when I 565 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:23,800 Speaker 1: play soccer, I'm so competitive and so tears aren't like 566 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:25,520 Speaker 1: the first thing you would think of when you think 567 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 1: of me in a sense, So you know, I started 568 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 1: tearing and she like knew and I guess in that 569 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 1: moment how much that meant to me and bought to 570 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 1: next to me just like gave me hug, and he 571 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:37,760 Speaker 1: was like, I'm so proud of you, Like, now, let's winning. 572 00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 1: I was crying tears of happiness. And when the football 573 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: guys found out she was going to the steen Rio 574 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:51,320 Speaker 1: de Janeiro Olympics, they were so proud, so happy. You know, 575 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:54,640 Speaker 1: they're posting in anywhere on all their social media, like 576 00:33:54,720 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 1: they're so outwardly proud and supportive of me and my success. 577 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:01,920 Speaker 1: And they always joke with me. It's like because I 578 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:05,800 Speaker 1: played with them, that's why I am where I am. 579 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 1: And now, at age twenty nine, Ali is a starter 580 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:14,520 Speaker 1: in her first major national team game at the Rio Olympics. 581 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:19,879 Speaker 1: Her family is there to watch. You can't believe that's 582 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:22,279 Speaker 1: where you are, you know, in Brazil and she was 583 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:25,759 Speaker 1: starting on the Olympic team. This girl has worked her 584 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:32,319 Speaker 1: ass off and he made me cry. Here he is 585 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 1: coming down my eyes, saying down this is what she's 586 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:41,040 Speaker 1: worked her as flor entire life and it's got the fruition. 587 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:47,040 Speaker 1: And against France, Ali is named player of the game. 588 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:51,360 Speaker 1: The US ends up losing to Sweden in the quarterfinals, 589 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:54,880 Speaker 1: but Ali's dream, the one she's had since she was 590 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:59,239 Speaker 1: eleven isn't over yet. She still wants to win a 591 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:07,799 Speaker 1: World Cup, and this time in nineteen she did all 592 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:11,680 Speaker 1: the work, all the years of training. It finally paid 593 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:18,440 Speaker 1: off Frali and for Betty. I mean, I basically lived 594 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:24,319 Speaker 1: my dream through Ali, with her making the squad that 595 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: was one dream checked off, and then playing in the 596 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:31,480 Speaker 1: World Cup that was another dream checked off, and then 597 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:36,360 Speaker 1: actually winning the World Cup. That is crazy to say 598 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:39,839 Speaker 1: Ali won the World Cup. I feel like I won 599 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 1: the World Cup when I looked back at what my 600 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:49,239 Speaker 1: goals were and where I started and the path that 601 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:53,960 Speaker 1: I took in almost what was set forth for me 602 00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 1: to get me to where I am today. I think 603 00:35:56,080 --> 00:36:00,439 Speaker 1: that playing in these leagues, the relationship with Botty, all 604 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:03,319 Speaker 1: of that essentially changed my life for the better and 605 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:09,600 Speaker 1: kind of instilled this passion, this joy, this sense of 606 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:12,440 Speaker 1: this culture that like I never really knew existed and 607 00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 1: allowing me to play in these leads with them and 608 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:19,680 Speaker 1: everyone wanted me to make the national team, goalie Olympics, 609 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:23,640 Speaker 1: win a World Cup that was almost the guy's dream 610 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:26,319 Speaker 1: as much as it was my dream. And so you know, 611 00:36:26,400 --> 00:36:30,960 Speaker 1: their impact, their friendship, their support has made me the 612 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:36,240 Speaker 1: player am today. These games made her tough. These games 613 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:39,080 Speaker 1: further honed that quality her parents picked up on back 614 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:42,839 Speaker 1: when she was ten, Her refusal to say no, her 615 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:48,359 Speaker 1: competitive fire. Ali long is relentless, and seeing the hard 616 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:51,800 Speaker 1: scrabble experiences of these guys, some who got a chance, 617 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:54,799 Speaker 1: some who did not, made her fight all the more 618 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:58,480 Speaker 1: for her own. Yet, making the national team is not 619 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 1: really what this story is about out because no matter 620 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:04,200 Speaker 1: how far you do or do not get, a professional 621 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:09,920 Speaker 1: sports career always eventually ends. But as Italian writer Cristiano 622 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:14,919 Speaker 1: Calvina once told Gwen, football will give you much more 623 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:19,239 Speaker 1: than you could ever give it. We're all trying to 624 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:22,920 Speaker 1: find our place, to find our people. That may be 625 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:26,719 Speaker 1: the whole point of everything, and that's what Ali and 626 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:32,240 Speaker 1: so many others found thanks to this beautiful game. Yes 627 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:36,000 Speaker 1: until like I'm literally carried off the field and I 628 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:43,160 Speaker 1: physically cannot move, I'm going to play forever. Join us 629 00:37:43,160 --> 00:38:14,280 Speaker 1: for the next episode The mother Load. Yeah Well staff 630 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:17,920 Speaker 1: for Noel Bad Hustle Rule is the production of Waffle 631 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:22,640 Speaker 1: Iron Entertainment, Range Media Partners, Observatory Audio, UP Media, and 632 00:38:22,719 --> 00:38:26,440 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio. Written and directed by Gwendolyn oxen Um, 633 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:28,880 Speaker 1: hosted by me Hannah wading Um and is based on 634 00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:31,320 Speaker 1: the book Under the Lights and in the Dark, written 635 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:34,880 Speaker 1: by Gwendolyn oxen Um. The executive producers are Justin Biskun 636 00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:38,920 Speaker 1: from Waffle Iron Entertainment, Bob Alligan from Range Media Partners, 637 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:42,279 Speaker 1: and Sean Titan from I Heart Radio. Co written by 638 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:45,719 Speaker 1: Ruth Hilton, Produced by Gwendolyn oxen Um, Ruth Hilton and 639 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:50,640 Speaker 1: Jordana Glick Franszheim co produced by Jimmy Jelinek and Jared Goodstadt, 640 00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:54,239 Speaker 1: Edited by Carry Caulfield, Eric sound design and mixing by 641 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:58,120 Speaker 1: Jeremiah's Immerman. Music by Jeff Peters and Bill mart Theme 642 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:00,879 Speaker 1: song performed by a One La Flair. You'll find more 643 00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:04,440 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeart Radio on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 644 00:39:04,719 --> 00:39:14,720 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts. Boy Blop