WEBVTT - Microdosing Failure with Alana Cook 0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:02.800 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we've seen 0:00:02.920 --> 0:00:06.840 so much marketing for the Wicked movie. We're holding space 0:00:07.240 --> 0:00:10.319 for Ariana Grande and Cynthia Revo to come on the show. 0:00:10.880 --> 0:00:14.400 Group chat call us. It's Tuesday, November twenty sixth. 0:00:14.400 --> 0:00:16.479 Then on today's show you'll hear from Kansas City current 0:00:16.520 --> 0:00:18.800 center back Alana Cook, who joined us at our live 0:00:18.840 --> 0:00:22.320 show in case plus bear failure and as God is 0:00:22.360 --> 0:00:25.400 my witness, I thought turkeys could fly. It's all coming 0:00:25.480 --> 0:00:39.440 up right after this welcome back slices. Here's what you 0:00:39.479 --> 0:00:44.680 need to know today in college basketball news, there's a 0:00:44.720 --> 0:00:48.320 new number one in the Associated Press poll. After knocking 0:00:48.320 --> 0:00:51.960 off defending champion South Carolina head coach Corey Closes UCLA 0:00:52.000 --> 0:00:54.640 squad sits atop the poll for the first time in 0:00:54.720 --> 0:00:57.840 program history. The Game Cocks slid to number four and 0:00:58.160 --> 0:01:01.280 Southern Cal falls to number six following the Trojans loss 0:01:01.280 --> 0:01:03.320 to Notre Dame on Saturday. We'll put a link to 0:01:03.360 --> 0:01:05.640 the full AP poll for week four in our show 0:01:05.640 --> 0:01:09.360 notes Soccer news, and it's news that we are simply 0:01:09.360 --> 0:01:10.800 not emotionally capable of handling. 0:01:10.880 --> 0:01:11.959 Right now, We're going. 0:01:11.880 --> 0:01:13.360 To tell it to you and then we're going to 0:01:13.400 --> 0:01:15.200 try to forget about it for as long as possible. 0:01:16.040 --> 0:01:19.199 Two times FIFA Women's World Cup champion and twenty twenty 0:01:19.280 --> 0:01:23.160 four Olympic gold medalist, Alissa Nayer has announced her retirement 0:01:23.160 --> 0:01:26.880 from international soccer. The two upcoming games in Europe during 0:01:26.880 --> 0:01:29.479 this international window will be her last for the US 0:01:29.520 --> 0:01:32.160 women's national team. She will be back with her club, 0:01:32.200 --> 0:01:38.720 the Chicago Red Stars next season. In Pro Volleyball Pro 0:01:39.000 --> 0:01:42.600 Vibes news, the Pro Volleyball Federation held the draft for 0:01:42.640 --> 0:01:45.200 its second season on Monday. The draft consisted of five 0:01:45.280 --> 0:01:47.120 rounds and the order was set for each round by 0:01:47.120 --> 0:01:49.960 a draft lottery. Back in October, the Atlanta Vibes selected 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:53.800 Nebraska opposite hitter Merit beeson number one overall after trading 0:01:53.840 --> 0:01:56.600 with the Indie Ignite to get the first pick. Louisville's 0:01:56.600 --> 0:01:59.320 Anna de Beer went number two to Indie, and Creighton's 0:01:59.320 --> 0:02:02.200 Norris Sis went third to the Orlando Valkyries. We'll link 0:02:02.240 --> 0:02:04.240 to the full draft results in our show notes and 0:02:04.360 --> 0:02:07.200 add it to your calendar now. Year two of PVF 0:02:07.240 --> 0:02:11.400 play begins January ninth. In softball, the gms and coaches 0:02:11.440 --> 0:02:14.280 for the inaugural season of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League 0:02:14.320 --> 0:02:18.639 have been announced, including legendary players kat Oustman and Lisa Fernandez. 0:02:18.840 --> 0:02:20.720 We'll link to the full list in our show notes. 0:02:20.919 --> 0:02:25.760 AUSL starts play in June of twenty twenty five. We 0:02:25.800 --> 0:02:27.799 got to take a quick break. When we come back, 0:02:27.840 --> 0:02:30.320 you'll hear from Kansas City current and US Women's National 0:02:30.360 --> 0:02:32.959 team player Alana Cook. She joined us at the Westport 0:02:33.000 --> 0:02:35.320 Cafe in Kansas City on Saturday morning, where we held 0:02:35.320 --> 0:02:37.240 a brunch and a live taping of the show for 0:02:37.320 --> 0:02:40.600 some wonderful brands, sponsors, and team execs. Some of the 0:02:40.600 --> 0:02:42.880 folks who make this show possible were there too, so 0:02:42.880 --> 0:02:45.400 shout out to Laura Corni, founder and CEO of D 0:02:45.520 --> 0:02:47.959 Blue Sports and Entertainment, and Jesse Katz, the head of 0:02:48.000 --> 0:02:51.160 Iheartwomen's Sports, for getting the audience all warmed up for us. 0:02:51.440 --> 0:03:07.919 Our conversation with Ilana is coming up next. Joining us here, 0:03:07.960 --> 0:03:10.800 We've got center back for the casey current. Alana Cook, 0:03:14.240 --> 0:03:17.240 also a US Women's national team member. Proud Stanford alum, 0:03:17.400 --> 0:03:20.120 previously played for Paris Sanderman and the Seattle Range. She 0:03:20.200 --> 0:03:23.000 was named the NWSL Best eleven in twenty one, twenty 0:03:23.080 --> 0:03:26.040 twenty two and was a finalist for NWSL Defensive Player 0:03:26.080 --> 0:03:27.160 of the Year in both seasons. 0:03:27.400 --> 0:03:28.239 Made her senior. 0:03:28.040 --> 0:03:30.440 Women's national team debut in twenty nineteen. Has twenty nine 0:03:30.480 --> 0:03:33.040 total caps. She's a dog mom and a plant mom. 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:37.600 It's a lot of cook Hi everybody. So the current 0:03:37.640 --> 0:03:40.400 acquired you in a trade this summer. What's the toughest 0:03:40.440 --> 0:03:42.280 part about joining a team midseason? 0:03:44.280 --> 0:03:47.400 I would say the toughest part is probably being able 0:03:47.440 --> 0:03:51.840 to kind of wrap up with another team with unfinished business. 0:03:51.840 --> 0:03:53.960 And I think being able to transition to another team, 0:03:53.960 --> 0:03:56.320 another system that's that's already going and that's already so 0:03:56.360 --> 0:03:59.640 well formed. I was stepping into a group that was 0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:03.000 already so successful, and you know, you just want to 0:04:03.000 --> 0:04:04.320 step into the group and make it better. And so 0:04:04.400 --> 0:04:06.000 you know, you kind of have to find your role, 0:04:06.080 --> 0:04:08.000 find your place in that and figure out, you know, 0:04:08.040 --> 0:04:10.800 the new new scheme, the new tactics and all that. So, 0:04:12.200 --> 0:04:15.200 to be fair, everyone here made it so incredibly easy, 0:04:15.240 --> 0:04:17.600 but you know, it's it was nerve wracking a little bit. 0:04:17.720 --> 0:04:19.200 I stuffed on the plane and I said, okay, this 0:04:19.240 --> 0:04:20.400 is this is a new adventure. 0:04:20.920 --> 0:04:23.560 One of my faves Kayla Sharples, who was on the 0:04:23.920 --> 0:04:26.200 Red Stars when I was an owner, also got traded 0:04:26.200 --> 0:04:28.479 mid season, and she said that they forgot to turn 0:04:28.560 --> 0:04:31.800 off her Slack access for her old team, and she 0:04:31.960 --> 0:04:34.640 had to tell them like, hey, guys, I can't see 0:04:34.680 --> 0:04:36.480 any of this stuff, so get me out of here. 0:04:36.880 --> 0:04:37.400 Did that happen? 0:04:37.480 --> 0:04:40.120 Did you have proprietary information that they forgot to take 0:04:40.120 --> 0:04:40.400 from you? 0:04:41.160 --> 0:04:43.880 Fortunately we were done playing Seattle by that point, but 0:04:43.960 --> 0:04:47.400 I did still have the huddle access for a little bit. 0:04:47.480 --> 0:04:48.600 We got to work on this team. 0:04:48.760 --> 0:04:51.120 They're working on their defending this week. Nice. Oh good, 0:04:51.200 --> 0:04:52.160 good good good. 0:04:53.080 --> 0:04:55.880 Coming here to Casey, you were reunited with lat Gwandanovski, 0:04:55.960 --> 0:04:58.240 who was the former head coach of the national team, 0:04:58.279 --> 0:05:00.160 now here head coach again in Kansas City. 0:05:00.520 --> 0:05:01.960 After some time away he came back. 0:05:02.000 --> 0:05:04.920 Are there any big differences you notice between vladco as 0:05:05.000 --> 0:05:06.880 national team head coach versus club coach. 0:05:08.320 --> 0:05:10.679 I would say I think he thrives in this environment 0:05:10.680 --> 0:05:12.479 because I think he does best when he has just 0:05:12.480 --> 0:05:15.320 the constant touch points with players. He's someone who's so 0:05:15.440 --> 0:05:20.279 detail oriented, so he dives into every single detail. You know, 0:05:20.279 --> 0:05:22.160 I'll get video clips where it's kind of like if 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:25.320 your hips were maybe thirty more degrees open, like could 0:05:25.360 --> 0:05:26.839 you have gotten to this ball? Or like can we 0:05:26.880 --> 0:05:29.080 work on your foot like the two steps you took 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:32.159 getting to the ball. So I think it just benefits 0:05:32.200 --> 0:05:33.520 him so much to get to be in the environment 0:05:33.520 --> 0:05:34.919 every day, to get to see us every day, and 0:05:35.920 --> 0:05:38.039 every time we have time to do extras, I'll say, oh, 0:05:38.080 --> 0:05:39.400 black O, do you have anything for the center backs? 0:05:39.600 --> 0:05:43.920 He goes, do I have anything? Like okay, yeah, let's 0:05:43.920 --> 0:05:46.080 do something. So I just think, yeah, him being able 0:05:46.120 --> 0:05:48.400 to work with us every day and really implement his system, 0:05:48.880 --> 0:05:50.359 you know, you see the success on the field. 0:05:50.960 --> 0:05:53.240 He's always described as a player's coach. Even when the 0:05:53.320 --> 0:05:55.800 national team was struggling, there was a real reticence I 0:05:55.839 --> 0:05:58.159 think to blame him or point fingers or be critical 0:05:58.200 --> 0:06:01.400 because the players love working with him. What's something you 0:06:01.400 --> 0:06:03.360 can tell us about him, like behind the scenes? What 0:06:03.520 --> 0:06:05.839 makes him such a great players coach? 0:06:06.839 --> 0:06:10.080 Uh? Honestly he I know he said this in interviews 0:06:10.120 --> 0:06:12.159 that he feels like he laughs so much. But the 0:06:12.200 --> 0:06:14.640 man is goofy, like you wouldn't know it from his 0:06:14.880 --> 0:06:19.719 sideline demeanor, very serious and interviews, very serious. But he 0:06:19.800 --> 0:06:22.480 loves a good joke. He loves to tell stories. He 0:06:22.600 --> 0:06:25.120 is He's just a good dude. So he really is 0:06:25.160 --> 0:06:27.080 a players coach. We love having him, We love having 0:06:27.400 --> 0:06:28.720 in the environment, and. 0:06:28.640 --> 0:06:31.039 I'm sure very nice to have him be here and 0:06:31.080 --> 0:06:32.720 want you want to make a trade for you and 0:06:32.839 --> 0:06:33.800 validate that he. 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:35.520 Believes in your skill set. That's really cool. 0:06:36.080 --> 0:06:39.920 Speaking of skill sets, Tim Wuchawenga, holy shit, Oh there's 0:06:39.960 --> 0:06:40.440 kids in here. 0:06:40.480 --> 0:06:43.200 Sorry, MVP of the league. 0:06:44.040 --> 0:06:46.159 I have to imagine you two make each other better 0:06:46.240 --> 0:06:49.080 in practice. Can you tell us about that? Because that 0:06:49.200 --> 0:06:52.120 must be intimidating. It doesn't have an outcome, but you 0:06:52.200 --> 0:06:53.880 have to see it every day as opposed to just 0:06:53.920 --> 0:06:54.720 like once a week. 0:06:55.279 --> 0:06:58.279 On the flight over here when we landed, I took 0:06:58.320 --> 0:07:00.120 this deep sigh of relief and I was like, I 0:07:00.160 --> 0:07:03.240 will never have to defend him what schwinga in a 0:07:03.279 --> 0:07:05.560 game at least for the next three years, and then 0:07:05.600 --> 0:07:09.000 I will follow her wherever she goes. But no, I 0:07:09.000 --> 0:07:12.080 think we love it just the competition. Every single day 0:07:12.080 --> 0:07:14.440 we take our we face our hardest battles in training, 0:07:14.600 --> 0:07:16.000 and by the time we get to the weekend, you know, 0:07:16.040 --> 0:07:18.000 we know we've prepared, we're over practice and we know, 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:20.480 we face the best. We go against the MVP every day. 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:22.400 There's nothing we're gonna see on the weekend that we 0:07:22.440 --> 0:07:26.320 haven't prepared for. So it's an epic battle every time. 0:07:26.360 --> 0:07:27.720 And you know, we always like say, if you're not 0:07:27.720 --> 0:07:30.200 thinking three steps ahead, she's probably already gotten you beat. 0:07:31.280 --> 0:07:33.280 I remember one day we did a drill that you 0:07:33.320 --> 0:07:35.800 had to start and you would run basically sprint forty 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:38.080 yards and try to like, as a defender, I would 0:07:38.080 --> 0:07:39.520 have to beat the attacker to the spot and try 0:07:39.520 --> 0:07:41.400 to defend a cross and flack one's going on a 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:43.120 beat her there. I was like, I would have to 0:07:43.160 --> 0:07:46.000 beat her up right here to be able to beat 0:07:46.000 --> 0:07:48.840 her forty yards. But so you know it, you learn 0:07:48.880 --> 0:07:51.040 some of the dark arts of defending. But yeah, she 0:07:51.120 --> 0:07:52.120 makes us all better. 0:07:52.280 --> 0:07:54.880 Okay, we love I love the dark arts. I'm I'm 0:07:54.960 --> 0:07:59.240 not above cheating. Kansas City as a town does such 0:07:59.280 --> 0:08:01.360 a great job of around this team. What does it 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:03.600 mean to you as a player to know you're getting 0:08:03.600 --> 0:08:06.160 sold out crowds at your stadium, that there's so much 0:08:06.160 --> 0:08:09.280 integration around the town and that there's a real belief 0:08:09.360 --> 0:08:11.400 that you're a part of this fabric of this town. 0:08:11.440 --> 0:08:14.040 That's full of sports teams as opposed to a newer 0:08:14.040 --> 0:08:16.000 addition or something people are still learning about. 0:08:17.240 --> 0:08:18.880 I think it gives us a really deep sense of 0:08:18.920 --> 0:08:21.800 purpose knowing that the community rallies behind us and that 0:08:21.840 --> 0:08:24.560 they support us so much. I think we know we 0:08:24.600 --> 0:08:27.720 owe it back to them. The support we get is immense, 0:08:28.120 --> 0:08:30.440 you know. I always get this like really warm feeling 0:08:30.440 --> 0:08:32.760 talking about the fans at the games. I think it 0:08:32.840 --> 0:08:34.800 drives us forward so much. When we talk about having 0:08:34.800 --> 0:08:38.360 home field advantage, we mean it that when the songs 0:08:38.400 --> 0:08:40.960 play after we score, when the crowd's cheering and chanting 0:08:40.960 --> 0:08:44.160 for us, we can feel like a tangible momentum shift, 0:08:44.320 --> 0:08:45.800 and you can see it in the other team's face 0:08:46.080 --> 0:08:49.000 that they know they're under the gun. And so I 0:08:49.040 --> 0:08:51.280 think it's just it's such an incredible feeling, even just 0:08:51.320 --> 0:08:53.160 being recognized around the city or having people come up 0:08:53.200 --> 0:08:54.760 to us and tell us how much they appreciate what 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:57.600 we're doing. I think it really is centering and grounding 0:08:57.600 --> 0:09:00.040 for us to know that, yes, this is soccer, this 0:09:00.200 --> 0:09:02.400 is our job, but it has such a bigger impact 0:09:02.400 --> 0:09:03.719 and we get to touch so many lives, We meet 0:09:03.720 --> 0:09:05.680 so many people, and I think for me My favorite 0:09:05.679 --> 0:09:07.760 part about this job has always been getting to meet people, 0:09:07.800 --> 0:09:09.440 getting to meet the community and be a part of that. 0:09:09.520 --> 0:09:13.319 So what they've created here it's incredible. 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:17.000 I also think it's really impressive to create a culture 0:09:17.120 --> 0:09:20.600 and a brand and an identity so quickly. In women's sports, 0:09:20.679 --> 0:09:22.920 there's a lot of ketchup because there isn't nostalgia. 0:09:23.320 --> 0:09:24.400 There aren't traditions. 0:09:24.480 --> 0:09:27.199 You haven't been going to the games with your grandparents 0:09:27.200 --> 0:09:28.120 since you were a kid. 0:09:28.480 --> 0:09:31.480 Maybe producer Misha has because they were. 0:09:31.320 --> 0:09:36.560 Born when the WNBA started, which is so gross. But 0:09:37.240 --> 0:09:41.720 most people are finding and choosing to be a fan 0:09:41.840 --> 0:09:46.360 as opposed to being born into it. And Kansas City 0:09:46.360 --> 0:09:49.240 has done such a good job of establishing tradition and 0:09:49.440 --> 0:09:53.040 establishing moments where the identity of being a fan feels 0:09:53.040 --> 0:09:55.080 bigger than just I come and watch. Sometimes it's I 0:09:55.120 --> 0:09:57.719 am a current fan, This is who I am. 0:09:58.000 --> 0:10:01.000 Are the players aware of that? Are the players are aware. 0:10:00.720 --> 0:10:03.760 Of creating lore in the early stages of something that 0:10:03.800 --> 0:10:06.280 hopefully will be around for century plus. 0:10:06.720 --> 0:10:09.440 I don't think it's front of mind necessarily, but I 0:10:09.480 --> 0:10:11.520 think you hit the nail on the head. I think 0:10:11.760 --> 0:10:14.320 being a fan here there's a sense of like belonging 0:10:14.320 --> 0:10:16.200 community that comes with it, and that's something that I 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:18.200 felt when I played at PSG. I think all of 0:10:18.320 --> 0:10:20.320 kind of the European teams, they have their ultras where 0:10:21.240 --> 0:10:24.640 they're absolute, die hard, insane fans like that is it's 0:10:24.679 --> 0:10:26.480 their religion, and I think for a lot of them 0:10:26.520 --> 0:10:28.440 that it's that community. It's the feeling like you're a 0:10:28.440 --> 0:10:31.480 part of something and you're all believing in something together. 0:10:31.520 --> 0:10:33.680 And I think that's what's being built here. It's for 0:10:33.720 --> 0:10:35.520 a long time, like you said, the NDWUSL and women's 0:10:35.520 --> 0:10:38.360 sports has been only die hard fans because it's people 0:10:38.360 --> 0:10:41.040 who have wanted to buy every streaming service and who 0:10:41.080 --> 0:10:43.640 want to, you know, do every single thing, jump over 0:10:43.720 --> 0:10:46.079 every hoop to be able to support. And I think 0:10:46.120 --> 0:10:47.760 now we're doing such a great job of making it 0:10:47.800 --> 0:10:49.760 so accessible and making it just a part of the 0:10:50.160 --> 0:10:52.079 identity of the city. Is you know, I live in 0:10:52.120 --> 0:10:56.120 Kansas City. Of course I support the current people are 0:10:56.160 --> 0:10:58.360 going to start to be born into that that fandom, 0:10:58.360 --> 0:10:59.200 so it's really exciting. 0:11:00.040 --> 0:11:01.680 Yeah, And also the cool thing about being part of 0:11:01.679 --> 0:11:03.800 something newer is you do get to establish some of 0:11:03.840 --> 0:11:06.800 the firsts. The first title will be Yours the first 0:11:07.120 --> 0:11:08.320 river goal was this year. 0:11:08.320 --> 0:11:10.240 We'll always I'm obsessed with river goals and you should 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:11.439 get so. 0:11:11.559 --> 0:11:13.640 Vanessa de Bernardo, who is also on the Red Stars, 0:11:13.640 --> 0:11:15.320 back when I was there, uh told me that the 0:11:15.320 --> 0:11:17.120 team has a little fun with you being a vegan 0:11:17.880 --> 0:11:19.080 and that you get made fun of. 0:11:19.120 --> 0:11:19.920 I'm a vegetarian. 0:11:19.920 --> 0:11:22.240 I just got back from Spain literally like eight hours ago, 0:11:22.280 --> 0:11:25.040 and I ate only potatoes and cheese because everything has 0:11:25.120 --> 0:11:27.920 like some sneaky ham in it. Over there, nobody likes 0:11:27.960 --> 0:11:32.800 sneaky ham. Have you convinced your players, your teammates to 0:11:32.800 --> 0:11:35.480 get on board? Have you made them many vegan feasts? 0:11:35.559 --> 0:11:37.920 Can you get them over to the plant side? 0:11:38.320 --> 0:11:40.920 I love sharing every time I get food and my guys, 0:11:40.960 --> 0:11:43.600 do you want to try my tofu? And shockingly no 0:11:43.640 --> 0:11:47.480 one says yes. I'm still I'm still on the path. 0:11:47.640 --> 0:11:49.480 The one thing that actually the whole team loves and 0:11:49.520 --> 0:11:51.320 they have begged for me to ask for more of 0:11:51.520 --> 0:11:54.080 for them, is the vegan chicken fingers that we get 0:11:54.120 --> 0:11:57.240 from our chef. So one by one I will convince 0:11:57.280 --> 0:12:00.319 them by chicken fingers to the dark side. 0:12:00.040 --> 0:12:03.079 One chicken finger at a time. Have you mastered being 0:12:03.120 --> 0:12:06.280 an athlete? On a plant based diet because I just 0:12:06.440 --> 0:12:08.360 after like seven years, was like, I guess I should 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:11.400 see if I'm getting enough vitamins. And it's not as 0:12:11.400 --> 0:12:13.160 important for me as for you, but I feel like 0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:14.719 you probably have to be very intentional. 0:12:15.640 --> 0:12:18.720 Yes, eating is like one of my biggest joys in 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:21.640 the world, you know, and I think as athletes sometimes 0:12:21.679 --> 0:12:24.920 it becomes almost a bit of a chore. We do 0:12:25.000 --> 0:12:27.360 jokes sometimes, like I am eating strictly for sustenance. I'm 0:12:27.400 --> 0:12:30.160 like putting down eighteen pancakes at seven in the morning 0:12:30.240 --> 0:12:32.760 so that I can run for ninety minutes. But we 0:12:32.880 --> 0:12:34.960 were so well supported. I work really closely with our 0:12:35.040 --> 0:12:37.480 chef and our nutritionist and we'll do blood labs all 0:12:37.480 --> 0:12:38.840 the time to make sure that you know, I'm hitting 0:12:38.840 --> 0:12:41.839 those numbers. Have you know, the right vitamin D levels, 0:12:41.880 --> 0:12:43.480 We test for B twelve, We test kind of all 0:12:43.480 --> 0:12:45.240 the things that and if you can diet, you know, 0:12:45.240 --> 0:12:47.440 you might struggle to get So we work so closely 0:12:47.480 --> 0:12:51.760 together that it's really taken that off my plate. Yeah, 0:12:51.800 --> 0:12:53.920 And basically they've just give given me a plan and 0:12:53.960 --> 0:12:55.320 all I really have to do is follow it. So 0:12:57.040 --> 0:12:58.959 it has become a lot easier since being here and 0:12:59.040 --> 0:13:01.680 kind of having that resource, having that guidance. I think 0:13:01.679 --> 0:13:04.600 before it was kind of like I feel good, so 0:13:04.679 --> 0:13:06.679 I hope I'm doing it. But it's been really nice 0:13:06.679 --> 0:13:08.400 to kind of have the ability to check in and 0:13:08.720 --> 0:13:10.920 have the I'm a big data person, I'm a nerd 0:13:11.200 --> 0:13:14.800 at Stanford. It's nice to have kind of that scientific feedback. Yeah. 0:13:14.960 --> 0:13:17.520 Remind me of the name of your major at Stanford. 0:13:17.160 --> 0:13:20.520 Oh dear, it's called symbolic systems. Yeah, which explain that 0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:22.719 to us. It means nothing to anybody, no, no, no, 0:13:23.040 --> 0:13:26.760 tell us. But my concentration was human computer interaction, so 0:13:26.920 --> 0:13:30.640 kind of looking at the brains as a symbolic system, 0:13:31.040 --> 0:13:33.800 right like kind of like a computer, and just kind 0:13:33.800 --> 0:13:37.080 of seeing what that interaction between technology, society people is, 0:13:37.080 --> 0:13:39.480 how we integrate that, how it works best. 0:13:39.960 --> 0:13:41.959 And it's a pretty fascinating thing right now with AI 0:13:42.160 --> 0:13:45.160 understanding the implicit bias because it is ultimately the result 0:13:45.240 --> 0:13:47.520 of humans, and so that same bias that we have 0:13:47.640 --> 0:13:49.960 ends up being computerized and when it becomes data, people 0:13:50.320 --> 0:13:52.600 believe it's fact, but it's got the same bias as 0:13:52.679 --> 0:13:54.559 everything else that we bring exactly. 0:13:54.679 --> 0:13:56.480 Yes, yeah, look at me, got it. 0:13:56.559 --> 0:13:58.920 I went to Stanford. Sure didn't. 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:01.880 You spent four seasons with the Rain, You won the 0:14:01.880 --> 0:14:03.439 Shield in twenty twenty two, you made it to the 0:14:03.440 --> 0:14:06.120 title game in twenty twenty three, came so close. What 0:14:06.160 --> 0:14:07.600 would you say the biggest thing you learned from your 0:14:07.640 --> 0:14:08.480 time in Seattle was. 0:14:10.360 --> 0:14:13.480 I think one of the things that I took away 0:14:13.480 --> 0:14:15.760 from that was just getting to be around such incredible players. 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:17.920 You know, I got to play under people who had 0:14:17.960 --> 0:14:20.360 been there for you know, since the beginning of the league, 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:23.400 and I think they brought such unique perspectives. They had 0:14:23.400 --> 0:14:26.680 persevered through everything that the league has gone through, you know, 0:14:26.680 --> 0:14:29.520 whether that was Laura Harvey or Megan Rappino. I think 0:14:29.600 --> 0:14:31.640 you get to be around people who understand greatness and 0:14:31.720 --> 0:14:34.440 understand what it means to win and win in all 0:14:34.480 --> 0:14:37.600 conditions when on the national team, win in the league 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:41.080 when the salary was six thousand dollars. So I think 0:14:41.120 --> 0:14:43.200 they just taught me a level of grit and perseverance 0:14:43.200 --> 0:14:45.160 and really how to be a professional that I'll carry 0:14:45.160 --> 0:14:46.160 through with the rest of my career. 0:14:46.840 --> 0:14:48.640 What players in the league who are playing right now 0:14:48.680 --> 0:14:49.920 do you look to to learn from. 0:14:51.120 --> 0:14:52.960 I mean, I think, you know, I absolutely looked to 0:14:53.000 --> 0:14:56.880 pino A, Jefs, Fishlock right, who's still playing. So I think, yeah, 0:14:57.000 --> 0:14:58.840 just pretty much all the veterans of the league. I think, 0:14:58.840 --> 0:15:01.200 like I've said, they've they've gone through such trial and 0:15:01.200 --> 0:15:03.160 tribulation to be here and to have built the league 0:15:03.160 --> 0:15:06.480 to what it's at. I think they were so fortunate 0:15:06.560 --> 0:15:08.640 that all of them have been so grateful in being 0:15:09.080 --> 0:15:10.360 you know, I think you can be bitter in that 0:15:10.400 --> 0:15:13.160 situation that they had to suffer to get the league 0:15:13.160 --> 0:15:15.720 where it is now and to see rookies come in 0:15:15.800 --> 0:15:19.640 making probably seven times what they made is rookies. But 0:15:19.720 --> 0:15:22.240 we're fortunate that pretty much all of them are willing 0:15:22.280 --> 0:15:24.680 to give back and willing to mentor and willing to say, Okay, great, 0:15:24.680 --> 0:15:26.760 we did our job getting the league here, like now 0:15:26.760 --> 0:15:28.360 it's your turn. How are you going to push it? 0:15:28.400 --> 0:15:29.680 And mentoring us to be able to do that. 0:15:30.160 --> 0:15:33.480 And I think the key to assuaging that bitterness is 0:15:33.520 --> 0:15:36.880 to have the youngsters appreciate and understand that without them 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:39.040 you wouldn't be getting the things that you're getting. I 0:15:39.040 --> 0:15:41.160 thought you might drop Tierna and Naomi just because those 0:15:41.160 --> 0:15:42.280 are your stand for girlies. 0:15:42.360 --> 0:15:42.960 I do love them. 0:15:43.000 --> 0:15:44.720 Okay, Well, I answered it for you so they won't 0:15:44.720 --> 0:15:45.480 get mad at you later. 0:15:46.680 --> 0:15:49.800 Recently, Lily Johannes announced her decision to play for the 0:15:49.920 --> 0:15:52.320 US instead of the Netherlands. Big round of applause. Screw 0:15:52.360 --> 0:15:57.080 you a Dutch, Sorry Netherlands. You actually had a decision 0:15:57.080 --> 0:15:59.040 to make too. You went to a camp for England 0:15:59.560 --> 0:16:02.560 and you allultimately chose the US. I don't blame you. 0:16:03.360 --> 0:16:05.560 US is the best, but it's a tough team to 0:16:05.600 --> 0:16:07.840 make and a tough team to stay on. It requires 0:16:07.840 --> 0:16:10.320 a lot of self confidence to make that choice. What 0:16:10.640 --> 0:16:12.720 was going through your mind when you made that decision. 0:16:13.240 --> 0:16:15.480 Yeah, I think I'm obviously very proud to have you 0:16:15.480 --> 0:16:18.440 know both heritages and be able to represent either one. 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:22.280 I think it took me a while to feel really 0:16:22.280 --> 0:16:24.240 comfortable with decision, But when I sat there and I 0:16:24.280 --> 0:16:27.600 really thought about it, I knew whether I never played 0:16:27.600 --> 0:16:30.000 another game with the US, or whether I played five 0:16:30.120 --> 0:16:34.080 hundred more win or lose, I would always be so 0:16:34.160 --> 0:16:36.000 proud of what I'd contributed and what I was able 0:16:36.040 --> 0:16:39.840 to achieve with that crest. And I think I knew 0:16:39.840 --> 0:16:43.280 that that was the most important, that that was always 0:16:43.320 --> 0:16:44.880 going to bring me pride, and that was always going 0:16:44.920 --> 0:16:46.800 to be something. It didn't matter what team we were playing. 0:16:46.840 --> 0:16:50.200 I was always going to be ready, willing and excited 0:16:50.240 --> 0:16:51.840 to give everything I had to the program and to 0:16:52.240 --> 0:16:53.240 represent this country. 0:16:53.800 --> 0:16:56.840 Five hundred would top Christine Lully even so, I think 0:16:56.840 --> 0:16:58.040 that's actually the number you need to. 0:16:57.960 --> 0:17:01.200 Talk Chris lay into my late twenty twenty time twenties, Yes, exactly. 0:17:03.200 --> 0:17:05.240 How do you balance being in the moment for club 0:17:05.640 --> 0:17:10.160 and valuing winning an NWSL title, winning Defender of the year, 0:17:10.280 --> 0:17:13.760 the prizes and accomplishments of the club level, while also 0:17:13.960 --> 0:17:16.440 understanding that there are larger goals with the national team. 0:17:16.480 --> 0:17:18.800 There is a World Cup coming up that I imagine 0:17:18.840 --> 0:17:20.560 you still would like to get back onto. That you 0:17:20.600 --> 0:17:22.440 were part of the twenty twenty three World Cup team, 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:26.480 You're not part of this Paris Olympic team. I've heard 0:17:26.520 --> 0:17:29.040 players talk about how there's so much focus on the 0:17:29.119 --> 0:17:33.280 national team that you can underappreciate your accomplishments at club level. Here, 0:17:33.680 --> 0:17:35.840 I think the investment in teams is changing that. I 0:17:35.840 --> 0:17:38.520 think the excitement, enthusiasm, the TV deals, the way that 0:17:38.560 --> 0:17:40.600 people are appreciating the clubs now. 0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:42.160 In a way that they didn't even ten years ago, 0:17:42.720 --> 0:17:43.199 changes that. 0:17:43.320 --> 0:17:46.520 But that doesn't erase the fact that we still think 0:17:46.560 --> 0:17:49.000 of the national team as the highest place for accomplishment. 0:17:49.480 --> 0:17:51.840 How are you able to focus on both getting yourself 0:17:51.880 --> 0:17:54.119 prepped in in the mindset to try to remake that 0:17:54.240 --> 0:17:56.520 national team, but also value what you're doing now. 0:17:57.960 --> 0:18:00.320