WEBVTT - Leading with Love with Tierna Davidson 0:00:01.240 --> 0:00:03.480 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're staying 0:00:03.520 --> 0:00:05.680 up till three am tonight to prep for an Olympic 0:00:05.800 --> 0:00:09.039 sleep schedule one could only describe as absolute mont and 0:00:09.080 --> 0:00:13.720 pluden aka deeply unwise. On today's show, we're going to 0:00:13.760 --> 0:00:15.560 give you a quick rundown of everything you need to 0:00:15.560 --> 0:00:17.800 know about soccer at the Olympics, and chat with US 0:00:17.840 --> 0:00:21.840 women's national team and Gotham FC defender Tierna Davidson about 0:00:21.880 --> 0:00:25.480 new coach Emma Hayes, Olympic jitters and more. But first, 0:00:25.560 --> 0:00:29.840 here's what you need to know today. The twenty twenty 0:00:29.840 --> 0:00:33.320 four Softball World Cup concluded on Sunday in Italy, with 0:00:33.479 --> 0:00:36.440 Japan defeating Team USA in the gold medal game six 0:00:36.520 --> 0:00:39.320 to one. The Softball World Cup is the sport's biggest 0:00:39.360 --> 0:00:41.600 competition and is held every other year. 0:00:41.760 --> 0:00:43.640 Since the event began in nineteen sixty five. 0:00:43.720 --> 0:00:47.600 The US has won twelve titles, Japan four, and Australia 0:00:47.600 --> 0:00:51.480 and New Zealand have each won one. The US Paralympic 0:00:51.520 --> 0:00:53.880 Track and Field trials were this past weekend, and the 0:00:53.960 --> 0:00:59.240 legendary Tatiana McFadden is headed to her seventh straight Paralympic Games. 0:00:59.840 --> 0:01:03.040 Five year old wheelchair sprinter and marathon are already owns 0:01:03.120 --> 0:01:07.920 twenty Paralympic medals, including eight golds and ten New York City. 0:01:07.760 --> 0:01:09.759 Marathon medals, five of them gold. 0:01:09.959 --> 0:01:12.960 She had a great showing at this weekend's trials, including 0:01:12.959 --> 0:01:15.119 first place finishes in the fifteen hundred and the four 0:01:15.200 --> 0:01:17.880 hundred meters, and she's headed to the twenty four Games. 0:01:18.160 --> 0:01:20.800 Another cool story out of the trials Noel Lambert, former 0:01:20.840 --> 0:01:24.160 Division one lacrosse player at University of Massachusetts Lowell, who 0:01:24.200 --> 0:01:27.080 lost her leg in a moped accident, has qualified for 0:01:27.200 --> 0:01:30.040 Paris in the long jump, an event she just picked 0:01:30.080 --> 0:01:32.600 up this year. You might remember seeing Lambert on season 0:01:32.680 --> 0:01:35.240 forty three of the Show's Survivor, and she's at the 0:01:35.360 --> 0:01:37.560 US record in the T sixty three one hundred meters 0:01:37.600 --> 0:01:41.280 at the Tokyo Paralympics. We're on day two of the 0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:44.720 month long WNBA Olympic break, but some of the players 0:01:44.760 --> 0:01:47.400 are hard at work all the same off the court. 0:01:47.520 --> 0:01:49.840 Sunday's breaking news about Joe Biden dropping out of the 0:01:49.880 --> 0:01:52.880 presidential race and endorsing VP Kamala Harris has players like 0:01:52.880 --> 0:01:55.800 the Chicago Skuys, Brianna Turner and the Vegas aces Sidney 0:01:55.840 --> 0:01:59.040 Coulson using their platforms to encourage folks to vote and 0:01:59.120 --> 0:02:02.040 give vocal about key issues in the election. In typical 0:02:02.080 --> 0:02:04.840 sid fashion, she made her point while still getting her 0:02:04.920 --> 0:02:07.960 jokes off. She tweeted, but for real, make sure to 0:02:08.040 --> 0:02:10.639 vote because we're on the precipice of losing every single 0:02:10.720 --> 0:02:11.560 right we've ever had. 0:02:11.840 --> 0:02:14.000 Won't even be able to look right no more. 0:02:14.280 --> 0:02:17.200 Can't turn right on red, can't say right because it's 0:02:17.200 --> 0:02:19.320 a home of phone. If your last name is right, 0:02:19.440 --> 0:02:22.839 gonna have to change it to wrong. Brianna Turner kept 0:02:22.840 --> 0:02:25.840 it a little more simple, tweeting out although w fans 0:02:25.840 --> 0:02:27.720 will have to wait a few weeks to watch WNBA 0:02:27.760 --> 0:02:30.800 games again, you could stay connected by heading to rockthvote 0:02:30.840 --> 0:02:34.320 dot org slash team w to register to vote, check 0:02:34.360 --> 0:02:37.880 registration status, pledge to vote, or request an absentee ballot. 0:02:40.080 --> 0:02:42.760 We're gonna chat with the incredible Tierna Davidson, but let's 0:02:42.760 --> 0:02:46.000 give ourselves a little Olympic soccer need to know first. 0:02:46.639 --> 0:02:49.120 So this will be the US women's national team's first 0:02:49.240 --> 0:02:52.320 major international tournament with Emma Hayes at the helm as 0:02:52.360 --> 0:02:55.120 head coach. The US hasn't won Olympic gold since the 0:02:55.160 --> 0:02:58.400 twenty twelve London Games, and they're coming off their worst 0:02:58.440 --> 0:03:01.160 finish in World Cup history lifelast year when they lost 0:03:01.160 --> 0:03:04.040 to Sweden in PKS in the round of sixteen. I 0:03:04.120 --> 0:03:08.160 was there in Australia. I still contend that Elyssaayor stopped 0:03:08.200 --> 0:03:11.560 that shot, but we can't live in the past. The 0:03:11.680 --> 0:03:14.600 US has dropped to fifth in the latest FIFA rankings, 0:03:14.800 --> 0:03:17.720 it's lowest points since FIFA began ranking women's teams in 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:20.120 two thousand and three, and the US is going to 0:03:20.200 --> 0:03:21.959 have to find a new level in order to compete 0:03:22.000 --> 0:03:24.880 with the other eleven teams going to France top rank 0:03:24.919 --> 0:03:27.720 Spain are the favorites heading into the games, coming off 0:03:27.760 --> 0:03:30.240 their twenty twenty three World Cup win, a win that 0:03:30.280 --> 0:03:33.320 they got despite turmoil on and off the pitch. They 0:03:33.360 --> 0:03:36.040 actually might even be stronger for these games because they're 0:03:36.040 --> 0:03:38.360 getting back several players who were absent from the World 0:03:38.440 --> 0:03:42.720 Cup roster after protesting their now disgraced manager, Jorge Vilda. 0:03:42.960 --> 0:03:45.480 Good note, though, history is not on their side because 0:03:45.520 --> 0:03:47.880 no team has ever won the World Cup and Olympic 0:03:47.920 --> 0:03:52.000 gold in successive years. You've also got reigning champions Canada. 0:03:52.040 --> 0:03:53.520 They want to defend their title, but they're going to 0:03:53.600 --> 0:03:56.480 have to do it without the legendary Christine Sinclair, who 0:03:56.560 --> 0:04:00.440 scored the most goals in international football history men or women, 0:04:00.720 --> 0:04:03.440 with one hundred and ninety. She announced her retirement from 0:04:03.480 --> 0:04:06.920 international play last year, but if you're a Sinclair fan, 0:04:07.000 --> 0:04:08.360 you could still watch her tear it up with the 0:04:08.360 --> 0:04:10.600 Portland Thorns. She scored the game winning goal in the 0:04:10.600 --> 0:04:13.080 Thorns five nail victory over Tijuana on Sunday as part 0:04:13.080 --> 0:04:16.960 of that NWSL lega MXL Feminial Summer Cup. We mentioned 0:04:16.960 --> 0:04:19.600 on a previous show a couple other noteworthy items from 0:04:19.640 --> 0:04:23.080 some other Olympic teams. So Australia are without star striker 0:04:23.160 --> 0:04:26.320 Sam Kerr, who tore ACL in January, and keep an 0:04:26.360 --> 0:04:28.960 eye on Brazil. Thirty eight year old Marda is playing 0:04:29.000 --> 0:04:32.159 in her last major tournament. We'll give you all the 0:04:32.160 --> 0:04:35.800 goods on the US team's first opponent, Zambia tomorrow. That 0:04:35.839 --> 0:04:39.320 matches Thursday the twenty fifth at three pm Eastern Okay. 0:04:39.480 --> 0:04:42.400 Before the interview with Tierna, since she's such a thoughtful 0:04:42.440 --> 0:04:45.880 representative for the Lgbtqia community, I wanted to get her 0:04:45.880 --> 0:04:48.359 thoughts on teammate Corbin Albert and for those of you 0:04:48.400 --> 0:04:50.760 who are unfamiliar before the interview, let me just catch 0:04:50.760 --> 0:04:52.000 you up on what's happened. 0:04:51.720 --> 0:04:53.200 So far with the US midfielder. 0:04:53.560 --> 0:04:58.320 So this spring, Corbin Albert faced criticism after she reposted, liked, 0:04:58.360 --> 0:05:02.480 and shared home of and transphobic content on social media. 0:05:02.880 --> 0:05:04.640 One of the posts that she reshared was from a 0:05:04.720 --> 0:05:08.760 Christian worship sermon that said being gay and quote feeling 0:05:08.839 --> 0:05:12.559 transgender is wrong. In another post, Corbyn and her family 0:05:12.600 --> 0:05:17.000 recorded themselves saying that their pronouns were USA. She also 0:05:17.080 --> 0:05:19.960 liked to post celebrating Megan Rapino's injury in the final 0:05:20.000 --> 0:05:24.120 game of Rapino's NWSL career. The original post said quote 0:05:24.400 --> 0:05:27.440 God taking time off performing miracles to make sure Megan 0:05:27.480 --> 0:05:32.520 Repinos sprains her ankle in her final ever game. Obviously, 0:05:32.880 --> 0:05:37.000 albert social media activity didn't please the fans, but current 0:05:37.040 --> 0:05:41.320 and former players also spoke out, including Repino. Quote I 0:05:41.320 --> 0:05:44.239 would just ask one question, Raupino said in an Instagram post. 0:05:44.560 --> 0:05:48.080 Are you making any type of space safer, more inclusive, 0:05:48.240 --> 0:05:51.520 more whole, any semblance of better bringing the best out 0:05:51.560 --> 0:05:54.560 of anyone? She continued, Because if you aren't, all you 0:05:54.640 --> 0:05:58.000 believe in is hate and kids are literally killing themselves because. 0:05:57.760 --> 0:05:59.000 Of this hate. 0:05:59.040 --> 0:06:01.799 Albert issued in a poll on Instagram, saying, in part quote, 0:06:01.800 --> 0:06:05.040 liking and sharing posts that are offensive, insensitive, and hurtful 0:06:05.120 --> 0:06:05.760 was immature and. 0:06:05.720 --> 0:06:07.440 Disrespectful, which was never my intent. 0:06:07.960 --> 0:06:12.400 US Soccer also said the team was handling the situation internally. Okay. 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:14.680 That was all back in March and April, and it 0:06:14.720 --> 0:06:16.960 was unclear whether Albert, who was already on the bubble 0:06:17.000 --> 0:06:19.440 for the Olympics, would be included on the roster for Paris, 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:22.640 but new US coach Emma Hayes unveiled her eighteen player 0:06:22.720 --> 0:06:25.720 roster last month and Albert was on the list. Her 0:06:25.720 --> 0:06:29.400 inclusion reignited calls from both fans and former players asking 0:06:29.400 --> 0:06:31.560 whether the twenty year old had actually done enough work 0:06:31.600 --> 0:06:34.440 to grow and change, and in the FRED lies leading 0:06:34.520 --> 0:06:37.640 up to the Games, Albert consistently received a fair amount 0:06:37.640 --> 0:06:40.400 of booze from the US crowds when she entered games. Okay, 0:06:40.440 --> 0:06:42.560 so now you're all cut up on Albert and all 0:06:42.600 --> 0:06:45.600 caught up on US Soccer as they had inca Olympic games. 0:06:46.120 --> 0:06:48.560 Now that you're full of knowledge, let's get even smarter 0:06:48.800 --> 0:06:50.760 by talking to our favorite Stanford gal. 0:06:51.400 --> 0:06:53.440 Sorry, Julie Fouder. You could take back that honor when 0:06:53.440 --> 0:06:56.000 you come on the show. Tierna Davidson after the. 0:06:55.960 --> 0:07:05.000 Break, joining us now on Good Game. World Cup champion 0:07:05.080 --> 0:07:07.760 and Olympic medalist center back for the US women's national 0:07:07.800 --> 0:07:10.800 soccer team and Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League. 0:07:11.000 --> 0:07:13.440 After playing three years at Stanford, she was drafted first 0:07:13.440 --> 0:07:17.760 overall by the Chicago Red Stars. I'm un highest in 0:07:17.840 --> 0:07:20.840 the twenty nineteen draft and played for Chicago until signing 0:07:20.920 --> 0:07:23.320 with New York New Jersey this past offseason. And we're 0:07:23.320 --> 0:07:25.840 all very happy for her and not sad at all 0:07:25.880 --> 0:07:28.520 that she left us. She wanted to be an astronaut, 0:07:28.520 --> 0:07:31.200 but she settled for being out of this world at soccer. 0:07:33.280 --> 0:07:37.840 It's Tiaranna Davidson. Hi, Tyrna, I'm so happy to see you. Hi. 0:07:37.960 --> 0:07:38.720 Thanks for having me. 0:07:39.040 --> 0:07:41.360 Oh my gosh, I just I'm getting so excited for 0:07:41.400 --> 0:07:43.240 the Olympics. I can't wait for my entire life to 0:07:43.240 --> 0:07:46.600 be blown up watching every single event, but most importantly 0:07:46.800 --> 0:07:49.400 the soccer. And I'm so glad you're back on the roster. 0:07:49.600 --> 0:07:52.880 You were in camp for last year's World Cup and 0:07:52.920 --> 0:07:54.720 you were still recovering from an acl tear, so you 0:07:54.760 --> 0:07:57.760 didn't end up making the final roster. You're back, you 0:07:57.840 --> 0:08:00.320 look great, You're headed to Paris. Want I know how 0:08:00.360 --> 0:08:03.120 you're feeling health wise? Do you feel like fully recovered 0:08:03.160 --> 0:08:05.400 now and back to pre injury shape and form? 0:08:05.840 --> 0:08:09.680 Yeah, definitely. I mean I think so much of what 0:08:09.720 --> 0:08:14.040 it means to be back after an injury is less 0:08:14.080 --> 0:08:17.160 so about you know, physically, can you do the things 0:08:17.160 --> 0:08:19.400 that are required of you? But even more so kind 0:08:19.440 --> 0:08:22.520 of like mentally, are you up to speed? Do you 0:08:22.600 --> 0:08:25.160 feel good about your gain? Do you feel like you're 0:08:25.560 --> 0:08:29.560 thinking fast enough and anticipating things so, Like a lot 0:08:29.560 --> 0:08:32.840 of people say, it takes the amount of time that 0:08:32.920 --> 0:08:34.960 took you to get physically back onto the field, it'll 0:08:35.000 --> 0:08:37.200 take you that amount of time to feel quote unquote 0:08:37.280 --> 0:08:40.680 like back to your normal gain. And I definitely feel 0:08:40.679 --> 0:08:43.520 like I experienced a bit of that, which required a 0:08:43.520 --> 0:08:45.520 lot of patience and a lot of grace. It's not 0:08:45.600 --> 0:08:49.600 easy to give yourself as an elite athlete, but nonetheless 0:08:49.880 --> 0:08:50.599 was required. 0:08:51.280 --> 0:08:54.680 Did you have to take a big hit or go 0:08:54.800 --> 0:08:57.079 in for a tackle. Did you have to have that 0:08:57.200 --> 0:09:00.840 physical moment of trusting your need and your body in 0:09:00.920 --> 0:09:03.160 order to be like Okay, I can be confident and 0:09:03.200 --> 0:09:03.920 aggressive again. 0:09:05.600 --> 0:09:06.520 Yeah, it was. It was funny. 0:09:06.480 --> 0:09:09.600 It was actually one of my first full contact trainings 0:09:10.120 --> 0:09:12.320 when I was training with Wolfsburg in the off season 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:17.400 and I just had to go into a big tackle 0:09:17.400 --> 0:09:19.600 because the ball was just in between me and another player, 0:09:19.640 --> 0:09:22.400 and it happened, and I didn't really think about it 0:09:22.480 --> 0:09:24.439 until after, and I was like, Okay, well, I guess 0:09:24.559 --> 0:09:25.080 I can do that. 0:09:25.160 --> 0:09:27.480 Then we're good to go. There we go, like if 0:09:27.480 --> 0:09:29.960 it works. I forgot about Wolfsburg. Did you pick up 0:09:30.000 --> 0:09:30.480 any German? 0:09:32.120 --> 0:09:35.800 I tried my best. I must say not a huge 0:09:35.840 --> 0:09:39.600 fan of dual linka. I feel like I learned how to, 0:09:40.400 --> 0:09:42.240 you know, order a coffee and a Sally. 0:09:42.320 --> 0:09:44.880 That's it. I tried that before Italy and I was like, 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:48.120 I'd rather like start with some basics like him and 0:09:48.200 --> 0:09:50.520 her and she and he and me and they, and 0:09:50.720 --> 0:09:54.679 like how to talk to someone, not just get a America. 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:58.160 Teacher, the grammar or like the structure of the language. 0:09:58.160 --> 0:10:00.840 At time, I kind of felt like I was memorizing stuff. 0:10:00.840 --> 0:10:05.959 But I definitely got to learn some soccer stuff, some numbers, 0:10:05.960 --> 0:10:08.280 some colors, you know, very important for trainings. 0:10:08.440 --> 0:10:11.240 Yes, there you go. So you've got a new head coach, 0:10:11.360 --> 0:10:14.600 Emma Hayes came in very heralded. I'm wondering what the 0:10:14.600 --> 0:10:18.400 biggest style differences between Black co and Danovsky, who was 0:10:18.640 --> 0:10:21.320 coaching the US national team before Emma, and now that 0:10:21.360 --> 0:10:23.600 Emma's in, what do you feel is the biggest difference 0:10:23.640 --> 0:10:25.720 or just in practice. 0:10:27.320 --> 0:10:31.640 I would say that she is really trying to instill 0:10:31.640 --> 0:10:36.280 in us a lot of tactical flexibility. I mean, I 0:10:36.320 --> 0:10:40.000 think that over the past few camps that we've had 0:10:40.040 --> 0:10:43.080 with her, but also extending into when Twila was our 0:10:43.120 --> 0:10:45.480 intim coach and Emma was kind of starting to implement 0:10:45.520 --> 0:10:49.480 from behind the scenes, you saw a lot of different 0:10:49.559 --> 0:10:51.640 shapes that we were playing a lot of people in 0:10:51.679 --> 0:10:55.680 different positions, whether it's on the field or like actually 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:59.920 tactically just kind of shifting a little bit differently. I 0:11:00.120 --> 0:11:02.760 think that's really helpful, especially with the game and how 0:11:02.800 --> 0:11:06.120 it's evolving. You know, you have to be able to 0:11:06.120 --> 0:11:08.160 be flexible. You're going to see a lot of different 0:11:08.160 --> 0:11:11.840 pictures and you need to be able to counteract that 0:11:11.920 --> 0:11:16.560 with different tactical choices on the field. So I really 0:11:16.559 --> 0:11:21.560 feel like we're playing a chess match and it's fun 0:11:21.559 --> 0:11:23.520 and it's exciting, and I think a lot of us 0:11:23.520 --> 0:11:28.000 are learning a lot which is definitely challenging but also 0:11:28.120 --> 0:11:29.239 a welcome challenge. 0:11:29.600 --> 0:11:30.920 Is it fair to say that for a while, the 0:11:31.040 --> 0:11:33.800 US were able to rely on athleticism and the depth 0:11:33.960 --> 0:11:37.400 of their pool of athletes when playing other countries, and 0:11:37.440 --> 0:11:41.079 now they are You are needing to get more tactical 0:11:41.240 --> 0:11:43.640 and get more chess like in your approach in order 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:45.920 to face off against some of these other countries that 0:11:45.920 --> 0:11:48.480 are really taking massive steps for the women's game. 0:11:48.760 --> 0:11:48.960 Yeah. 0:11:49.040 --> 0:11:50.880 I mean, I think a lot of what you're seeing 0:11:51.240 --> 0:11:54.319 is other countries, as you say, taking massive steps and 0:11:54.679 --> 0:11:59.680 investing in their women's soccer team and really gaining a 0:11:59.679 --> 0:12:03.319 better understanding of what we'll get them to the top. 0:12:03.920 --> 0:12:07.920 And you see just a lot more preparation and organization 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:10.880 from teams. Even if it's not like the top top 0:12:10.920 --> 0:12:14.240 tier teams, the teams will still come very prepared and 0:12:14.320 --> 0:12:19.040 very organized. So we'll present a challenging problem. Even if 0:12:19.040 --> 0:12:23.199 it's not like a back and forth game, it still 0:12:23.280 --> 0:12:25.520 won't be an easy game. And I think that's where 0:12:25.920 --> 0:12:28.880 the tactical flexibility comes in, and it's not just about 0:12:29.360 --> 0:12:31.520 you know, being able to get in behind the team 0:12:31.679 --> 0:12:33.599 and score goals. But it's also like, really, how do 0:12:33.600 --> 0:12:41.200 you break down an organized team that's patient and compact, 0:12:41.880 --> 0:12:44.880 And so I think that you just see a lot 0:12:45.000 --> 0:12:48.680 more different pictures and so, yeah, we definitely do have 0:12:48.720 --> 0:12:50.120 to have more tools in our box. 0:12:50.400 --> 0:12:53.600 We certainly heard that from Emma after your final friendly 0:12:53.640 --> 0:12:56.160 against Costa Rica. She was talking about the Christmas Tree 0:12:56.200 --> 0:12:58.760 format that made it really tough to score and how 0:12:58.800 --> 0:13:00.600 the team needs to figure out how to be more tactical. 0:13:00.840 --> 0:13:03.400 Lots of touches in the box, but no no points, 0:13:03.440 --> 0:13:07.520 no scores. So for the average fan watching the Olympics, 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:10.760 do you think they'll notice major tactical changes. Will they 0:13:10.800 --> 0:13:14.560 be able to see different shapes or players in different 0:13:14.559 --> 0:13:17.679 positions than they expected, or do you think it's a 0:13:17.760 --> 0:13:19.640 lot more internal, like the fans will just be watching 0:13:19.679 --> 0:13:21.920 and be like, oh, it's still still my favorite players. 0:13:23.200 --> 0:13:23.400 Yeah. 0:13:23.440 --> 0:13:28.280 I mean, I think it probably depends on the level 0:13:28.280 --> 0:13:30.000 of the fan. If they're maybe a casual fan, they 0:13:30.040 --> 0:13:32.400 might not notice the difference, but if they're like really 0:13:33.720 --> 0:13:37.960 tuned in, super tactical fan, like, yeah, you might notice 0:13:37.960 --> 0:13:40.680 some differences. Certainly you might notice players in different positions, 0:13:40.679 --> 0:13:43.240 But also how we're moving the ball as spaces that 0:13:43.280 --> 0:13:45.040 we want to get into or how we get there, 0:13:46.000 --> 0:13:48.560 you might definitely notice, but you know, it's obviously important 0:13:48.600 --> 0:13:51.199 for us, the small details. 0:13:50.800 --> 0:13:53.439 It's it's important. 0:13:53.000 --> 0:13:55.640 That we know those those changes and that we know 0:13:55.720 --> 0:13:58.760 how to access those keys for us. And whether that 0:13:58.840 --> 0:14:03.600 shows to the fans, I'm not sure, but certainly hopefully 0:14:03.600 --> 0:14:07.880 it shows in wins and goals, which fans love to see, 0:14:08.480 --> 0:14:10.040 so we're hoping for that result. 0:14:10.520 --> 0:14:13.000 I'm still learning because I never played organized soccer beyond 0:14:13.080 --> 0:14:14.719 junior high. So when I got in on the Red 0:14:14.720 --> 0:14:17.600 Stars ownership, I asked around for like books to read, 0:14:17.960 --> 0:14:21.920 and everyone sent me the most complicated books like about 0:14:21.920 --> 0:14:26.080 which countries invented soccer and the most complicated information that 0:14:26.120 --> 0:14:28.760 I was like, no, no, no, I need like soccer for dummies. 0:14:28.920 --> 0:14:31.240 So maybe in the off season we'll get Tierna our 0:14:31.320 --> 0:14:33.800 Stanford Smarty to sit us down and give us some 0:14:33.840 --> 0:14:37.000 like video presentations about different shapes and all the other things. 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:39.040 I'm still learning. It's so hard when you're never like 0:14:39.200 --> 0:14:41.680 on the pitch doing it to see sports the same 0:14:41.720 --> 0:14:43.480 way as the ones that I that I did play. 0:14:43.720 --> 0:14:45.560 So maybe I'll just be watching like like one of 0:14:45.600 --> 0:14:48.920 those fans' that's just I'm watching soccer. I like soccer. 0:14:50.400 --> 0:14:51.800 You were one of the youngest players on the US 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:54.760 women's national team for a major international tournament, your first 0:14:55.120 --> 0:14:57.840 you were the youngest. How are you helping this young team, 0:14:57.880 --> 0:15:01.320 particularly the first timers. I just get ready and prepare. 0:15:02.920 --> 0:15:06.360 Yeah, I mean, I think that it's taking what I 0:15:06.400 --> 0:15:09.040 felt was really helpful from veterans when I was one 0:15:09.080 --> 0:15:12.280 of the younger players and trying to implement that. I 0:15:12.280 --> 0:15:17.160 think what's so important going into a major tournament to 0:15:17.240 --> 0:15:21.040 get from the veterans is just really putting on the table. 0:15:21.400 --> 0:15:23.320 This is going to be hard, this is going to 0:15:23.360 --> 0:15:27.280 be wild. It's going to be a battle both with 0:15:27.320 --> 0:15:31.840 yourself and with everything that comes with a tournament, and 0:15:32.480 --> 0:15:34.600 you're just going to have to kind of grind it out. 0:15:34.800 --> 0:15:39.280 And I feel like when a veteran told me that 0:15:39.600 --> 0:15:43.240 and kind of instilled that in me, you just realize, Okay, 0:15:43.280 --> 0:15:44.920 I gotta batten down the hatches and I just have to, 0:15:45.240 --> 0:15:48.240 you know, be able to perform well weathering the storm. 0:15:48.440 --> 0:15:51.000 And I think especially with the Olympics, because of how 0:15:51.080 --> 0:15:55.400 fast it moves, the time between me, the compression of 0:15:55.440 --> 0:15:59.040 the schedule, It really is just like getting punched in 0:15:59.040 --> 0:16:02.360 the face and getting back up again and performing, you know, 0:16:02.760 --> 0:16:07.800 every two three days, and so really just impressing upon 0:16:07.840 --> 0:16:11.200 the younger players, like it will be difficult, but that's 0:16:11.200 --> 0:16:13.400 why we're all here. We're all here to help and 0:16:13.440 --> 0:16:16.040 support each other, not just the players but also the staff, 0:16:16.960 --> 0:16:20.840 you know, So use those resources and reach out to 0:16:20.880 --> 0:16:23.920 people if you need it, but really like take care 0:16:23.920 --> 0:16:25.960 of yourself and then if you can take care of 0:16:26.000 --> 0:16:26.760 the person next to you. 0:16:27.120 --> 0:16:29.600 Yeah, I love that. Also, maybe trying it to have 0:16:29.680 --> 0:16:32.800 like eleven teen croissants before every game, just because you're 0:16:32.840 --> 0:16:36.200 in France. It's tough that la deray. I just was 0:16:36.200 --> 0:16:38.480 in France and I think you guys flying to Nice right, 0:16:38.760 --> 0:16:41.080 there's a lot deray, like right in the airport. Be careful, 0:16:41.120 --> 0:16:44.360 you'll have like eleven d macarons and just be dragging ass. 0:16:44.400 --> 0:16:47.720 So it's tough in France. Stuff you mentioned actually the 0:16:47.720 --> 0:16:49.800 difference between the World Club and the Olympics. You've played 0:16:49.800 --> 0:16:52.200 in both. Talk a little bit about the approach and 0:16:52.200 --> 0:16:55.360 the different strategy because there's such short recovery between games 0:16:55.400 --> 0:16:58.440 and there's as much smaller roster, so it feels like 0:16:58.520 --> 0:17:01.640 especially in Emma Hay's selection about flexibility, players who can 0:17:01.680 --> 0:17:05.439 play in multiple positions, being able to depend on someone 0:17:05.440 --> 0:17:07.520 coming in if there's an injury or someone's tired, Like, 0:17:07.720 --> 0:17:09.520 how does that affect your strategy as a team. 0:17:10.880 --> 0:17:13.679 Yeah, absolutely, I mean, yeah, it's certainly no secret that 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:15.920 the Olympics are a different beasts just because of how 0:17:15.920 --> 0:17:18.879 fast things move and how small the roster is. So 0:17:18.960 --> 0:17:21.119 I think, certainly it is important to be able to 0:17:21.160 --> 0:17:24.800 have players that can play multiple positions, that understand the 0:17:24.920 --> 0:17:28.560 roles in different positions, players that are ready to be 0:17:28.600 --> 0:17:31.520 called upon at a moment's notice, even if you know 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:34.920 that wasn't the plan. But certainly being able to have 0:17:35.280 --> 0:17:40.000 rotation in the roster and trying to keep players as 0:17:40.000 --> 0:17:43.280 healthy and as fresh as possible with our recovery modalities 0:17:43.320 --> 0:17:45.320 and what we do in the two days between games, 0:17:46.000 --> 0:17:50.440 that's so important. So it's trying to tow the line between, 0:17:50.520 --> 0:17:52.240 you know, pushing it as much as possible in the 0:17:52.280 --> 0:17:54.240 game and then also trying to. 0:17:54.160 --> 0:17:56.439 Recover your body as quick as possible after that. 0:17:56.920 --> 0:17:59.320 And I think we have a lot of great people 0:17:59.400 --> 0:18:03.480 in our performance department and our medical department to help 0:18:03.480 --> 0:18:06.720 players kind of get back to neutral as quick as possible. 0:18:07.040 --> 0:18:09.080 We know Crystal Dunn is listed as a forward, but 0:18:09.119 --> 0:18:11.359 she can play anywhere, and thankfully they also have a 0:18:11.359 --> 0:18:15.320 big time score in Tierna Davidson. I mean, we saw 0:18:15.359 --> 0:18:17.439 you with the brace a couple of months ago or 0:18:17.480 --> 0:18:21.520 weeks ago. The secret sauce on the corners might just 0:18:21.600 --> 0:18:23.680 be your head, so we'll be looking out for you 0:18:24.080 --> 0:18:29.080 as a top Olympic scoer. So exciting. I want to 0:18:29.080 --> 0:18:31.000 ask about nerves before a big game. Do you have 0:18:31.040 --> 0:18:33.399 a routine? Is it a specific song you have to 0:18:33.440 --> 0:18:36.359 listen to, or meditation or talking to people or not 0:18:36.400 --> 0:18:37.880 talking to people. What's your trick. 0:18:40.160 --> 0:18:45.600 Usually in the day before going to the stadium? I 0:18:45.680 --> 0:18:49.480 try in journal takes my mind off of it a 0:18:49.480 --> 0:18:52.240 little bit and also, at the same time kind of 0:18:52.280 --> 0:18:54.440 focuses my mind. I feel like it kind of does both, 0:18:54.480 --> 0:18:57.639 which is important. You don't want to be thinking too 0:18:57.720 --> 0:18:59.399 much about it, but you also don't want to not 0:18:59.440 --> 0:19:01.919 think about it. But then I think, once I get 0:19:01.920 --> 0:19:03.520 into the locker room, I try not to have too 0:19:03.520 --> 0:19:06.920 many superstitions because then if you don't get one done, 0:19:06.960 --> 0:19:08.960 then you're like, oh my god, I'm not gonna play well, 0:19:09.040 --> 0:19:09.960 or like something's gonna happen. 0:19:10.040 --> 0:19:13.040 So you're just so spicious not superstitious. 0:19:13.640 --> 0:19:19.040 Yeah, but I like to, you know, be present and 0:19:19.080 --> 0:19:22.719 available in the locker room. We always have someone on 0:19:22.800 --> 0:19:25.080 DJ playing music so I can listen to that. I 0:19:25.080 --> 0:19:28.080 don't need to listen to my own music, but you know, 0:19:28.280 --> 0:19:33.760 just getting my ankles and feet mobed by the meds 0:19:34.240 --> 0:19:37.560 and then getting you know, all my activation exercises in. 0:19:38.359 --> 0:19:41.959 You know, those are my typical game day routines. But 0:19:42.040 --> 0:19:44.760 I don't really have anything that's like super weird or 0:19:44.880 --> 0:19:46.479 at this out of the box. 0:19:46.600 --> 0:19:48.879 Okay, I have several follow ups. Number one, who's the 0:19:48.880 --> 0:19:50.919 current DJ? Because I feel like, based on all my 0:19:50.960 --> 0:19:54.040 times hanging with Pino, she would definitely be the one 0:19:54.040 --> 0:19:56.280 who used to dominate who got to play what? But 0:19:56.320 --> 0:20:00.119 she's out of there, So who's taken over? Now? Well 0:20:00.600 --> 0:20:01.760 it is Crystal. 0:20:02.080 --> 0:20:04.359 There have been multiple instances where she's like, I'm not 0:20:04.400 --> 0:20:06.840 the DJ, and all of us are like, yes you are, 0:20:08.560 --> 0:20:11.280 but it certainly is Crystal that's always hooking up her OX. 0:20:11.600 --> 0:20:13.960 Okay, all right, we like it. Do you agree with 0:20:14.000 --> 0:20:16.880 her choices or you like Crystal? Again? DJ? Crystal, come 0:20:16.920 --> 0:20:18.119 on man, no, yes. 0:20:18.119 --> 0:20:20.280 I love with choices and also too, like I'm very 0:20:20.280 --> 0:20:22.760 aware that it is not easy to please everybody in 0:20:22.760 --> 0:20:24.960 the locker room when you have twenty two people in there, 0:20:25.359 --> 0:20:28.280