1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,880
Speaker 1: If it's between you and me, I'm going to be winning.

2
00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,760
Speaker 1: It's that fight, it's that mentality, it's that drive to

3
00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:09,360
Speaker 1: want to be successful and compete constantly. It's somewhat easy

4
00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,840
Speaker 1: to get to this level and you think you've made it,

5
00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,480
Speaker 1: but what actually keeps you here is having that mentality

6
00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,319
Speaker 1: and that drive to want to be the best every

7
00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,360
Speaker 1: single day, and that's how you can stay here. You

8
00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:25,360
Speaker 1: made it, but now the work, the hard work, really begins,

9
00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:27,960
Speaker 1: and you have to continue to have that growth mindset

10
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,240
Speaker 1: and wanting to get better and be the best every day.

11
00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,839
Speaker 1: And if you have that mentality, you will stay and

12
00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,559
Speaker 1: have a long career. But if you don't have that

13
00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,400
Speaker 1: willingness and that drive, it's going to be a tough road.

14
00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:59,880
Speaker 2: Season nine. When did this happen?

15
00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,880
Speaker 3: Emily A body here coming to you from the Age Studio.

16
00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:09,520
Speaker 3: You are listening to episode one ninety seven of Hurdle,

17
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,080
Speaker 3: a wellness focused podcast where I connect with everyone from

18
00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,399
Speaker 3: your favorite athletes to top experts and industry CEOs about

19
00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,840
Speaker 3: their highest highs, toughest moments, and everything in between. We

20
00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,480
Speaker 3: all go through hurdles in life, and my goal through

21
00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,720
Speaker 3: these discussions is to empower you to better navigate yours

22
00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,080
Speaker 3: and move with intention so that you can stride towards

23
00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:34,000
Speaker 3: your own big potential and of course have some fun

24
00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:35,399
Speaker 3: along the way.

25
00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:36,759
Speaker 1: Wow.

26
00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:40,640
Speaker 3: That is like the word that I will use to

27
00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,200
Speaker 3: summarize exactly how I feel in this moment.

28
00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:44,760
Speaker 2: I'm excited, I'm amped.

29
00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:48,400
Speaker 3: I'm looking forward to all of the great content that

30
00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:52,480
Speaker 3: is coming down the pipe for the ninth season of

31
00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,080
Speaker 3: the show. Jeez, every time when I say something like that,

32
00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,560
Speaker 3: I come back to this idea that I had no

33
00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,440
Speaker 3: clue what I was getting into from the get go,

34
00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,960
Speaker 3: and I never expected to have thousands and thousands and

35
00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,200
Speaker 3: thousands of people listening to this on the regular. But

36
00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:11,840
Speaker 3: here we are, and I could not be more proud

37
00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:16,120
Speaker 3: of everything that this community has become. I am so

38
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,320
Speaker 3: electrified today because for episode one ninety seven, this season

39
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:26,720
Speaker 3: nine premiere, I am chatting with pro soccer great Ali Creeker.

40
00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:31,480
Speaker 3: We are talking about all of her unreal accomplishments from

41
00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:36,880
Speaker 3: her sixteen year career thus far, including the top hurdles

42
00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,799
Speaker 3: along the way, involving injury and essentially being fired from

43
00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:43,720
Speaker 3: the US women's national team for about two years.

44
00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:45,280
Speaker 2: She also shares the.

45
00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,600
Speaker 3: Joy that she felt returning to the team in twenty

46
00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,960
Speaker 3: nineteen and the elation that came with getting her one

47
00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,080
Speaker 3: hundredth cap, which in soccer lingo is how many international

48
00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:56,720
Speaker 3: matches a player.

49
00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:58,680
Speaker 2: As we're taken in, we also.

50
00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,600
Speaker 3: Talk about her being a huge advocate for the lgbtq

51
00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:04,880
Speaker 3: A community at something that she's super passionate about, alongside

52
00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,880
Speaker 3: her now wife and teammate Ashlyn Harris.

53
00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,359
Speaker 2: And speaking of Ashland, she gives.

54
00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,880
Speaker 3: Some insight as to what it was like for the

55
00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:17,440
Speaker 3: couple when they came out to their teammates their coaches,

56
00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,600
Speaker 3: being honest about a little bit of hesitancy at first,

57
00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,400
Speaker 3: Plus she shares her best advice for anyone who may

58
00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,160
Speaker 3: be feeling some kind of way about coming out as well.

59
00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,920
Speaker 3: I am amped that Ali is now based in the

60
00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:34,360
Speaker 3: New York area playing with Gotham FC. I am looking

61
00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,040
Speaker 3: forward to personally finally being able to go watch her

62
00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,440
Speaker 3: play IRL And I'm really really grateful for her time

63
00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,880
Speaker 3: and her energy and for giving me an opportunity to

64
00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,400
Speaker 3: chat with her for the show. I am also I

65
00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:50,240
Speaker 3: feel like I've said the word excited in this intro

66
00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:52,800
Speaker 3: like a handful of times already, but this is the

67
00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,839
Speaker 3: energy that I am coming into season nine with I

68
00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,000
Speaker 3: am am for the Hurdler event in DC next week.

69
00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:00,840
Speaker 2: If you were listening to this in real.

70
00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:02,720
Speaker 3: Time, I'm going to be giving a talk at Hotel

71
00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:05,240
Speaker 3: Zena on Wednesday at March sixteenth. I would love to

72
00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:07,840
Speaker 3: see you there. We just opened up some more spots.

73
00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,520
Speaker 3: I will link the event right in the show notes.

74
00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,400
Speaker 3: Also really looking forward to the Hurdle Huddle at the

75
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:15,640
Speaker 3: end of the month here in New York. That event

76
00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:17,839
Speaker 3: is sold out, but I promise that it will not

77
00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:18,560
Speaker 3: be a.

78
00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:19,240
Speaker 1: One and done.

79
00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:22,039
Speaker 3: This is something that I'm looking forward to bringing it

80
00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:26,960
Speaker 3: to many cities fingers crossed in the months going forward,

81
00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,560
Speaker 3: including another round in New York. So stay tuned for

82
00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:33,800
Speaker 3: more invite on upcoming hurdle events. By making sure you're

83
00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:37,040
Speaker 3: following along with the Hurdle Instagram that's over at Hurdle Podcasts,

84
00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,040
Speaker 3: and subscribe to the weekly Hurdle newsletter. It comes out

85
00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,120
Speaker 3: every Friday morning. It brings you a lot of the

86
00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,480
Speaker 3: same things that you love about the show, motivation, inspiration,

87
00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,000
Speaker 3: a little insight into what's going on in my world

88
00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:52,440
Speaker 3: every single Friday morning, directly to your inbox. The link

89
00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,480
Speaker 3: to subscribe to that is also in the show notes.

90
00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:56,600
Speaker 2: And last little bit.

91
00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:58,640
Speaker 3: Of housekeeping, I said, make sure you're following along with

92
00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,000
Speaker 3: the Hurdle Instagram over at Hurdle Podcast. If you are

93
00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,880
Speaker 3: following there, tomorrow you're going to see a really exciting

94
00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:08,960
Speaker 3: giveaway with some of my great partners to celebrate the

95
00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:13,640
Speaker 3: launch of season nine. So make sure you're following to

96
00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,880
Speaker 3: stay in the loop. Trust me, you're not gonna want

97
00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:17,320
Speaker 3: to miss this.

98
00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:18,720
Speaker 2: I'm over on.

99
00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:21,560
Speaker 3: Instagram as well at Emily a Body. And with that,

100
00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:26,040
Speaker 3: let's kick things off. Let's get to hurdling.

101
00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:37,599
Speaker 2: Today.

102
00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:40,360
Speaker 3: I am sitting down with Ali Kreeger. She is a

103
00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:44,159
Speaker 3: pro soccer player an Olympian. How you doing today, Al.

104
00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:47,000
Speaker 1: I'm great. Thanks so much for inviting me. This is

105
00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:48,159
Speaker 1: such a dream to be here.

106
00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:50,080
Speaker 2: Oh man, a dream.

107
00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:55,320
Speaker 3: Lush A spoiler alert. I'm kicking off the new season

108
00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,200
Speaker 3: of the show with you. Oh wow, no pun intended

109
00:05:58,240 --> 00:05:59,400
Speaker 3: with the words kicking off.

110
00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,040
Speaker 1: Well, you're welcome, welcome.

111
00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:03,719
Speaker 2: I'm so amped.

112
00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:05,560
Speaker 3: I'm so amped to have you here and I want

113
00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:09,120
Speaker 3: to be the zillionth person to welcome you up to

114
00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:10,800
Speaker 3: my neck of the woods. You and I are both

115
00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,040
Speaker 3: in the New York area. Now, congrats on your new

116
00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:14,360
Speaker 3: chapter with the Gotham.

117
00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:19,000
Speaker 1: Thank you so much. It's been such a great adjustment

118
00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,599
Speaker 1: for us and such a change. I still haven't gotten

119
00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:25,680
Speaker 1: warm yet, so I don't know if that's ever going

120
00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,760
Speaker 1: to change. But I am just cold all the time.

121
00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:31,119
Speaker 2: I don't know if it changes.

122
00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:32,880
Speaker 3: But I mean, were you and I were chatting on

123
00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:34,719
Speaker 3: an absolutely beautiful day in New York.

124
00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,599
Speaker 2: But I feel like it is like a ultimate tease. Lately.

125
00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,440
Speaker 3: We get these like hints of sixty and then it's like, JK,

126
00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:41,640
Speaker 3: back to twenty two.

127
00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,120
Speaker 1: I mean, it's just like I can barely feel my

128
00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,240
Speaker 1: fingers and toes all the time, and we're like out

129
00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,320
Speaker 1: of the training field, and I'm just like, oh my gosh,

130
00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,760
Speaker 1: I can't wait till like end of March or maybe

131
00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:56,039
Speaker 1: even you know, end of April early May, getting the

132
00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:57,479
Speaker 1: season going in the hot weather.

133
00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,359
Speaker 3: Well, you have nothing going on lately, I mean, aside

134
00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:03,719
Speaker 3: from the fact that your daughter just turned one years old,

135
00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:05,240
Speaker 3: you had this move.

136
00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,000
Speaker 2: You guys are just like, I feel like, all over

137
00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:08,480
Speaker 2: the place.

138
00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,200
Speaker 3: How are you feeling with trying to keep up with

139
00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:12,960
Speaker 3: absolutely everything that's going on?

140
00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:17,440
Speaker 1: We really are, I mean, we've we're kind of comfortable

141
00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,480
Speaker 1: in that chaos. I mean, I feel like we were

142
00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:23,640
Speaker 1: so open to this move because we just wanted a change,

143
00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:25,520
Speaker 1: and I think it was time for a change, and

144
00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,600
Speaker 1: so I feel like it was definitely positive for us

145
00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:30,840
Speaker 1: to get out of the environment that we were in

146
00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:34,920
Speaker 1: and into this refreshing environment with a new team, a

147
00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:39,520
Speaker 1: new culture, a new city to explore, and business wise,

148
00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:41,840
Speaker 1: outside of soccer, this is like a perfect city for

149
00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,440
Speaker 1: us to be in to you know, get involved not

150
00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,080
Speaker 1: only in the community with the team, but also as

151
00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:51,200
Speaker 1: individuals and you know, get ourselves out there into the

152
00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:55,520
Speaker 1: city and you know, go see other games and you know,

153
00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:59,560
Speaker 1: interact with other athletes and sports and also just on

154
00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,360
Speaker 1: the business side. And yeah, so it's been a great

155
00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:05,880
Speaker 1: experience so far. The move was definitely hectic, but all

156
00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:07,440
Speaker 1: in all, we're super happy.

157
00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:09,880
Speaker 3: What other sorts of business endeavors are you trying to

158
00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:11,080
Speaker 3: take on at the moment.

159
00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,360
Speaker 1: I mean there's actually a lot. Well, you know, we

160
00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:19,120
Speaker 1: obviously want to advocate for our LGBTQ community and fight

161
00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,680
Speaker 1: for issues that we believe in, and I think that's

162
00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:24,520
Speaker 1: also important. We're not only defined just by playing football,

163
00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:26,120
Speaker 1: so we need to make sure that we get out

164
00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:29,400
Speaker 1: in the community, and we use our platform for good,

165
00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,120
Speaker 1: and we use our platform to speak up for those

166
00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:35,520
Speaker 1: who who can't one for themselves and maybe who don't

167
00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:38,760
Speaker 1: have a similar platform that we do. So we obviously

168
00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:42,240
Speaker 1: want to get involved with the community here and be

169
00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:44,880
Speaker 1: challenged in a way because that's the only way that

170
00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:47,160
Speaker 1: I feel like we can grow. And so it's been

171
00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,840
Speaker 1: really exciting to kind of have these new experiences.

172
00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,440
Speaker 3: So for those of that are maybe listening that aren't

173
00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:56,200
Speaker 3: caught up to speed. Your partner, Ashlynn, you married in

174
00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,480
Speaker 3: December twenty nineteen, talk to us a little bit about

175
00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,560
Speaker 3: I guess kind of coming into your own as a couple.

176
00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:05,960
Speaker 3: Obviously a lot of challenges that go hand in hand

177
00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:08,840
Speaker 3: with not just playing together but then kind of coming

178
00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:10,760
Speaker 3: out in that really big way.

179
00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:12,600
Speaker 2: So shed some light on that for us.

180
00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:15,720
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it was definitely new for us to

181
00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:20,960
Speaker 1: announce our engagement. I feel like, you know, within our workspace,

182
00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,239
Speaker 1: you know, we felt like we needed to be professional

183
00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,840
Speaker 1: and you know, kind of just focus on our job.

184
00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,040
Speaker 1: We had this feeling that maybe we wouldn't be as

185
00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:35,400
Speaker 1: accepted during that time, and so once we kind of

186
00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,720
Speaker 1: said basically, f it, We're going to be who we are,

187
00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,720
Speaker 1: and we're going to live our lives authentically, like let's

188
00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,520
Speaker 1: you know, just go for it. And I at that

189
00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:49,559
Speaker 1: moment wasn't or in that time, I wasn't on the

190
00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:52,800
Speaker 1: national team anymore. So I felt like it was, you know,

191
00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:56,600
Speaker 1: a good time for us to be more open with

192
00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:59,840
Speaker 1: our fans. Of course, I mean our family and friends

193
00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,360
Speaker 1: for a long time, but you know, just like to

194
00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:05,480
Speaker 1: say it out loud and to say it publicly that

195
00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:07,720
Speaker 1: we were together, that we were engaged in getting married

196
00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,120
Speaker 1: the following year. I think that was really important for

197
00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,240
Speaker 1: us and also important for our fans and supporters to

198
00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:15,920
Speaker 1: see that you know, being with you know, a partner

199
00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,680
Speaker 1: of the same sex as you know, normal and that's okay,

200
00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,560
Speaker 1: and that we can still be professional and be on

201
00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,960
Speaker 1: the same you know, in the same workspace. So I

202
00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:28,840
Speaker 1: think that was really a good moment for us because

203
00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,520
Speaker 1: then from that moment on, we could give everyone everything

204
00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,840
Speaker 1: we had. I think up until then it was kind

205
00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,080
Speaker 1: of like how we're giving pieces of ourselves, but this

206
00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:41,600
Speaker 1: isn't really all of us. And I think we were

207
00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,480
Speaker 1: able to give our friends, our family, our teammates, our organization,

208
00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,640
Speaker 1: and our club everything we had without feeling that we

209
00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:53,319
Speaker 1: were hiding anything that we were weren't being our full selves,

210
00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:55,880
Speaker 1: and so I think after that moment, it was like

211
00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:57,800
Speaker 1: a weight lifted off of both of us and we

212
00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,360
Speaker 1: just kind of kept on living our life and the

213
00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,839
Speaker 1: support from everyone, even our sponsorships, was incredible. We even

214
00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:09,240
Speaker 1: like we got more sponsorships and attention than I think

215
00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:12,280
Speaker 1: we ever thought of. You know, we weren't sure which

216
00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:16,280
Speaker 1: way people were going to go and if they were

217
00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,800
Speaker 1: going to accept us, and so that was definitely a

218
00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:24,679
Speaker 1: really healthy experience individually but as a couple. And then

219
00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:26,560
Speaker 1: moving on to the wedding, that was probably the last

220
00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,319
Speaker 1: party that everyone went through before COVID, and so we

221
00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:31,719
Speaker 1: were like so pumped to celebrate with all of our

222
00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,960
Speaker 1: loved ones and it was so much fun. And I

223
00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:39,200
Speaker 1: think putting that out into the world really then saved

224
00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,199
Speaker 1: a lot of people's lives and maybe helped them along

225
00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:46,040
Speaker 1: their journey of you know, living their true, authentic lives.

226
00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:49,120
Speaker 1: And so that was really inspiring for us, and we

227
00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:50,800
Speaker 1: wanted to do that not only for us and our

228
00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,600
Speaker 1: family and friends, but for the world to see that,

229
00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:57,040
Speaker 1: you know, this is normal and the life that we

230
00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:01,000
Speaker 1: live is a choice, and it's something that we thrive

231
00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,480
Speaker 1: in and something that you know, we want to share

232
00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:07,160
Speaker 1: with everyone. And yeah, it was a great, a great

233
00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:08,199
Speaker 1: year for us.

234
00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:10,640
Speaker 2: So interesting. There's so many things to double click on here.

235
00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:13,360
Speaker 3: The first thing being that I'm sure in that like

236
00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,880
Speaker 3: kind of build up to getting to the place where

237
00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:19,160
Speaker 3: you felt ready to share this part of your life

238
00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:23,080
Speaker 3: with everyone, it's not like just sharing it with twenty people.

239
00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:26,240
Speaker 2: It's sharing it with millions of people.

240
00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,760
Speaker 3: So there were probably stories you were telling yourself of

241
00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:32,320
Speaker 3: how it could go or what could happen. So that

242
00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:37,120
Speaker 3: sense of relief, like I cannot even imagine.

243
00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,240
Speaker 1: You know, when you like struggle for a little bit

244
00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:41,880
Speaker 1: trying to find yourself in your twenties and your identity,

245
00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:44,320
Speaker 1: I'm sure a lot of us can relate. And you're,

246
00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:47,960
Speaker 1: you know, finding yourself through your sexuality, and I don't

247
00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,160
Speaker 1: think you have to. You know, everyone has their own

248
00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:52,880
Speaker 1: journey and it doesn't have to be one way or

249
00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:56,199
Speaker 1: the other. And I think that that part of our

250
00:12:56,280 --> 00:13:01,280
Speaker 1: life was when we were working together on the national team,

251
00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:03,360
Speaker 1: and I think we both were kind of going through

252
00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:07,000
Speaker 1: our own challenges in life and both individually and as

253
00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,200
Speaker 1: a couple, and kind of trying to navigate through all

254
00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:11,120
Speaker 1: of that, so I know it's really difficult for a

255
00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,720
Speaker 1: lot of us to really you know, find your identity

256
00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,640
Speaker 1: and you know, figure out your sexuality. And so that

257
00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:22,640
Speaker 1: whole experience kind of came to ahead when we were

258
00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,280
Speaker 1: going to announce that we were engaged, and I felt

259
00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:30,000
Speaker 1: really comfortable and confident in us but also in myself

260
00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:33,000
Speaker 1: that I was ready for this moment and that we

261
00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:35,640
Speaker 1: can share now with the world and really be true

262
00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:36,360
Speaker 1: to ourselves.

263
00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:38,920
Speaker 3: And you know, there's a phrase that I feel like

264
00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:41,280
Speaker 3: I keep hearing pop up because of the pandemic.

265
00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:42,920
Speaker 2: It's called empathy fatigue.

266
00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:45,439
Speaker 3: And it's like you have so much going on your

267
00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:48,000
Speaker 3: own life and you're like trying to show up for

268
00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:51,280
Speaker 3: other people, and it can be truly exhausting. I would

269
00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:56,400
Speaker 3: imagine as beautiful and wonderful and so fulfilling it is

270
00:13:56,440 --> 00:14:00,800
Speaker 3: to be someone that is helpful and insightful and there

271
00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:02,240
Speaker 3: to an extent for other people.

272
00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:04,160
Speaker 2: Does it ever feel a.

273
00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:07,760
Speaker 3: Little overwhelming or perhaps a little frustrating that maybe you

274
00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:10,160
Speaker 3: can't be there in the capacity that you wish that

275
00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:12,000
Speaker 3: you could for so many.

276
00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:17,320
Speaker 1: That's such a great question. Yes and no, I feel like, yes,

277
00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,400
Speaker 1: I want to help anyone who needs it. I'm such

278
00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:22,680
Speaker 1: a people pleaser and I'm just you know, I worry

279
00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:26,160
Speaker 1: about everyone else's feelings more than my own, and so

280
00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,160
Speaker 1: I feel like I want to continue to help everyone

281
00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,120
Speaker 1: I can. But also you have to think about you know,

282
00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:37,680
Speaker 1: you can only control what you can control. And I

283
00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:40,880
Speaker 1: think that if all of us can take a little

284
00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:44,160
Speaker 1: puzzle piece in our life and really focus on how

285
00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:48,200
Speaker 1: we can help those within that space, I think then

286
00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:52,360
Speaker 1: all of us together are actually working in the bigger pictures.

287
00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:54,120
Speaker 1: So I feel like if all of us just kind

288
00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,080
Speaker 1: of take care of our little puzzle piece in our

289
00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:01,200
Speaker 1: little space, then actually, you know, everyone else us is

290
00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:06,520
Speaker 1: growing in a positive direction together. Not you know, maybe

291
00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:10,680
Speaker 1: it's unknowingly, but you know, we can't control everyone and everything,

292
00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,120
Speaker 1: And of course I want to give more, but at

293
00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:14,960
Speaker 1: the end of the day, I need some for myself

294
00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:15,680
Speaker 1: as well.

295
00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,080
Speaker 2: As another proud giver.

296
00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,480
Speaker 3: I think that realization is something that can be hard

297
00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,000
Speaker 3: to get to, but once you get there, it's like

298
00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:25,840
Speaker 3: the most valuable moment to be like, I can only

299
00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:28,840
Speaker 3: give so much to other people before I take the

300
00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,600
Speaker 3: picture of water and pour some into my own cup.

301
00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:36,600
Speaker 1: Right, absolutely, I totally agree one hundred percent, and it

302
00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,440
Speaker 1: might take you long time to realize that. It's taken

303
00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:43,200
Speaker 1: me a long time to try and like separate myself

304
00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,200
Speaker 1: and be like, Okay, I've done what I can and

305
00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:48,360
Speaker 1: I continue to do that, but I also can't forget

306
00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,280
Speaker 1: about myself and make myself a priority sometimes because then

307
00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:55,440
Speaker 1: you're right, you can't give, give, give, and receive nothing

308
00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:58,520
Speaker 1: in return. So and at the end of the day,

309
00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:00,800
Speaker 1: you're then empty and you're like, Okay, well, how am

310
00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,040
Speaker 1: I going to fill my cup in order to continue

311
00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:05,120
Speaker 1: to give? So I agree completely.

312
00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:09,880
Speaker 3: You also mentioned earlier being left off of the roster

313
00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:14,280
Speaker 3: in twenty seventeen. Let's talk a little bit perhaps before that,

314
00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,760
Speaker 3: talking about just, you know, your journey with soccer.

315
00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,200
Speaker 2: I know that you've been playing for one hell of

316
00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:20,600
Speaker 2: a time.

317
00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:24,280
Speaker 3: I had Carly Lloyd on the show god months ago now,

318
00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:26,640
Speaker 3: but she had a lot of sentiments to share about,

319
00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:28,040
Speaker 3: like what it was like to be one of the

320
00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:30,760
Speaker 3: older players in the league. And you've been going at

321
00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:32,960
Speaker 3: this for a long time and been playing really well

322
00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:35,600
Speaker 3: for a really long time. So kind of bring us

323
00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:37,960
Speaker 3: back and talk to us about your entry point into

324
00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:39,200
Speaker 3: playing professional soccer.

325
00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:43,640
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, it's definitely this is my sixteenth year professionally.

326
00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:46,280
Speaker 1: I you know, we didn't have a league when I

327
00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:49,080
Speaker 1: graduated way back in I was seventh, and so I

328
00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:51,960
Speaker 1: wanted to continue to plan. Ultimately, my dream was to

329
00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,640
Speaker 1: make the national team. So long story short, I that

330
00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,680
Speaker 1: year was on the U twenty threes. We went to Vasa,

331
00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:00,480
Speaker 1: Finland and had a tournament there and I think a

332
00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,120
Speaker 1: lot of European coaches came to that tournament to recruit

333
00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:05,760
Speaker 1: or just to see. And so I got a phone

334
00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,520
Speaker 1: call from an agent of just a family friend and

335
00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:11,359
Speaker 1: he said, Hey, would you want to come try out

336
00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:13,280
Speaker 1: like for a couple of teams in Europe who are

337
00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:15,359
Speaker 1: interested that they saw you this summer. I said, oh

338
00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:17,879
Speaker 1: my gosh, sure, Like what else am I going to do?

339
00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:19,760
Speaker 1: Play pick up with like my guy friends from high

340
00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:21,879
Speaker 1: school like twice a week and hope I'd get to

341
00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,520
Speaker 1: the next level. No, So I packed with two bags

342
00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,720
Speaker 1: and I went to Frankfurt, Germany, and I ended up

343
00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,119
Speaker 1: at training with like seven of like some of the

344
00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:35,560
Speaker 1: best footballers in the world which played on the German

345
00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:39,560
Speaker 1: national team, and they were incredible. And also Gino Lewandowski,

346
00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:43,879
Speaker 1: who's my teammate here at Gotham she Gotham FC. She

347
00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,120
Speaker 1: was also at the at the field that day, so

348
00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:50,240
Speaker 1: I met her and then five and a half years later,

349
00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:53,880
Speaker 1: I had some of the best experiences of my life,

350
00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:56,720
Speaker 1: both on the field and off the field. That's when

351
00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,240
Speaker 1: I kind of went through this whole finding myself and

352
00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,400
Speaker 1: kind of exploring. I think I needed that just kind

353
00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,040
Speaker 1: of to be and be able to sit with myself

354
00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:10,679
Speaker 1: and in my thoughts and kind of you know, picture

355
00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:13,560
Speaker 1: my life. And I really loved it there. I had

356
00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:15,560
Speaker 1: five and a half great years. I ended up coming

357
00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:19,639
Speaker 1: back because I wanted to help the nwasl start the league,

358
00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,480
Speaker 1: so that was my reasoning end of coming back after

359
00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:25,840
Speaker 1: so long. But I mean I won Champions League there

360
00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:28,320
Speaker 1: and all the titles that you can win at club

361
00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,879
Speaker 1: level in Europe, which was fantastic. So that was a

362
00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:36,920
Speaker 1: great start. So I loved it. And then I came

363
00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,399
Speaker 1: home and started to play in DC, you know, for

364
00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:44,119
Speaker 1: four years, and then got traded to Orlando. Luckily they

365
00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:46,439
Speaker 1: traded me there because Ash was there. I don't know

366
00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:48,640
Speaker 1: what would what would have happened if I would have

367
00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,440
Speaker 1: been traded anywhere else, but and then you know, I'm

368
00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:54,560
Speaker 1: going to end my career with Gotham FC. So this

369
00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:57,440
Speaker 1: has been quite the experience. I've learned a lot along

370
00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:01,520
Speaker 1: the way. I've been in really good environments and maybe

371
00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:04,240
Speaker 1: not so good environments. So I think I've taken the

372
00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,200
Speaker 1: good and the bad and mixed it all together through

373
00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:11,320
Speaker 1: my experiences now and just having the best four weeks

374
00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:14,400
Speaker 1: so far with any club team that I've been on.

375
00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:18,600
Speaker 1: So this has been a great road, a really tough road.

376
00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:21,280
Speaker 1: You know. In between there, you've had some big time tournaments,

377
00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:25,080
Speaker 1: World Cups and Olympics. But you know, in two thousand

378
00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,439
Speaker 1: and seven, I decided to take this big risk. I

379
00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:31,400
Speaker 1: didn't know anybody. I just packed my bags. I said, listen, family,

380
00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:34,040
Speaker 1: I'm leaving. I need to get out of here. I

381
00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:38,840
Speaker 1: want to go explore something new, culture, food, people, environment,

382
00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:43,439
Speaker 1: let me learn something about myself, challenge myself. And I

383
00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,679
Speaker 1: ended up taking a risk and then ended up, you know,

384
00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,920
Speaker 1: landing me in my dream job. So I'm so grateful

385
00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:52,080
Speaker 1: for that experience.

386
00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:54,600
Speaker 3: It's so funny, right, I feel like you hear that

387
00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:56,679
Speaker 3: all the time, someone says something like I took a

388
00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,240
Speaker 3: risk and it paid off. But so often people are

389
00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:03,159
Speaker 3: afraid afraid to take the risk because they're nervous about

390
00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,359
Speaker 3: it going in the other direction. Do you think that

391
00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:10,520
Speaker 3: you kind of were born with that level of gusto

392
00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,439
Speaker 3: or was this truly something that was entirely out of

393
00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:14,280
Speaker 3: your comfort zone.

394
00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:15,919
Speaker 1: I think a little bit of both, because I was

395
00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,240
Speaker 1: definitely like, I don't even know what I'm jumping into,

396
00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:21,399
Speaker 1: Like I have absolutely no clue, but like, I'm willing

397
00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:24,480
Speaker 1: to take that because here I'm you know, I have

398
00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:26,639
Speaker 1: goals and dreams that I want to accomplish, and I

399
00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,000
Speaker 1: don't think that this environment is going to get me there.

400
00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:31,239
Speaker 1: So I needed to put myself in an environment where there

401
00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:33,760
Speaker 1: were players who are better than me and kind of

402
00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:37,199
Speaker 1: challenge myself in order to then grow. So I was

403
00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,960
Speaker 1: willing to just like try something new, and just like

404
00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:44,280
Speaker 1: you said, like I feel, I feel like unless you

405
00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,919
Speaker 1: take that risk, you're never gonna know. And so the

406
00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:48,760
Speaker 1: worst thing that could happen is if it goes south,

407
00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:50,880
Speaker 1: I just come back. And so I was like, listen,

408
00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:54,080
Speaker 1: I'll do something else. So I definitely had that luxury of,

409
00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:56,719
Speaker 1: you know, making that choice, and they ended up signing

410
00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:59,040
Speaker 1: me for two years and then the rest is history.

411
00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:02,160
Speaker 1: But I think, yeah, if you don't take that risk,

412
00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:02,960
Speaker 1: you'll never know.

413
00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,160
Speaker 3: Talk to me about getting involved with the US women's

414
00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:07,840
Speaker 3: national team.

415
00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:11,200
Speaker 1: Pia Suntaga came to one of my club club games

416
00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:14,120
Speaker 1: in Frankfurt and we were playing Potsdam and I was

417
00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,919
Speaker 1: having to play against one of the best German players

418
00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:20,080
Speaker 1: of all time, Leira Bairomi, and I think she came

419
00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:25,600
Speaker 1: to that game and watched watch me play, and then

420
00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:29,040
Speaker 1: after that game she was, I guess, just impressed with

421
00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:32,400
Speaker 1: the game and the way we played, and then invited

422
00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:34,560
Speaker 1: me to that next camp. And so it was a

423
00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:37,800
Speaker 1: bit of a surprise that I was going to be

424
00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,400
Speaker 1: like coming into that next camp, and I'm sure she

425
00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:43,640
Speaker 1: was just kind of, you know, seeing if I could

426
00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,760
Speaker 1: fit with the rest of the team and play at

427
00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:48,200
Speaker 1: the level of the national team, because it is a

428
00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,399
Speaker 1: huge jump from club it's definitely not the same. And

429
00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,639
Speaker 1: so I went into that camp and I felt like,

430
00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:55,680
Speaker 1: you know, I did well, and she gave me great

431
00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:58,159
Speaker 1: feedback and then continued calling me in and then that

432
00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:00,840
Speaker 1: was the year of the World Cup, so this twenty ten,

433
00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:03,720
Speaker 1: and then the year of the World Cup was obviously

434
00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:05,840
Speaker 1: twenty eleven, and that was in Germany, and so it

435
00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:08,240
Speaker 1: was just kind of like a whole full circle moment.

436
00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,920
Speaker 1: So luckily Pia came to one of the games when

437
00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:14,719
Speaker 1: I was playing in Frankfurt, and then you know, the

438
00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:16,320
Speaker 1: rest is history.

439
00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:21,280
Speaker 3: But along your journey, you also you mentioned some hard times,

440
00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:24,520
Speaker 3: some of those hard times having to do with injury.

441
00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:29,320
Speaker 3: So chat me through what that landscape has really looked

442
00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:31,120
Speaker 3: like for you. I know you had a really rough,

443
00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:34,280
Speaker 3: fibulous spiral fracture, so let's talk about that.

444
00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,880
Speaker 1: Yeah, So I was three days before the NCAA first

445
00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,840
Speaker 1: round game in college and we played against a boys

446
00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,199
Speaker 1: team that year just to prep us. It was a Wednesday,

447
00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:48,840
Speaker 1: I think we were playing Friday, and so it was

448
00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:50,880
Speaker 1: just like at the end, we just wanted to get

449
00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:54,879
Speaker 1: a game in before to prep us. And I just

450
00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:58,800
Speaker 1: got tackled from behind unfortunately, and got tangled up and

451
00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:04,160
Speaker 1: landed down in a weird way and immediately broke my fibula.

452
00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:06,760
Speaker 1: I didn't know at the time, but I definitely knew

453
00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:11,280
Speaker 1: something was wrong and that turned into missing the rest

454
00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,040
Speaker 1: of the season. That year, we actually went to the

455
00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:16,760
Speaker 1: final four, So I missed the final fours. I was

456
00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:20,480
Speaker 1: so devastated. But we played Megan Rapino in the semi

457
00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:24,520
Speaker 1: final against Portland, and so we lost in TKS, but

458
00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:26,359
Speaker 1: it was such a such a great year. We were

459
00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:28,359
Speaker 1: ranked like number one that year. But it was a

460
00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,000
Speaker 1: real struggle because that was like probably one of my

461
00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,679
Speaker 1: first injuries that I experienced and not being able to

462
00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:38,399
Speaker 1: play and you know, just in tears and just like

463
00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:41,719
Speaker 1: going through it. And then the road was even longer

464
00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:45,639
Speaker 1: because I ended up having a pulmonary embolism from that

465
00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:49,280
Speaker 1: surgery the flights to the Final four and over Christmas

466
00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:52,159
Speaker 1: break and then I was on you know, birth control

467
00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:53,800
Speaker 1: pills at the time, So I think it was like

468
00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,080
Speaker 1: a perfect storm for that to happen. That was a

469
00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:59,080
Speaker 1: whole nother layer. And then that was a six month recovery,

470
00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:01,960
Speaker 1: So it was definitely a long period of time where

471
00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:04,320
Speaker 1: I was away from the game, and so I struggled

472
00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:07,400
Speaker 1: a little bit mentally and wondered if I would ever

473
00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:09,520
Speaker 1: be able to play again. And so that took a

474
00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,880
Speaker 1: toll on me. And I was only twenty one at

475
00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:15,320
Speaker 1: the time, and I still had another year left in school,

476
00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:18,479
Speaker 1: and so I just fought back and listened to the

477
00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:21,679
Speaker 1: doctors and the professionals as much as possible and was

478
00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:24,320
Speaker 1: able to slowly get back into it. But it definitely

479
00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:29,280
Speaker 1: put a dent in my mindset and mentality, and it

480
00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:30,280
Speaker 1: really challenged me.

481
00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,679
Speaker 3: And you've dealt with other injuries since I think so

482
00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:37,040
Speaker 3: many people can relate to not being able to do

483
00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:39,480
Speaker 3: the thing that they love that brings them so much joy,

484
00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:43,600
Speaker 3: that's a huge part of their identity. What were maybe

485
00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,680
Speaker 3: some of the tools that you harnessed, either like mentally

486
00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:49,920
Speaker 3: or like reaching out to help from friends and loved

487
00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:53,560
Speaker 3: ones to get through these times where you felt so

488
00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:56,040
Speaker 3: unsure of like who you were supposed to be or

489
00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:59,480
Speaker 3: what you would do going forward, if X or if HY.

490
00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,720
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's it's difficult because you do start thinking that

491
00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:05,120
Speaker 1: you're like, oh gosh, like what if I can't play again?

492
00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:07,360
Speaker 1: Like I don't I'm not set up yet for the

493
00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,320
Speaker 1: next step. You know, you're just going to be forced

494
00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,560
Speaker 1: to kind of just like do take another path, which

495
00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:14,600
Speaker 1: I would have been fine with, but it just would

496
00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,560
Speaker 1: have been definitely a period of you know, grieving, I guess,

497
00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:20,800
Speaker 1: so to speak. And at that time I was just

498
00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:24,360
Speaker 1: focused on, you know, the next day. And I think

499
00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:27,239
Speaker 1: a lot of people it's difficult for people to not

500
00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:31,879
Speaker 1: think ahead of down the road and visioning that Okay,

501
00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:34,000
Speaker 1: you're going to be doing this or that, But I

502
00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:37,520
Speaker 1: honestly just focused on the recovery process and how can

503
00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:41,480
Speaker 1: I first of all get healthy and then how can

504
00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:46,760
Speaker 1: I slowly get back onto the field, and following the

505
00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:50,960
Speaker 1: instructions from you know, the medical staff was really important.

506
00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:53,280
Speaker 1: And then just taking one day at a time and

507
00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:56,880
Speaker 1: having small goals each day and each week rather than

508
00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,640
Speaker 1: looking ahead and setting, you know, my long term goals

509
00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,960
Speaker 1: and kind of overseeing those weekly goals, because then you're

510
00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:05,439
Speaker 1: just gonna drive yourself nuts if you don't meet it

511
00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:09,000
Speaker 1: at that specific time period. So I just tried to

512
00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:11,600
Speaker 1: continue to get better every day, continue to get healthier,

513
00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:16,040
Speaker 1: and take one day at a time and not really

514
00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:18,439
Speaker 1: put that pressure on myself. So it was definitely a

515
00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:22,320
Speaker 1: slow process, but I feel like in the end it

516
00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:24,560
Speaker 1: made me that much stronger.

517
00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:33,080
Speaker 3: Taking a break from today's episode to give some love

518
00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:38,120
Speaker 3: to my sponsors. First up, Daily Harvest. Now, I think

519
00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:41,320
Speaker 3: we can all probably agree that we could use some

520
00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:44,520
Speaker 3: more fruits and vegetables in our life, right right, Well,

521
00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:49,760
Speaker 3: this is why I keep my freezer stocked with Daily Harvest.

522
00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,480
Speaker 3: Daily Harvest is an easy way to get more fruits

523
00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:55,960
Speaker 3: and vegetables into my day, every single day. You know,

524
00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:58,360
Speaker 3: I start my day with ag one that is first

525
00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:02,439
Speaker 3: thing in the morning, but come snacks, lunch, dinners, you

526
00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:06,200
Speaker 3: name it. Daily Harvest has my back with delicious food

527
00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:09,760
Speaker 3: that's good for me and good for the planet. They

528
00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:13,359
Speaker 3: have amazing options from their harvest bowls and flat breads

529
00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:15,840
Speaker 3: and smoothies and more, and all of them are built

530
00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:20,119
Speaker 3: on organic fruits and vegetables to make it absolutely easy

531
00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:24,240
Speaker 3: as possible. All this stuff delivered right to your door

532
00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:28,320
Speaker 3: and it stays conveniently fresh in your freezer. Some of

533
00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:31,800
Speaker 3: my favorite go tos their broccoli and cheese Harvestabwl tomato

534
00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:36,320
Speaker 3: and zucchini, minestrone soup, especially on chili days, and their

535
00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:39,480
Speaker 3: tamatio and pepper flat bread. Sometimes I sprinkle a little

536
00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:42,879
Speaker 3: bit of cheddar on top. It's like a little Mexican pizza.

537
00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:46,600
Speaker 3: A delight in the middle of my day. Daily Harvest

538
00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:48,280
Speaker 3: makes it easy to feel good about what I'm doing

539
00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:51,520
Speaker 3: for myself and also for the planet with their recyclable

540
00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:57,520
Speaker 3: and compostable packaging plus investing in organic farming practices. Of course,

541
00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,800
Speaker 3: they have a deal for the hurdle. Listen, You've got

542
00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:03,639
Speaker 3: to try this stuff. I promise you it is a

543
00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:06,359
Speaker 3: game changer. Head on over to Daily Harvest dot com

544
00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:10,840
Speaker 3: slash hurdle Pod that is Dailyharvest dot Com slash Hurdle

545
00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:14,600
Speaker 3: Pod to get up to forty dollars off your first box.

546
00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:19,760
Speaker 3: Dailyharvest dot Com slash Hurdle Pod. Also want to give

547
00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:23,240
Speaker 3: some love to my friends at Priority Bicycles. I mentioned

548
00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:25,440
Speaker 3: I giveaway at the top of this episode and Priority

549
00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:29,000
Speaker 3: Bicycles is in on the action now. Over the last

550
00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,199
Speaker 3: couple of years, I really got into cycling, and not

551
00:28:31,359 --> 00:28:35,280
Speaker 3: always like hardcore road or mountain bike riding. Now I

552
00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,600
Speaker 3: am riding my bike around town on the regular. I

553
00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:42,040
Speaker 3: feel like this is really special and an integral part

554
00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:47,760
Speaker 3: of my Brooklyn chapter of life. Listen, whether I am

555
00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:51,080
Speaker 3: running errands or riding with my family or even just commuting,

556
00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:54,040
Speaker 3: regular bike riding has brought me a ton of joy

557
00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:56,640
Speaker 3: and I know that it can be so intimidating shopping

558
00:28:56,640 --> 00:28:59,160
Speaker 3: for bicycles because you don't know what to get. You're

559
00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:01,800
Speaker 3: being pressured into perhaps more than you need, and there

560
00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:05,440
Speaker 3: is so much stress when it comes to upkeep. That

561
00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:09,920
Speaker 3: is where Priority Bicycles comes in. I have had two

562
00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,600
Speaker 3: Priority Bicycles in my life and the company was founded

563
00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:16,920
Speaker 3: and is run by cycling industry veterans who weren't just

564
00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:19,280
Speaker 3: thinking of how to make bikes faster or more techy.

565
00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:21,600
Speaker 3: They wanted to make bikes that were easier to ride

566
00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:25,959
Speaker 3: and maintain, and they all have a low maintenance design.

567
00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:27,680
Speaker 3: I needed them to explain this to me at first

568
00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:30,880
Speaker 3: as well, So stay with me here basically what it means.

569
00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:33,400
Speaker 2: They are light, and they're intuitive.

570
00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:36,760
Speaker 3: They have things like puncture resistant tires, and the biggest

571
00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:40,280
Speaker 3: feature I'm obsessed with is a carbon fiber belt drive

572
00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:43,920
Speaker 3: instead of a chain, which lasts way longer and is

573
00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:48,080
Speaker 3: so easy to maintain. Plus none of that annoying grease

574
00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:50,120
Speaker 3: staining moment on your pants.

575
00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:53,360
Speaker 2: We don't have time for that. They have unreal customer service.

576
00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:56,440
Speaker 3: I'm a huge fan and I am excited to bring

577
00:29:56,440 --> 00:30:00,000
Speaker 3: you an exclusive deal for Hurdle listeners. Get fifty dollars

578
00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:03,720
Speaker 3: off your first bike purchase by heading to Priority bicycles

579
00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:07,800
Speaker 3: dot com slash hurdle or using the code Hurdle at checkout. Again,

580
00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:12,400
Speaker 3: that is Priority bicycles dot com slash Hurdle to get

581
00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:25,400
Speaker 3: fifty dollars dollars your first bike purchase. Today feels like

582
00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:28,040
Speaker 3: some of these themes have been ones that have kind

583
00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:32,000
Speaker 3: of interwoven throughout your entire story. Circling back to that

584
00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:36,720
Speaker 3: twenty seventeen moment, where were you mentally when you realized

585
00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,560
Speaker 3: what was going on with the US women's national team.

586
00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,960
Speaker 1: I was devastated. I was devastated because I was actually

587
00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:45,240
Speaker 1: playing some of the best football in my career and

588
00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:48,880
Speaker 1: I couldn't really understand. And I know there was you know,

589
00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:51,440
Speaker 1: I was thinking of every which way, like what could

590
00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:55,960
Speaker 1: be the issue, like, because you know, my ability and

591
00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:59,680
Speaker 1: quality on the field at that time was really good,

592
00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:04,160
Speaker 1: and I felt very confident and very consistent, and at

593
00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:07,959
Speaker 1: that level, my mentality was was good, and I just

594
00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:10,479
Speaker 1: feel like there was no one that was really truly

595
00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:12,920
Speaker 1: like beating me out of my position. So I guess

596
00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:16,920
Speaker 1: I didn't really understand. I know that not every coach

597
00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:19,239
Speaker 1: is going to like you, you know, whether that be your

598
00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:23,560
Speaker 1: playing style or maybe just because you know, sometimes there's

599
00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:25,840
Speaker 1: not even a rhyme or reason, like, you know, not

600
00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,160
Speaker 1: everyone's going to like you. But I thought that at

601
00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:31,840
Speaker 1: that level, if you're the best in that position and

602
00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,840
Speaker 1: you're playing well in club, then you deserve to be there.

603
00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:41,040
Speaker 1: And so I wasn't really understanding that and even asking

604
00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:45,000
Speaker 1: the question, I wasn't really getting an honest answer. And

605
00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:49,360
Speaker 1: so that's something that I was really upset about because

606
00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:52,280
Speaker 1: in this profession and a lot of us, you know,

607
00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:55,080
Speaker 1: we're professionals, like you could just tell me, hey, this

608
00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:57,120
Speaker 1: is what you need to get better at, this is

609
00:31:57,120 --> 00:31:58,640
Speaker 1: what you need to do in order to be here,

610
00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:02,800
Speaker 1: and then sure out, like you know, apply that and

611
00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:05,640
Speaker 1: implement that in every training and get better and then

612
00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:09,000
Speaker 1: bring it back into the camp. Well, there was just nothing.

613
00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:12,240
Speaker 1: It was just crickets, like, it was just not even

614
00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:15,920
Speaker 1: it was just made up, I felt like. And so

615
00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:18,680
Speaker 1: then I thought it was somewhat of a personal vendetta.

616
00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:22,760
Speaker 1: And so that was really a hard time period because

617
00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:25,960
Speaker 1: I just never had an answer of why and so

618
00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:28,200
Speaker 1: like what can I work on in order to get back?

619
00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:31,280
Speaker 1: And so that's why I think I struggled more because

620
00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:33,720
Speaker 1: I was doing well and I had one of the

621
00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,200
Speaker 1: best club seasons in my career with Orlando that year,

622
00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:39,240
Speaker 1: and just it wasn't clique and I wasn't really understanding.

623
00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:40,960
Speaker 1: So that was why it was so tough.

624
00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:42,959
Speaker 2: There's kind of two parts to this.

625
00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:45,760
Speaker 3: One is like you get to a point where you

626
00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:49,160
Speaker 3: start telling yourself all of these stories. So if someone

627
00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:50,960
Speaker 3: could have just kind of like put you out of

628
00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:55,479
Speaker 3: your misery to better understand what you could focus your

629
00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:59,000
Speaker 3: energy on, the other thing, really, is you learning this

630
00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:01,840
Speaker 3: important lesson of doing the best you could with what

631
00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,160
Speaker 3: you had, right, Like, it wasn't like you didn't have

632
00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:08,560
Speaker 3: or deserve or earn the right to be upset in

633
00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:12,160
Speaker 3: this moment. But then, as I know, because I know

634
00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,520
Speaker 3: what's coming, and maybe some of the listeners do as well,

635
00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:17,320
Speaker 3: but like turning your energy into okay, well this is

636
00:33:17,320 --> 00:33:22,720
Speaker 3: how it is now, so I'm gonna push with that, right.

637
00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:25,280
Speaker 1: And like we talked about before, you can only control

638
00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:27,479
Speaker 1: what you can control. So then you know, it's not

639
00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:29,880
Speaker 1: like I turn on the specific alley care Yer that

640
00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:31,960
Speaker 1: shows up just with the national team at camp. It's

641
00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,880
Speaker 1: like I'm always that same alley. So in club, I

642
00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:37,120
Speaker 1: made sure that I, you know, showed up every day.

643
00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:40,200
Speaker 1: I had a good attitude, you know, fought for my position,

644
00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:43,720
Speaker 1: you know, earned weekend and week out a position in

645
00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:46,080
Speaker 1: the starting eleven on this or just in the squad

646
00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:49,080
Speaker 1: of eighteen, and just made sure that I was consistent

647
00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:54,280
Speaker 1: and confident in every performance, so that you know, that's

648
00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:57,080
Speaker 1: going to always be my mentality. You know, that's always

649
00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:58,640
Speaker 1: going to be me, whether I'm just with club or

650
00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:02,040
Speaker 1: national team or both. So I feel I feel like

651
00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:04,240
Speaker 1: that's what I focused on. I tried to just be

652
00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:08,239
Speaker 1: more consistent and you know, have great performances. And then

653
00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:12,360
Speaker 1: it hopes that the door was still cracked, you know, open,

654
00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:15,640
Speaker 1: that I could get my big toe right in there

655
00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:18,400
Speaker 1: and keep the door open for a little bit longer

656
00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:19,479
Speaker 1: for you.

657
00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:23,759
Speaker 3: During this time also going through so much personally, did

658
00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:28,640
Speaker 3: you have a hard time navigating your personal relationships because

659
00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:31,799
Speaker 3: of the frustrations that you were experiencing with it in

660
00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:33,080
Speaker 3: your professional life.

661
00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:37,760
Speaker 1: Yes, good question. I mean, I absolutely it's really difficult

662
00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:41,640
Speaker 1: when you're going through something. I think, you know, Ash

663
00:34:41,640 --> 00:34:44,000
Speaker 1: thank God for her, Like she's stuck by my side

664
00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:47,000
Speaker 1: and actually pushed me every day to continue to you know,

665
00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:49,960
Speaker 1: play well and do the right things in order to

666
00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:54,960
Speaker 1: perform at the highest level and in order to not

667
00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:57,560
Speaker 1: be ignored. And so I think, you know, she was

668
00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:01,200
Speaker 1: such a staple obviously and helping me get back to

669
00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:04,000
Speaker 1: the team. My family and friends are always going to support,

670
00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:06,240
Speaker 1: but I did feel like I was pushing people away

671
00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:09,879
Speaker 1: because I just wanted, you know, some time to try

672
00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,759
Speaker 1: and figure out what was next. I actually tried to

673
00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:14,840
Speaker 1: stay busy as much as possible, and I had my

674
00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:18,439
Speaker 1: camps and clinics with AKFC, and I would do appearances,

675
00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:21,040
Speaker 1: you know, and try to stay busy as much as

676
00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:23,839
Speaker 1: possible in order to kind of, I guess, not have

677
00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:26,480
Speaker 1: as much free time to think about what was going on.

678
00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:29,520
Speaker 1: And so I started working on projects that I've always

679
00:35:29,520 --> 00:35:33,040
Speaker 1: wanted to and you know, visit friends that I've always

680
00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:35,719
Speaker 1: wanted to. And I was able to go to a

681
00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:39,840
Speaker 1: wedding and different like family gatherings that I that I

682
00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:42,279
Speaker 1: had never been able to up until now, you know,

683
00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:44,719
Speaker 1: for years, and so I think that time was really

684
00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:47,160
Speaker 1: healthy for me to kind of pick myself back up

685
00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:50,680
Speaker 1: and you know, do other things that I enjoy. And

686
00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:55,280
Speaker 1: so all in all, yes, was a devastating, but it then,

687
00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:58,239
Speaker 1: you know, helped me kind of have more time and

688
00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:01,320
Speaker 1: quality time with family and friends that I didn't before.

689
00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:04,200
Speaker 3: Makes you think of that saying like life is happening

690
00:36:04,239 --> 00:36:07,160
Speaker 3: for you, not to you, and when you're in that moment,

691
00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:12,320
Speaker 3: like gosh, does it feel like everything everything is happening

692
00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:15,080
Speaker 3: to you? When it feels completely out of your control

693
00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:16,840
Speaker 3: and the world is spinning and.

694
00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:19,880
Speaker 1: You know as it is right right for sure.

695
00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:23,879
Speaker 3: This mentality that you're explaining here and like taking advantage

696
00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:26,360
Speaker 3: of what could have been seen as like a very

697
00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:29,960
Speaker 3: you know, and was a disappointing situation is why you

698
00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:32,160
Speaker 3: and I've heard you talk about this before, are a

699
00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:34,600
Speaker 3: one percenter, So talk to us about what that is.

700
00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:37,799
Speaker 1: Yeah, I just think you're, you know, one percenter where

701
00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:40,080
Speaker 1: you have You're willing to do the work that not

702
00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:42,360
Speaker 1: many other people are willing to do in order to

703
00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:44,480
Speaker 1: stay at the top. So if it's between you and me,

704
00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:47,320
Speaker 1: I'm going to be winning. It's that fight. It's that mentality,

705
00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:50,520
Speaker 1: It's that drive to want to be successful and compete

706
00:36:50,719 --> 00:36:54,200
Speaker 1: constantly and playing in this sport at this level, it's

707
00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:57,839
Speaker 1: somewhat easy to get to this level and you think

708
00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:01,080
Speaker 1: you've made it, but what actually keeps you here is

709
00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:04,080
Speaker 1: having that mentality and that drive to want to be

710
00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:08,000
Speaker 1: the best every single day, and that's how you can

711
00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:11,880
Speaker 1: stay here. So some you know, my teammates and former

712
00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:15,279
Speaker 1: teammates get to this level and possibly you know, I've

713
00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:17,319
Speaker 1: seen a handful of rookies do the same. They're just

714
00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:20,759
Speaker 1: happy to be here. And I feel, you know, you're

715
00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:22,880
Speaker 1: not going to last very long if you just have

716
00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:25,680
Speaker 1: that mentality like, ah, I made it, but it's actually

717
00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:28,600
Speaker 1: now the work begins. You made it, but now the work,

718
00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:31,560
Speaker 1: the hard work, really begins, and you have to continue

719
00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:34,120
Speaker 1: to have that growth mindset and wanting to get better

720
00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:37,000
Speaker 1: and be the best every day. And if you have

721
00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:40,120
Speaker 1: that mentality, you will stay and have a long career.

722
00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:42,960
Speaker 1: But if you don't have that willingness and that drive,

723
00:37:43,239 --> 00:37:44,480
Speaker 1: it's going to be a tough road.

724
00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:48,480
Speaker 3: It's it's about like not getting complacent, right exactly. I

725
00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:50,839
Speaker 3: mean the other part of it really is that, yes,

726
00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:53,880
Speaker 3: like this goes hand in hand with leveling up on

727
00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:56,160
Speaker 3: the field, but it also goes hand in hand with

728
00:37:56,239 --> 00:37:58,719
Speaker 3: like the other aspirations that you have, Like being a

729
00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:02,799
Speaker 3: one percenter isn't just excelling in what is your profession.

730
00:38:03,239 --> 00:38:06,480
Speaker 3: It's kind of channeling that same energy and using it

731
00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:08,719
Speaker 3: to go after the other pursuits like we were talking

732
00:38:08,719 --> 00:38:11,080
Speaker 3: about at the top of this, the business things that

733
00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:13,680
Speaker 3: you're interested in right now, you know, being an advocate

734
00:38:13,719 --> 00:38:16,480
Speaker 3: for your community, it goes so much farther than just

735
00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:17,360
Speaker 3: being on the pitch.

736
00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:21,040
Speaker 1: Absolutely, absolutely, you have to take that into every piece

737
00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:23,560
Speaker 1: of your life, right, So it's like, you know, with

738
00:38:23,600 --> 00:38:26,799
Speaker 1: my family and like doing everything I can outside of

739
00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:29,040
Speaker 1: the field in order to continue to have a roof

740
00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:31,239
Speaker 1: over my head and fight for, you know, issues that

741
00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:33,600
Speaker 1: I believe in that Sloan is going to be affected

742
00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:36,440
Speaker 1: with one day, and making sure that you you know,

743
00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:40,000
Speaker 1: put all of your effort into family, into your sport

744
00:38:40,160 --> 00:38:44,120
Speaker 1: and make sure that that stays consistent. So you're right,

745
00:38:44,239 --> 00:38:47,920
Speaker 1: you can't get complacent, and it's definitely a journey, but

746
00:38:48,160 --> 00:38:51,320
Speaker 1: it's all about your willingness and what you put into

747
00:38:51,320 --> 00:38:52,600
Speaker 1: it is what you're going to get out of it.

748
00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:57,520
Speaker 3: There's that saying when you're tired, you rest, you don't quit,

749
00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:02,279
Speaker 3: and I would assume that pride yourself as a one percenter.

750
00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:07,239
Speaker 3: There are many moments where especially gestures loosely because of

751
00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:10,800
Speaker 3: the last two years, like everything that's going on. Burnout

752
00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:13,600
Speaker 3: is real, like going from one team to next team again,

753
00:39:13,640 --> 00:39:14,880
Speaker 3: the chaos, you thrive in it.

754
00:39:14,920 --> 00:39:18,239
Speaker 2: But it's a lot. So how does Ali take care

755
00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:19,040
Speaker 2: of Ali?

756
00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:24,359
Speaker 1: Well, I go to therapy, so that's yeah, we love

757
00:39:24,440 --> 00:39:30,520
Speaker 1: therapy here. Yeah, that's important. I definitely communicate with my

758
00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:33,400
Speaker 1: family and friends and check in and make sure that

759
00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:36,480
Speaker 1: like we're all doing okay. I feel like that's really important,

760
00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:39,680
Speaker 1: making sure that you know everyone's on the same page

761
00:39:39,719 --> 00:39:43,399
Speaker 1: and that we're all okay. I do think it's really

762
00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:46,440
Speaker 1: important for Ash and I to make sure we make

763
00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:49,320
Speaker 1: ourselves the priority. I know we do everything now and

764
00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:52,640
Speaker 1: Sloan's the priority, but really I want her to see

765
00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:55,080
Speaker 1: us with a smile on our face walking into the

766
00:39:55,160 --> 00:39:58,520
Speaker 1: door after training and maybe a hard day. So I

767
00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:01,799
Speaker 1: think it's okay to, you know, kind of do things

768
00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:05,720
Speaker 1: for yourself in order to bring that happiness into the home.

769
00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:08,400
Speaker 1: And I can't forget that because I do carry a

770
00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:10,759
Speaker 1: lot of mom guilt, and so it gets to be

771
00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:11,759
Speaker 1: a little bit difficult.

772
00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:13,880
Speaker 2: What does the mom guilt look like for you?

773
00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:16,719
Speaker 1: Well, I feel like, am I there enough? Am I

774
00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:19,319
Speaker 1: paying attention to your enough? Am I doing activities with

775
00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:22,320
Speaker 1: her enough? You know? Am I away from the house

776
00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:26,239
Speaker 1: like too long? You know? I don't know, It's just

777
00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:28,719
Speaker 1: that that's what it feels like. And so you want

778
00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:31,240
Speaker 1: to make sure you're there all the time and giving

779
00:40:31,280 --> 00:40:33,960
Speaker 1: her everything and there every minute. But it's impossible because

780
00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:35,960
Speaker 1: I also want her to know that it's okay to

781
00:40:37,239 --> 00:40:39,520
Speaker 1: really love what you do, and I want her to

782
00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:43,840
Speaker 1: be inspired by what we do. And you know, working

783
00:40:44,520 --> 00:40:48,520
Speaker 1: in life is really critical, and I want her to

784
00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:50,840
Speaker 1: know that we work hard at what we do and

785
00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:52,640
Speaker 1: in order for us to have what we have and

786
00:40:53,239 --> 00:40:55,279
Speaker 1: a roof over our head, and so I think that's

787
00:40:55,320 --> 00:40:58,080
Speaker 1: also important. So it's definitely trying to like let that

788
00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:01,160
Speaker 1: go slowly. It's really theficult for moms. And now I

789
00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:04,320
Speaker 1: understand what moms, you know, say when they say mom guilt,

790
00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:07,080
Speaker 1: because you just want to make sure you're given, giving, giving,

791
00:41:07,239 --> 00:41:11,200
Speaker 1: so that they are successful. But really, you doing what

792
00:41:11,719 --> 00:41:15,120
Speaker 1: you do best is enough. As long as we walk

793
00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:16,880
Speaker 1: in the door with a smile on our face and

794
00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:19,400
Speaker 1: excited to see hear them. Sure, that's all she cares about.

795
00:41:19,640 --> 00:41:21,279
Speaker 1: And I have to continue to remember that.

796
00:41:22,719 --> 00:41:26,640
Speaker 3: I mean, you're describing, you know, your tendencies and yourself

797
00:41:26,719 --> 00:41:31,600
Speaker 3: ultimately as someone who is both compassionate and strong. When

798
00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:35,240
Speaker 3: you think about what makes you both a good partner

799
00:41:35,560 --> 00:41:40,759
Speaker 3: and a good teammate, what would you say puts you

800
00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:42,600
Speaker 3: in that bucket.

801
00:41:42,160 --> 00:41:45,239
Speaker 1: On the field, I'm supportive and demanding at the same time.

802
00:41:45,560 --> 00:41:48,320
Speaker 2: Talk to us about being both, because I think you have.

803
00:41:48,239 --> 00:41:51,640
Speaker 1: To understand how your teammates receive information and not just

804
00:41:51,760 --> 00:41:54,359
Speaker 1: expect them to receive it if you're like yelling at them,

805
00:41:54,480 --> 00:41:56,799
Speaker 1: Like some of my teammates can handle that, like I

806
00:41:56,840 --> 00:41:58,960
Speaker 1: can demand a little bit more, but some teammates you

807
00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:01,120
Speaker 1: have to be a little bit more supportive. And so

808
00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:03,400
Speaker 1: I think it's you know, there's a lot of value

809
00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:05,480
Speaker 1: in both and you have to understand each other in

810
00:42:05,600 --> 00:42:09,319
Speaker 1: order to do that. But that also boils down to communication.

811
00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:12,799
Speaker 1: And I think communication, not only in my personal life

812
00:42:12,840 --> 00:42:16,160
Speaker 1: but on the field within the team is really critical

813
00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:19,600
Speaker 1: in order to have a successful environment and a safe environment.

814
00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:23,919
Speaker 1: And so I think communication and patients, which I've learned

815
00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:26,680
Speaker 1: a lot being a mom, I definitely try to carry

816
00:42:26,680 --> 00:42:32,319
Speaker 1: that through with myself every day and into the team.

817
00:42:32,719 --> 00:42:35,200
Speaker 1: And I think as I get older, because now I think,

818
00:42:35,800 --> 00:42:37,680
Speaker 1: since we were talking about this earlier, I think I'm

819
00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:42,360
Speaker 1: the oldest player and imother son, you know, I feel

820
00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:45,839
Speaker 1: like it's really important to have good communication and good

821
00:42:45,840 --> 00:42:49,440
Speaker 1: build those good relationships because like you said, it's not

822
00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:52,640
Speaker 1: going to last forever, and you really have to enjoy

823
00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:56,520
Speaker 1: in the moment, and so being supportive yet demanding in

824
00:42:56,600 --> 00:42:58,840
Speaker 1: order to win a championship is key. And then I

825
00:42:58,840 --> 00:43:03,359
Speaker 1: think having communication patients every day as just me as

826
00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:07,399
Speaker 1: an individual is something that is really important with all

827
00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:09,239
Speaker 1: my relationships, definitely.

828
00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:13,040
Speaker 3: And to go back and bring this full circle stemming

829
00:43:13,040 --> 00:43:16,720
Speaker 3: from that time a poor communication of you not knowing

830
00:43:16,760 --> 00:43:19,920
Speaker 3: your place, of feeling frustrated with the US women's national team,

831
00:43:20,360 --> 00:43:24,560
Speaker 3: bring us to what ultimately happened in was it April

832
00:43:24,600 --> 00:43:28,400
Speaker 3: twenty nineteen, Yes, talk to me about April twenty nineteen.

833
00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:33,200
Speaker 1: So I was out on the Saga field in Orlando

834
00:43:33,680 --> 00:43:36,360
Speaker 1: during like a double day and I get back in

835
00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:39,240
Speaker 1: after the first train session. I have a text message

836
00:43:39,280 --> 00:43:42,439
Speaker 1: from Joe Ellis and I said, oh, I haven't talked

837
00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:44,479
Speaker 1: to her and I don't know how long, like what's

838
00:43:44,520 --> 00:43:47,520
Speaker 1: going on? And so I took a look at it

839
00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:49,799
Speaker 1: and she said, hey, I'd love to catch up and

840
00:43:50,320 --> 00:43:51,839
Speaker 1: you know, let me know when there's a good time

841
00:43:51,840 --> 00:43:56,360
Speaker 1: to chat basically, And I didn't answer right away, you know,

842
00:43:56,360 --> 00:43:57,960
Speaker 1: I let her sit on it for a little bit,

843
00:43:58,160 --> 00:43:59,880
Speaker 1: and I went in and actually talked to my co

844
00:44:00,239 --> 00:44:03,560
Speaker 1: is in Orlando and just you know, had asked if

845
00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:05,760
Speaker 1: they had spoken to her, because I was just wondering

846
00:44:05,800 --> 00:44:09,160
Speaker 1: what it could possibly be about. They said no, not yet,

847
00:44:09,239 --> 00:44:12,000
Speaker 1: but we talked a little bit about potentially having an

848
00:44:12,040 --> 00:44:15,160
Speaker 1: offer to go back to the national team, and I said, yeah,

849
00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:17,359
Speaker 1: I need to think about it for a little bit,

850
00:44:17,719 --> 00:44:19,839
Speaker 1: but I'm going to give her a call back, and

851
00:44:19,880 --> 00:44:23,720
Speaker 1: so I did. On the way home after the second session,

852
00:44:23,760 --> 00:44:26,200
Speaker 1: I told her that's when I would have time, and

853
00:44:26,560 --> 00:44:28,759
Speaker 1: we talked a little bit and she had said I'd

854
00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:32,600
Speaker 1: love to invite you back in and we went on

855
00:44:32,719 --> 00:44:36,080
Speaker 1: and discussed, you know, some things that I just said, Honestly,

856
00:44:36,239 --> 00:44:40,080
Speaker 1: I'm willing to do anything for the team, whatever that is.

857
00:44:40,360 --> 00:44:42,399
Speaker 1: I want to help the team be successful and win,

858
00:44:42,920 --> 00:44:46,399
Speaker 1: and ultimately that is you know what I'd love to do.

859
00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:51,320
Speaker 1: So yes, there was no really explanation, no communication on

860
00:44:51,360 --> 00:44:53,319
Speaker 1: the past or anything. I just wanted to like let

861
00:44:53,360 --> 00:44:56,280
Speaker 1: that go because I was already in a new place

862
00:44:56,480 --> 00:44:59,000
Speaker 1: and a new environment and a new space mentally that

863
00:44:59,080 --> 00:45:01,600
Speaker 1: I just wanted to continue to keep going in that

864
00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:06,239
Speaker 1: positive direction. And so I was so excited to have

865
00:45:06,280 --> 00:45:09,120
Speaker 1: the opportunity again because it was the last camp before

866
00:45:09,520 --> 00:45:12,200
Speaker 1: or maybe the second to last camp before the World Cup,

867
00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:15,840
Speaker 1: and so I couldn't believe it, and so I was

868
00:45:15,920 --> 00:45:19,279
Speaker 1: just really excited to have the opportunity and I said,

869
00:45:19,320 --> 00:45:21,399
Speaker 1: whatever you need me to do, I'm ready to.

870
00:45:21,360 --> 00:45:22,680
Speaker 2: Do ready to do it.

871
00:45:22,719 --> 00:45:25,200
Speaker 3: And then I mean comes soon after that to get

872
00:45:25,200 --> 00:45:28,720
Speaker 3: to the hundred cap mark was just probably the most

873
00:45:29,640 --> 00:45:31,000
Speaker 3: beautiful moment for you.

874
00:45:31,880 --> 00:45:35,040
Speaker 1: Yes, because I was stuck on ninety eight. And honestly,

875
00:45:35,080 --> 00:45:38,480
Speaker 1: it's not about the numbers, you know, for me, it's just,

876
00:45:38,920 --> 00:45:40,759
Speaker 1: you know, I was so proud every single one of

877
00:45:40,760 --> 00:45:43,320
Speaker 1: those appearances to be a part of the team and

878
00:45:43,440 --> 00:45:48,719
Speaker 1: help the team win. But I definitely was hoping that

879
00:45:48,800 --> 00:45:52,640
Speaker 1: I could kind of, you know, get those last two

880
00:45:53,719 --> 00:45:58,160
Speaker 1: and feel I think, more complete. Not that I I

881
00:45:58,160 --> 00:46:01,319
Speaker 1: wouldn't if I didn't get those, but just somehow it

882
00:46:01,400 --> 00:46:05,719
Speaker 1: was just lingering and I felt like over the years

883
00:46:06,920 --> 00:46:09,040
Speaker 1: and the way that I was playing, I had you know,

884
00:46:09,120 --> 00:46:13,200
Speaker 1: deserved that moment, and so I think, yeah, it was

885
00:46:13,239 --> 00:46:16,600
Speaker 1: a beautiful experience. I'm so grateful for the opportunity. Every

886
00:46:16,640 --> 00:46:18,920
Speaker 1: time you put on that national team jersey, it's an honor,

887
00:46:19,560 --> 00:46:23,799
Speaker 1: and I wasn't going to let that moment pass me by,

888
00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:28,640
Speaker 1: and so so excited that that is where you know,

889
00:46:28,680 --> 00:46:30,200
Speaker 1: that next chapter kind of began.

890
00:46:30,560 --> 00:46:33,920
Speaker 3: You mentioned your wedding being one of the last real

891
00:46:34,480 --> 00:46:39,040
Speaker 3: great gatherings of twenty nineteen. Yeah, you know, it's it's

892
00:46:39,080 --> 00:46:41,880
Speaker 3: so awesome. I watched the wedding video on Vogue. Like

893
00:46:41,960 --> 00:46:44,880
Speaker 3: everyone also like does it ever get old? But someone's like, oh,

894
00:46:44,920 --> 00:46:46,800
Speaker 3: I watched your wedding video on Vogue.

895
00:46:47,320 --> 00:46:49,360
Speaker 1: No, but like I have to tell you, we weren't

896
00:46:49,360 --> 00:46:53,439
Speaker 1: even planning on having a videographer. We weren't even planning

897
00:46:53,480 --> 00:46:56,319
Speaker 1: on having We were like, oh, like, I think the

898
00:46:56,360 --> 00:46:58,960
Speaker 1: pictures will be just fine, right, So then like one

899
00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:01,759
Speaker 1: of our wedding planners friends was like, wait, they don't

900
00:47:01,760 --> 00:47:04,680
Speaker 1: have any videographer. Like all like, we'll do it. Our

901
00:47:04,800 --> 00:47:08,120
Speaker 1: Timeline production company were like, we'll do it. And then

902
00:47:08,160 --> 00:47:10,040
Speaker 1: they were like, okay, well we found, you know, a

903
00:47:10,120 --> 00:47:12,879
Speaker 1: videographer if you want to, like, you know, they would

904
00:47:12,920 --> 00:47:15,120
Speaker 1: love to do it for you. Guys. I said, one

905
00:47:15,200 --> 00:47:18,239
Speaker 1: hundred percent, that'd be great. You know. So we never

906
00:47:18,360 --> 00:47:19,919
Speaker 1: even had that footage.

907
00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:22,360
Speaker 2: Oh my god, Well the footage was stunning.

908
00:47:22,520 --> 00:47:25,239
Speaker 3: But it's so cool because you do see like such

909
00:47:25,239 --> 00:47:28,560
Speaker 3: a beautiful moment with your friends and family standing truly

910
00:47:28,840 --> 00:47:32,359
Speaker 3: surrounding you, and then I believe in there there's there's

911
00:47:32,400 --> 00:47:36,160
Speaker 3: Meg's speech and everything, and it really highlights the beautiful

912
00:47:36,200 --> 00:47:38,600
Speaker 3: relationships that you have in your life, both with your

913
00:47:38,800 --> 00:47:41,399
Speaker 3: family and your friends, but also with your teammates who

914
00:47:41,480 --> 00:47:45,160
Speaker 3: have become, you know, just like family. Why would you

915
00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:49,160
Speaker 3: say the relationships that you have with these women are

916
00:47:49,280 --> 00:47:51,000
Speaker 3: literally forever lasting.

917
00:47:51,840 --> 00:47:53,960
Speaker 1: They are because you go through things with them that

918
00:47:54,200 --> 00:47:57,360
Speaker 1: you can't even put into words. Really, you can't, you know,

919
00:47:57,560 --> 00:48:02,120
Speaker 1: share the deep emotional feeling that you go through with

920
00:48:02,239 --> 00:48:05,880
Speaker 1: these women, you know, year after year and tournament after tournament,

921
00:48:05,960 --> 00:48:08,880
Speaker 1: and just like a lot of people don't see behind

922
00:48:08,920 --> 00:48:11,759
Speaker 1: the scenes of how hard it really is, and you

923
00:48:11,800 --> 00:48:14,560
Speaker 1: don't understand it unless you're there and you're within the

924
00:48:14,600 --> 00:48:18,120
Speaker 1: squads and the staff. And so I think that I

925
00:48:18,200 --> 00:48:21,840
Speaker 1: will always have a specific bond and such a beautiful

926
00:48:21,840 --> 00:48:24,480
Speaker 1: bond with each and every one of these players and women,

927
00:48:24,600 --> 00:48:27,160
Speaker 1: and you know, you build these lifelong friendships, and I

928
00:48:27,160 --> 00:48:30,239
Speaker 1: think that is ultimately what is the best about our

929
00:48:30,280 --> 00:48:35,279
Speaker 1: group and players in the football community, is that you

930
00:48:35,360 --> 00:48:38,759
Speaker 1: build these lifelong friendships. And that's something that I am

931
00:48:38,840 --> 00:48:42,400
Speaker 1: so grateful to take away, not you know, the championships

932
00:48:42,719 --> 00:48:45,560
Speaker 1: and this and that, it's honestly about these friendships that

933
00:48:45,600 --> 00:48:50,320
Speaker 1: you build with these women who have these shared experiences

934
00:48:50,360 --> 00:48:53,040
Speaker 1: that are you know, the ups and the downs and

935
00:48:53,120 --> 00:48:57,839
Speaker 1: the emotional, mental, and physical battles day in and day

936
00:48:57,880 --> 00:49:02,040
Speaker 1: out is and what we endure day to day is

937
00:49:02,640 --> 00:49:04,520
Speaker 1: you know, you can't really explain it unless you're there,

938
00:49:04,600 --> 00:49:06,400
Speaker 1: and so that is why it's so special.

939
00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:09,520
Speaker 3: Yeah, And I mean the word battle kind of brings

940
00:49:09,520 --> 00:49:13,080
Speaker 3: to the forefront the equal pay lawsuit, which what a

941
00:49:13,320 --> 00:49:18,160
Speaker 3: huge moment recently for all of you women trying to

942
00:49:18,160 --> 00:49:21,080
Speaker 3: find you know, your footing in this space, to be

943
00:49:21,160 --> 00:49:24,600
Speaker 3: recognized and given the moment that you deserve. How did

944
00:49:24,640 --> 00:49:28,080
Speaker 3: that feel for you after all of these years?

945
00:49:28,120 --> 00:49:31,640
Speaker 1: Really great? It's definitely a step forward. It's definitely a

946
00:49:31,640 --> 00:49:34,040
Speaker 1: step forward. And I know that we might not see

947
00:49:34,120 --> 00:49:36,759
Speaker 1: all the benefits from it, but that's something that we

948
00:49:37,080 --> 00:49:38,839
Speaker 1: have always talked about. We want to leave the game

949
00:49:38,880 --> 00:49:40,640
Speaker 1: better than where we found it, and so it is

950
00:49:40,719 --> 00:49:44,600
Speaker 1: so important that our younger players and the youth have

951
00:49:44,800 --> 00:49:47,240
Speaker 1: the opportunity to dream big and to get what they deserve.

952
00:49:47,400 --> 00:49:51,400
Speaker 1: And so we'll keep fighting because we do deserve more.

953
00:49:51,560 --> 00:49:54,560
Speaker 1: And this is a win for all women. It's not

954
00:49:54,640 --> 00:49:58,120
Speaker 1: just about the US women's soccer team. It's about women

955
00:49:58,360 --> 00:50:01,360
Speaker 1: across all industries who are fighting the same fight in

956
00:50:01,400 --> 00:50:05,759
Speaker 1: their workplace, who are fighting for equity, equality, respect in

957
00:50:05,800 --> 00:50:08,520
Speaker 1: the workplace. So this is a step forward and we

958
00:50:08,600 --> 00:50:11,480
Speaker 1: are very happy about it, but we can always be

959
00:50:11,560 --> 00:50:14,200
Speaker 1: doing more and the work will never be done, and

960
00:50:14,280 --> 00:50:16,440
Speaker 1: so we will continue to fight every day. And now

961
00:50:16,440 --> 00:50:18,719
Speaker 1: we have to get down to the club level and

962
00:50:18,800 --> 00:50:22,080
Speaker 1: kind of have that same mentality in that same fight

963
00:50:22,200 --> 00:50:24,440
Speaker 1: going on in order to get what we deserve.

964
00:50:25,160 --> 00:50:28,640
Speaker 3: Yeah, and I mean the equal rights definitely also extending

965
00:50:28,680 --> 00:50:30,640
Speaker 3: to a lot of the work that you do with

966
00:50:30,800 --> 00:50:34,800
Speaker 3: the LGBTQ community. I feel like I would be remiss

967
00:50:34,880 --> 00:50:39,520
Speaker 3: if I didn't ask you to maybe offer some sentiments

968
00:50:39,560 --> 00:50:42,719
Speaker 3: to someone who is struggling to get to this beautiful

969
00:50:42,760 --> 00:50:44,960
Speaker 3: place that you are in now, someone who feels so

970
00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:49,480
Speaker 3: accepted and loved by her community. Embracing yourself authentically as

971
00:50:49,520 --> 00:50:52,160
Speaker 3: you are for these people that may not be quite

972
00:50:52,200 --> 00:50:55,160
Speaker 3: at this stage just yet, what is it that you

973
00:50:55,280 --> 00:50:57,160
Speaker 3: tell them during their struggles?

974
00:50:57,800 --> 00:51:00,200
Speaker 1: But I think everything is going to be okay. I

975
00:51:00,239 --> 00:51:03,520
Speaker 1: think living your truth really opens so many doors, and

976
00:51:03,560 --> 00:51:06,160
Speaker 1: I think that it's okay to kind of take your

977
00:51:06,160 --> 00:51:08,840
Speaker 1: own journey. You don't need to have a time stamp

978
00:51:08,880 --> 00:51:12,560
Speaker 1: on when you express your sexuality or who you really

979
00:51:12,680 --> 00:51:16,240
Speaker 1: feel you are, and there's you know, no one saying

980
00:51:16,280 --> 00:51:18,920
Speaker 1: that there has to be this special moment of you

981
00:51:19,000 --> 00:51:22,480
Speaker 1: announcing it to the world. It's your own journey and

982
00:51:22,520 --> 00:51:26,520
Speaker 1: in your own time. It's okay to take that time

983
00:51:26,640 --> 00:51:31,680
Speaker 1: and to realize that this is about you. And also,

984
00:51:32,280 --> 00:51:34,719
Speaker 1: you know, if anyone has a problem with it, then

985
00:51:34,760 --> 00:51:36,160
Speaker 1: it has a lot to do with them and very

986
00:51:36,239 --> 00:51:40,240
Speaker 1: little to do with you. So live your authentic life.

987
00:51:40,400 --> 00:51:43,439
Speaker 1: And once that, I think I can speak for Ash

988
00:51:43,480 --> 00:51:46,600
Speaker 1: as well. Once we kind of open that door and

989
00:51:47,000 --> 00:51:52,040
Speaker 1: we haven't looked back, it's just been an incredible experience

990
00:51:52,120 --> 00:51:55,200
Speaker 1: for us. And the way that I feel now is

991
00:51:56,120 --> 00:52:00,520
Speaker 1: just having that openness and honesty and authenticity to my

992
00:52:00,560 --> 00:52:03,880
Speaker 1: life has been so accepting. So on the other side

993
00:52:03,920 --> 00:52:07,080
Speaker 1: of the door, you will be so loved in our community.

994
00:52:07,360 --> 00:52:10,320
Speaker 1: Will it be accepting and can't wait for you to

995
00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:10,960
Speaker 1: jump through.

996
00:52:11,920 --> 00:52:12,560
Speaker 2: We love that.

997
00:52:12,680 --> 00:52:15,040
Speaker 3: We love that someone right now comes to your Instagram

998
00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:19,360
Speaker 3: page they see this amazing footballer, a mom, a wife,

999
00:52:20,080 --> 00:52:23,439
Speaker 3: joins of nine hundred and twenty two thousand people. When

1000
00:52:23,520 --> 00:52:25,560
Speaker 3: you look in the mirror, what is it that you

1001
00:52:25,600 --> 00:52:26,520
Speaker 3: see looking back at you?

1002
00:52:27,920 --> 00:52:34,480
Speaker 1: I gosh, I see a strong, confident woman who really

1003
00:52:34,520 --> 00:52:38,080
Speaker 1: cares about her family and her friends and wants what's

1004
00:52:38,120 --> 00:52:41,399
Speaker 1: best for the community that she lives in every single day.

1005
00:52:41,880 --> 00:52:45,720
Speaker 3: Right now, you have an opportunity to give the ALLI

1006
00:52:46,040 --> 00:52:50,120
Speaker 3: in twenty seventeen going through that really big hurdle moment

1007
00:52:50,400 --> 00:52:53,760
Speaker 3: asking herself all of the why a piece of advice.

1008
00:52:53,840 --> 00:52:55,959
Speaker 3: Looking back on it right now, with the know how

1009
00:52:56,080 --> 00:52:59,239
Speaker 3: and the wisdom and everything else that you have at

1010
00:52:59,239 --> 00:53:02,200
Speaker 3: this moment, what do you tell her?

1011
00:53:02,880 --> 00:53:06,560
Speaker 1: I mean, we spoke about it before. I think mainly,

1012
00:53:07,239 --> 00:53:11,399
Speaker 1: just live your life authentically and for you. I think

1013
00:53:11,480 --> 00:53:16,440
Speaker 1: that if I could have told myself fifteen years ago

1014
00:53:16,640 --> 00:53:21,200
Speaker 1: that it's okay to just be you, I think I

1015
00:53:21,239 --> 00:53:26,359
Speaker 1: would have started living a lot earlier. And two, I

1016
00:53:26,400 --> 00:53:29,200
Speaker 1: think take that big risk because it could lead you

1017
00:53:29,239 --> 00:53:32,120
Speaker 1: to your dream job. I might have four things. The

1018
00:53:32,200 --> 00:53:34,279
Speaker 1: third thing I would say is just put your cell

1019
00:53:34,280 --> 00:53:38,239
Speaker 1: phones down and explore the world. I think we miss

1020
00:53:38,280 --> 00:53:41,440
Speaker 1: a lot now because we are constantly scrolling through social

1021
00:53:41,480 --> 00:53:44,800
Speaker 1: media and we're really missing what is so beautiful around

1022
00:53:44,880 --> 00:53:47,120
Speaker 1: us and those moments that we will never be able

1023
00:53:47,160 --> 00:53:52,480
Speaker 1: to get back. And for control what you're able to control.

1024
00:53:52,840 --> 00:53:55,320
Speaker 1: Just that's your work ethic and your attitude towards something.

1025
00:53:55,760 --> 00:53:58,839
Speaker 1: And I think if you can keep that consistent and

1026
00:53:59,160 --> 00:54:02,160
Speaker 1: have that as a mind set, then everyone will be

1027
00:54:02,440 --> 00:54:04,800
Speaker 1: in such a happier place.

1028
00:54:05,680 --> 00:54:06,879
Speaker 2: What excites you right now?

1029
00:54:06,920 --> 00:54:12,880
Speaker 1: Al? My family, hopefully growing my family, and then our

1030
00:54:13,000 --> 00:54:15,960
Speaker 1: NWSAWS season coming up. I'm so excited to be a

1031
00:54:15,960 --> 00:54:20,279
Speaker 1: part of this new team and this amazing group of

1032
00:54:20,800 --> 00:54:25,520
Speaker 1: people and footballers who have worked so hard to get

1033
00:54:25,560 --> 00:54:31,000
Speaker 1: this team in a place to really play and bring

1034
00:54:31,080 --> 00:54:34,960
Speaker 1: something special to this city. And so I'm so pumped

1035
00:54:34,960 --> 00:54:35,440
Speaker 1: about that.

1036
00:54:36,080 --> 00:54:39,319
Speaker 3: I'm pumped about it too because hopefully I can come watch. Yes,

1037
00:54:39,480 --> 00:54:42,279
Speaker 3: you have to, you have amazing Yes, I'll have to

1038
00:54:42,280 --> 00:54:44,919
Speaker 3: come from Brooklyn. I am so grateful for your time.

1039
00:54:44,920 --> 00:54:47,640
Speaker 3: I'm so grateful for this conversation. How did the hurdlers

1040
00:54:47,920 --> 00:54:49,799
Speaker 3: follow along with you? How do they keep up with you?

1041
00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:51,399
Speaker 3: Give us all of your details?

1042
00:54:51,840 --> 00:54:54,640
Speaker 1: Okay, so I keep everything really simple and all the same.

1043
00:54:54,760 --> 00:54:57,600
Speaker 1: So Twitter and Instagram is Ali Kreeker and that's it,

1044
00:54:57,800 --> 00:55:00,440
Speaker 1: so follow me on there. I don't really do TikTok,

1045
00:55:00,520 --> 00:55:03,640
Speaker 1: but we might be doing maybe TikTok san.

1046
00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:05,759
Speaker 2: Using a TikTok.

1047
00:55:06,520 --> 00:55:09,759
Speaker 3: I'm over at Emily a Body and at Hurdle Podcast

1048
00:55:09,840 --> 00:55:12,680
Speaker 3: Another Hurdle Conquered, Catch you guys, next time.