Jordan Angeli
Jordan Angeli is a midfielder for the Boston Breakers of Women’s Professional Soccer.
The Boston Breakers at their goodbye dinner in Boston (photo courtesy Jordan Angeli)
Sept. 13, 2011
A whirlwind of a month
The past month has been a whirlwind for me … It all started our last game of season. We were in a must-win situation and handled it amazingly. Sunday the 14th of August, the Breakers put it all on the line and made it into the playoffs. I have been proud of my team all year long, but that night they showed fight and heart, pushing their way into the playoffs. Three days later, we reunited down in Florida to play magicJack. It was a reunion because three of my teammates drove 20 hours to get there, three of us paid for our own flights down there, and our team came together to support each other in continuing our fight towards a championship. Even though a win wasn’t in the cards that night, the display of unity and the love we had for each other is something I will never forget.
Within the next five days, everyone had scattered to their respective homes across the country and world. It is always hard to say goodbye to people, and this year was no exception. I have made some amazing friends in Boston, and I am so grateful for everything I got to experience and learn there, but knowing I wouldn’t be back for a long time made everything that much harder.
My journey back home began on a Tuesday with me in my white car and Kelsey Davis, my roommate and great friend, in her black car. We said goodbye to our great host family and began our cross-country carpool. Most of our time was spent staring at each other’s back bumpers, but just knowing she was there in front or behind me made the drive a little easier. On the third day, Kelsey continued her drive to Portland as I stayed with my grandparents in Illinois before I finished the last 14 hours to Colorado a couple days later. Highlights of our trip included going to a Phillies game (and a Pat’s cheese steak of course), my car reaching 100,000 miles, doing a small workout at a rest stop that we later realized was probably where all the dogs go to the bathroom (yuck), and a 9 p.m. swim in my grandparents pool immediately when we arrived. It was a fun trip, but I was pumped to be back at home after five days.
My travels weren’t quite up yet because two days after I got home, my family went on our first vacation in 10 years to Cabo! It was five days filled with relaxing, listening to the waves crash on the beach, pool time, morning yoga, and hanging out with the best people I know. A much-needed mental break after the previous four months of my life. Now, I am officially back in Colorado, and it feels so good to say that. My love for this state is huge, and I am thrilled to be living here for a bit. I have been coaching a U-11 Colorado Rush girls' team, getting stronger at physical therapy, and continuing to explore possible ways to stay occupied while I get back to the field.
Thanks for reading my longer blog today, and now I am settled I will be updating more frequently!
A whirlwind of a month
The past month has been a whirlwind for me … It all started our last game of season. We were in a must-win situation and handled it amazingly. Sunday the 14th of August, the Breakers put it all on the line and made it into the playoffs. I have been proud of my team all year long, but that night they showed fight and heart, pushing their way into the playoffs. Three days later, we reunited down in Florida to play magicJack. It was a reunion because three of my teammates drove 20 hours to get there, three of us paid for our own flights down there, and our team came together to support each other in continuing our fight towards a championship. Even though a win wasn’t in the cards that night, the display of unity and the love we had for each other is something I will never forget.
Within the next five days, everyone had scattered to their respective homes across the country and world. It is always hard to say goodbye to people, and this year was no exception. I have made some amazing friends in Boston, and I am so grateful for everything I got to experience and learn there, but knowing I wouldn’t be back for a long time made everything that much harder.
My journey back home began on a Tuesday with me in my white car and Kelsey Davis, my roommate and great friend, in her black car. We said goodbye to our great host family and began our cross-country carpool. Most of our time was spent staring at each other’s back bumpers, but just knowing she was there in front or behind me made the drive a little easier. On the third day, Kelsey continued her drive to Portland as I stayed with my grandparents in Illinois before I finished the last 14 hours to Colorado a couple days later. Highlights of our trip included going to a Phillies game (and a Pat’s cheese steak of course), my car reaching 100,000 miles, doing a small workout at a rest stop that we later realized was probably where all the dogs go to the bathroom (yuck), and a 9 p.m. swim in my grandparents pool immediately when we arrived. It was a fun trip, but I was pumped to be back at home after five days.
My travels weren’t quite up yet because two days after I got home, my family went on our first vacation in 10 years to Cabo! It was five days filled with relaxing, listening to the waves crash on the beach, pool time, morning yoga, and hanging out with the best people I know. A much-needed mental break after the previous four months of my life. Now, I am officially back in Colorado, and it feels so good to say that. My love for this state is huge, and I am thrilled to be living here for a bit. I have been coaching a U-11 Colorado Rush girls' team, getting stronger at physical therapy, and continuing to explore possible ways to stay occupied while I get back to the field.
Thanks for reading my longer blog today, and now I am settled I will be updating more frequently!
Aug. 13, 2011
Adapting to change and living in the moment
Finally taking some time out of my day to sit down at my computer and write my next blog. In concept, blogging is so simple and could be performed/written every day if I took 10 minutes to do it. But as we all know, life seems to get in the way a lot of the time, and my life has been doing that a lot lately in the best way possible.
Since the World Cup, I have been a busy bee. My rehab and recovery from my knee injury is an ongoing process, but it is headed in the right direction. Due to the fact that I have to have two operations to heal one injury, my therapy for the first surgery is slightly different from anything I have experienced before. I have found a new freedom in life without the self-imposed pressure of fitness and hard-work weighing down on me. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing I love more then working hard and being fit to play the game I love, however right now, that is not what is going to help me recover from this surgery. I have been enjoying the company of my friends, being a good teammate, and living spontaneously. I am living in the moment and loving my amazing life.
While my Breakers teammates were on a six-day road trip, I took the opportunity to go out to Northern California and visit my old stompin grounds of Santa Clara University. My old teammate was getting married, so in one swift six-day trip, I managed to see one friend change last names, 12 Santa Clara teammates, two old roomies, eight great college friends, my coaches and athletic department at SCU, drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, climb hills in San Fran, go to three wineries in Sonoma County, not to mention hit up my favorite sushi, ice cream, and coffee shops from back in the day. Whew! Needless to say, it was a trip filled with talking, laughing, lots of driving, and of course food! Makes me happy/tired again just thinking about it.
Now, as I write this, I am preparing to continue being the best teammate I can as we go into the final game of the regular season. It is do or die. Win or go home. I wish I could be out there Sunday in my Breakers blue No. 4 jersey, fighting til the finish with the teammates and friends I love. But it’s not in the plan. You better believe I will be cheering my head off on the sideline, rooting them on as they do what I know and believe they can do, which is get a W and keep our season going. If you are in Boston, get out to Harvard Stadium on Sunday at 4 p.m. and cheer with me for the best team in blue, the Boston Breakers!!!
Adapting to change and living in the moment
Finally taking some time out of my day to sit down at my computer and write my next blog. In concept, blogging is so simple and could be performed/written every day if I took 10 minutes to do it. But as we all know, life seems to get in the way a lot of the time, and my life has been doing that a lot lately in the best way possible.
Since the World Cup, I have been a busy bee. My rehab and recovery from my knee injury is an ongoing process, but it is headed in the right direction. Due to the fact that I have to have two operations to heal one injury, my therapy for the first surgery is slightly different from anything I have experienced before. I have found a new freedom in life without the self-imposed pressure of fitness and hard-work weighing down on me. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing I love more then working hard and being fit to play the game I love, however right now, that is not what is going to help me recover from this surgery. I have been enjoying the company of my friends, being a good teammate, and living spontaneously. I am living in the moment and loving my amazing life.
While my Breakers teammates were on a six-day road trip, I took the opportunity to go out to Northern California and visit my old stompin grounds of Santa Clara University. My old teammate was getting married, so in one swift six-day trip, I managed to see one friend change last names, 12 Santa Clara teammates, two old roomies, eight great college friends, my coaches and athletic department at SCU, drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, climb hills in San Fran, go to three wineries in Sonoma County, not to mention hit up my favorite sushi, ice cream, and coffee shops from back in the day. Whew! Needless to say, it was a trip filled with talking, laughing, lots of driving, and of course food! Makes me happy/tired again just thinking about it.
Now, as I write this, I am preparing to continue being the best teammate I can as we go into the final game of the regular season. It is do or die. Win or go home. I wish I could be out there Sunday in my Breakers blue No. 4 jersey, fighting til the finish with the teammates and friends I love. But it’s not in the plan. You better believe I will be cheering my head off on the sideline, rooting them on as they do what I know and believe they can do, which is get a W and keep our season going. If you are in Boston, get out to Harvard Stadium on Sunday at 4 p.m. and cheer with me for the best team in blue, the Boston Breakers!!!
July 23, 2011
One World Champion, Two Championship Teams
What determines a champion? Is it someone who rises above the rest, who proves strength in adversity, or strictly those who win a trophy? Not even 24 hours after the Women’s World Cup final is complete, and I couldn't stop thinking about this very fact. Japan first. Wow, you couldn’t script this story any better. Literally rising from the rubble that was their country five months ago to raising the World Cup trophy. How can this story not bring tears to your eyes. Aya Miyama said in the pregame show that she lost friends in the earthquake and tsunami and how she lives for them. They took adversity and let it help them push forward. They were calm in the presence of defeat, and it was that calm which helped them score both goals to tie the game back up. Sawa was a genius throughout the tournament, at the age of 32, twice the age of the youngest player in the tournament. She proved that age is not something that should define you as a player, and she played this World Cup because she still had it in her and still felt the joy from the game. And you could see it in her celebrations. Japan embodied what it was to be a team, and they deserve to be called the new champions of the world.
The U.S., on the other hand, were strong as well. They were the last team to qualify for the World Cup but had the U.S. attitude of “never giving up.” As the tournament approached, the adversity they faced was something I believe helped them deal with the Sweden loss and the remarkable comeback to beat Brazil. They found a way to win and had many great performers along the way. I thought Lauren Cheney was magical. Abby scored some clutch goals. Megan Rapinoe created, and Ali Krieger proved what a great player she really is. In a very different way then Japan did, these women have united our country again and brought the light of women’s soccer into a lot more people's eyes.
Now how will we as a country react to this? We have a great league here where all of these women play but lack the support that other sports receive in our country. How do we take the momentum these talented, hard-working women have created, and use it to help our league be sustainable next year, in five years, and when my children are playing one day? And back to the beginning, are they not champions because they didn’t win? Technically no, but they have made us all proud to be Americans and that is a championship performance if you ask me.
One World Champion, Two Championship Teams
What determines a champion? Is it someone who rises above the rest, who proves strength in adversity, or strictly those who win a trophy? Not even 24 hours after the Women’s World Cup final is complete, and I couldn't stop thinking about this very fact. Japan first. Wow, you couldn’t script this story any better. Literally rising from the rubble that was their country five months ago to raising the World Cup trophy. How can this story not bring tears to your eyes. Aya Miyama said in the pregame show that she lost friends in the earthquake and tsunami and how she lives for them. They took adversity and let it help them push forward. They were calm in the presence of defeat, and it was that calm which helped them score both goals to tie the game back up. Sawa was a genius throughout the tournament, at the age of 32, twice the age of the youngest player in the tournament. She proved that age is not something that should define you as a player, and she played this World Cup because she still had it in her and still felt the joy from the game. And you could see it in her celebrations. Japan embodied what it was to be a team, and they deserve to be called the new champions of the world.
The U.S., on the other hand, were strong as well. They were the last team to qualify for the World Cup but had the U.S. attitude of “never giving up.” As the tournament approached, the adversity they faced was something I believe helped them deal with the Sweden loss and the remarkable comeback to beat Brazil. They found a way to win and had many great performers along the way. I thought Lauren Cheney was magical. Abby scored some clutch goals. Megan Rapinoe created, and Ali Krieger proved what a great player she really is. In a very different way then Japan did, these women have united our country again and brought the light of women’s soccer into a lot more people's eyes.
Now how will we as a country react to this? We have a great league here where all of these women play but lack the support that other sports receive in our country. How do we take the momentum these talented, hard-working women have created, and use it to help our league be sustainable next year, in five years, and when my children are playing one day? And back to the beginning, are they not champions because they didn’t win? Technically no, but they have made us all proud to be Americans and that is a championship performance if you ask me.
July 19, 2011
Back to Boston, Back to Reality
A week ago, I made my way back to Boston to finish the season up with my team. It wasn’t until a couple days before I left that I could actually say I was ready to be back around soccer again. I have been through this process twice before, and I know that days when you are sitting out of practice cheering people on can be among some of the hardest days you will experience as a soccer player. Two months ago, my mental state was far too fragile to go through that toll, but now, with the Breakers having six games left, I finally feel like I will be able to give them something in return. I am happy to be back at practice and doing anything to be a part of this team including water girl, ball shagger, and comic relief when it’s needed. When I walked into the locker room on my first day back, I kind of felt like it was the first day of school all over again. I was eager and excited to see all my friends who I hadn’t seen in two months (actually, I take that back because I watched them play on TV a couple times). It was nice after being at home and kind of secluded for a while to get back to a group of people who are truly happy to see you. I felt the love and confirmed once again that I was doing the right thing.
Many exciting things have happened since I returned to Boston. First off, our U.S. Women’s National Team beat Brazil with the best comeback anyone has ever seen take place in sports! I watched the game at my teammates' Taryn's and Kasey’s house on what seems like a “life-size” TV. The game was exciting, and we screamed, cried, and jumped around (one legged hopping for me ) when Abby tied it, Hope saved it, and Krieger put it away! Gives me chills every time I think about it.
Manchester United also came into town, and Alyssa, Taryn, and I were lucky enough to go watch them practice the day before their match against the Revs. We were in awe of how simple their training session was, but how fast, sharp, focused, and game realistic they were. For me, I enjoyed watching them train more then I did the game. But don’t get me wrong, the game was awesome with over 50 thousand people there watching and cheering as Man U scored some pretty goals, winning 4-1. My fav goal of the night had to be Giggs and Park one-twoing around the defenders in their attacking 6-yard box. Such composure and skill. It was a thing of beauty.
Back to Boston, Back to Reality
A week ago, I made my way back to Boston to finish the season up with my team. It wasn’t until a couple days before I left that I could actually say I was ready to be back around soccer again. I have been through this process twice before, and I know that days when you are sitting out of practice cheering people on can be among some of the hardest days you will experience as a soccer player. Two months ago, my mental state was far too fragile to go through that toll, but now, with the Breakers having six games left, I finally feel like I will be able to give them something in return. I am happy to be back at practice and doing anything to be a part of this team including water girl, ball shagger, and comic relief when it’s needed. When I walked into the locker room on my first day back, I kind of felt like it was the first day of school all over again. I was eager and excited to see all my friends who I hadn’t seen in two months (actually, I take that back because I watched them play on TV a couple times). It was nice after being at home and kind of secluded for a while to get back to a group of people who are truly happy to see you. I felt the love and confirmed once again that I was doing the right thing.
Many exciting things have happened since I returned to Boston. First off, our U.S. Women’s National Team beat Brazil with the best comeback anyone has ever seen take place in sports! I watched the game at my teammates' Taryn's and Kasey’s house on what seems like a “life-size” TV. The game was exciting, and we screamed, cried, and jumped around (one legged hopping for me ) when Abby tied it, Hope saved it, and Krieger put it away! Gives me chills every time I think about it.
Manchester United also came into town, and Alyssa, Taryn, and I were lucky enough to go watch them practice the day before their match against the Revs. We were in awe of how simple their training session was, but how fast, sharp, focused, and game realistic they were. For me, I enjoyed watching them train more then I did the game. But don’t get me wrong, the game was awesome with over 50 thousand people there watching and cheering as Man U scored some pretty goals, winning 4-1. My fav goal of the night had to be Giggs and Park one-twoing around the defenders in their attacking 6-yard box. Such composure and skill. It was a thing of beauty.
July 5, 2011
Finding New Freedoms
I have really been trying to enjoy each day for what it is lately. Yes, my life is dramatically different then it was three months ago, but it is still amazing! When I was playing, this was something I prided myself on by approaching each day with a positive attitude knowing I was going to be training and working hard towards a goal. I still have goals, including new ones that are being revealed, but I have never had a day-to-day schedule that wasn’t planned out. My typical day used to be to wake, eat breakfast, workout/train, lunch, rest, workout/train, dinner, and sleep. I loved it, and it enabled me to live out a huge dream of mine, playing professional soccer. My brain has been programmed on this routine for the last 10 plus years, so needless to say, it has been hard for me to kick the underlying need to do all these things.
But since my injury and my mandatory rest time, I have found a new freedom in my open schedule. It has allowed me to act spontaneously and do things I was unable to do before.
A week ago, after watching the U.S. men win in the Gold Cup semifinal game on TV, I got the idea in my head to venture out to LA for the Gold Cup final. I couldn’t stop thinking how amazing it would be to see the U.S./Mexico rivalry in person. So, its Friday, the day before the game, my amazing friend Leslie is working overtime to get me a ticket to the game (thanks again, Les), I use a free Southwest ticket to get out there, I have a place to stay lined up, so things seem to be working out fine. Or so I thought…
Saturday rolls around, I have no ticket to the game, and my flight leaves in three hours. At this point, I am set on going, and decide I will figure it out when I get there. Long story short, I scalp a ticket and sit amongst all the Mexican fans in what was one of the coolest soccer atmospheres I have experienced! 93,0000 people, mostly rooting for Mexico, six goals, Chicharito, and a happy heart.
Although my ticket and place to stay fell through, I can’t describe how refreshing it felt to do something on my own again. After 4 + weeks on crutches and relying on others to help me, I just hopped on a plane and did what I wanted. The game was amazing, and I spent all Sunday hanging with great childhood and college friends. It was an amazing trip, and I am continuing to find the good in this whole situation.
Finding New Freedoms
I have really been trying to enjoy each day for what it is lately. Yes, my life is dramatically different then it was three months ago, but it is still amazing! When I was playing, this was something I prided myself on by approaching each day with a positive attitude knowing I was going to be training and working hard towards a goal. I still have goals, including new ones that are being revealed, but I have never had a day-to-day schedule that wasn’t planned out. My typical day used to be to wake, eat breakfast, workout/train, lunch, rest, workout/train, dinner, and sleep. I loved it, and it enabled me to live out a huge dream of mine, playing professional soccer. My brain has been programmed on this routine for the last 10 plus years, so needless to say, it has been hard for me to kick the underlying need to do all these things.
But since my injury and my mandatory rest time, I have found a new freedom in my open schedule. It has allowed me to act spontaneously and do things I was unable to do before.
A week ago, after watching the U.S. men win in the Gold Cup semifinal game on TV, I got the idea in my head to venture out to LA for the Gold Cup final. I couldn’t stop thinking how amazing it would be to see the U.S./Mexico rivalry in person. So, its Friday, the day before the game, my amazing friend Leslie is working overtime to get me a ticket to the game (thanks again, Les), I use a free Southwest ticket to get out there, I have a place to stay lined up, so things seem to be working out fine. Or so I thought…
Saturday rolls around, I have no ticket to the game, and my flight leaves in three hours. At this point, I am set on going, and decide I will figure it out when I get there. Long story short, I scalp a ticket and sit amongst all the Mexican fans in what was one of the coolest soccer atmospheres I have experienced! 93,0000 people, mostly rooting for Mexico, six goals, Chicharito, and a happy heart.
Although my ticket and place to stay fell through, I can’t describe how refreshing it felt to do something on my own again. After 4 + weeks on crutches and relying on others to help me, I just hopped on a plane and did what I wanted. The game was amazing, and I spent all Sunday hanging with great childhood and college friends. It was an amazing trip, and I am continuing to find the good in this whole situation.
June 20, 2011
Still Recovering, Still in the Game
“I am so bored!” These are words that my family has gotten to hear quite often in the last three weeks, glued to my couch most hours of the day. This is not a normal spot for me unless I am resting myself after or before a workout or game. I have been spending my time with Mr. RICE (rest, ice, compress, and elevate), so my knee can heal quickly. The first couple weeks I had only a one outing a day, which would tire me out to the point that I needed the couch and maybe some oxygen because I have quickly lost everything I trained so hard for. I am trying to enjoy downtime 'cause it is not something we as professional athletes get very often, but it is difficult to when the circumstances lie in the middle of your so-called season. Nonetheless, I sit and watch TV (mostly Mad Men seasons), play around on my iPad (thanks to my parents for an awesome b-day gift), and of course, watch the Bruins in the playoffs!
I would look forward to every other night to cheer on my new team for the past two years - the Boston Bruins. I think it's impossible to live in Boston, even if it is just for a little bit, and not feel connected to their passion about their sports teams. I will always be grateful for my days at Harvard Stadium in front of all our Boston Breakers fans who prove game in and game out they are the best fans in the WPS. The city's love for sports is unlike anything I have experienced.
Watching the game, I couldn’t help but feel the love, joy, and connection the fans feel towards the players and team as they fought not only for something the players have worked hard for all their lives, but something that is so dear to the city. Even thousands of miles away in Colorado, I wore my black and yellow pride daily and even got most of my family and friends cheering on the Bruins.
Sports help unite a school, city, and country. This championship run by the Bruins is a perfect lead into what is considered the greatest achievement in all of women’s soccer this summer, the Women’s World Cup in Germany. I am counting down the days until I can watch my friends and our American soccer stars fight for something they have dreamed about since they were little girls. I am so proud of every one of the members of that team and can’t wait for them to pass, battle, tackle, save, shoot, and score their way to the success I believe they are capable of. My colors will change to red, white, and blue, and I will give everything I have (even if it is only from my couch) as they give everything they do to bring the cup back to the U.S.!
Turn on ESPN, watch, and be amazed by these women! GO USA!!!!!
Still Recovering, Still in the Game
“I am so bored!” These are words that my family has gotten to hear quite often in the last three weeks, glued to my couch most hours of the day. This is not a normal spot for me unless I am resting myself after or before a workout or game. I have been spending my time with Mr. RICE (rest, ice, compress, and elevate), so my knee can heal quickly. The first couple weeks I had only a one outing a day, which would tire me out to the point that I needed the couch and maybe some oxygen because I have quickly lost everything I trained so hard for. I am trying to enjoy downtime 'cause it is not something we as professional athletes get very often, but it is difficult to when the circumstances lie in the middle of your so-called season. Nonetheless, I sit and watch TV (mostly Mad Men seasons), play around on my iPad (thanks to my parents for an awesome b-day gift), and of course, watch the Bruins in the playoffs!
I would look forward to every other night to cheer on my new team for the past two years - the Boston Bruins. I think it's impossible to live in Boston, even if it is just for a little bit, and not feel connected to their passion about their sports teams. I will always be grateful for my days at Harvard Stadium in front of all our Boston Breakers fans who prove game in and game out they are the best fans in the WPS. The city's love for sports is unlike anything I have experienced.
Watching the game, I couldn’t help but feel the love, joy, and connection the fans feel towards the players and team as they fought not only for something the players have worked hard for all their lives, but something that is so dear to the city. Even thousands of miles away in Colorado, I wore my black and yellow pride daily and even got most of my family and friends cheering on the Bruins.
Sports help unite a school, city, and country. This championship run by the Bruins is a perfect lead into what is considered the greatest achievement in all of women’s soccer this summer, the Women’s World Cup in Germany. I am counting down the days until I can watch my friends and our American soccer stars fight for something they have dreamed about since they were little girls. I am so proud of every one of the members of that team and can’t wait for them to pass, battle, tackle, save, shoot, and score their way to the success I believe they are capable of. My colors will change to red, white, and blue, and I will give everything I have (even if it is only from my couch) as they give everything they do to bring the cup back to the U.S.!
Turn on ESPN, watch, and be amazed by these women! GO USA!!!!!
June 5, 2011
I won’t let an injury determine my fate
’4, 1.5, 2, and 20. These numbers have been running through my mind lately and here is why…
4 – It’s been 4 days since my 25th birthday. Twenty-five, wow what a milestone. A quarter of a century. Halfway through my 20s. Alright, I better stop before I start getting down. I can’t explain why, but after I hit this milestone, I almost had a quarter-life crisis! Luckily for me, I soon realized that you don’t have to have life figured out by 25, just as long as you are trying to find your way. I will be fine, right?!
1.5 – It has been 1.5 weeks since my surgery. Everything went well the day of surgery. I was pumped to get my journey started up until I actually started driving over to the surgery center on May24th. On that rainy Colorado morning, I got very quiet. Something you may not know about me is that is not a very normal thing.
I am usually talking your ear off and asking a million questions about everything. So my silence said it all. Luckily, I had my mom there to support me and a great doctor to help mend me. I kind of feel like I am Humpty Dumpty, and it is going to take a little while to put me back together again. This surgery took about 2.5 hours where they removed all the previous hardware (screws) from my knee, cleaned up my tunnels (where the new ACL is placed), and then packed the tunnels with bone graft. Part one of my two-part surgery process is done…now all I have to do is get the swelling out of my leg, full flexion and extension, and re-grow my left leg as it seems to disappear more and more each day that I am non-weight bearing. Not so hard right! ha
2 – It’s been 2 months since our first game, my first and only goal of the season, and my injury (and since I have blogged for Our Game Magazine). The instant I got injured, I could feel my life changing dramatically. I am scared that I will physically never be able to play the sport I love at such a level again, but if I didn’t have that feeling then I think something would be wrong. Another thing you may not know about me is that I like being the underdog. I like proving people, including myself at times, wrong and showing that the impossible is actually within reach. I pray that this is one of those times because as I sit and write these words about never playing soccer again, my heart literally pains me. And that’s no joke.
20 – I have spent the past 20 years working towards my dream of being a professional soccer player. The years were filled with blood and sweat, tears, and laughs, wins and losses, friends and enemies (who end up becoming friends), success and failure, and passion and heartache. And every second was worth it. You best believe that I won’t let an injury determine my fate.
Using Free Time for a Great Cause
So, for this post, I have to go backwards in time and lead you up to what is happening now in the present … so bear with me! After the end of last season, my teammate, and fellow Coloradan, Taryn Hemmings and I were offered an amazing opportunity to go and train with a team in Japan for a month. We were stoked! The Japanese women are known to be very technical players, and we both were excited to work on that part of our game. After many emails back and forth with a member of the TEPCO Mareeze club, we finally all agreed we would go in February, just in time to prep for our preseason with Boston.A few days after all the dates got finalized, I received the call I have been waiting for my entire soccer career: a call-up to U.S. National Team camp! It was a dream come true and something that I will remember forever. But this threw a wrench in both Taryn’s and my plans for Japan. We were both bummed things weren’t going to work out as planned, but she was amazing, supporting me in my trip and deciding to still go to Japan (which I was very proud of her for doing). It all worked out in the end when Taryn learned she would be joined by our current Breakers teammate Claire Zimmeck for her Japan excursion.
March rolled around, and now we were all back in Boston together. I enjoyed two camps with the U.S. team while Taryn and Claire had an amazing three weeks in Japan. On March 11th, less than two weeks after they got back, Japan was hit with a devastating earthquake and tsunami. I will never forget the look on Taryn’s face that morning before practice. She was in shock, worried about the safety of the new friends she had made, and thankful that she was safe at home. The team was based in Fukushima and trained just three miles from one of the main nuclear plants in Japan. Luckily, the team was away training when the earthquake hit but hasn’t been able to return to its home because of radiation scares.
Taryn and Claire had a real connection with many of the girls there, and immediately we felt compelled to take action. During our preseason trip to Florida, we had some free time on our hands and put it to good use. Along with a couple other teammates and coaches, Taryn and I brainstormed ideas of how we could help Japan in its fight to survive after this disaster. Growing up in the soccer world, we know how strong our community can be. With that in mind, we wanted to reach out to our soccer community and open up to them about how a new member of our soccer fam, TEPCO Mareeze, needed our help. Together, I honestly believe we can do great things in these people’s lives, people who have lost so much.
With that being said, we are now back to the present … the Boston Breakers will be holding a “Kicks for Japan” clinic at Harvard on April 15th from 3-5 p.m. to aid in the relief of the families of the TEPCO Mareeze team. All the details here. For whatever you give – your time, money, or participation in the clinic – thank you. These girls from TEPCO Mareeze touched Taryn’s and Claire’s lives and therefore touched ours. Hopefully, we can do the same with you.
