I know I know, it doesn’t hold much water, but I promise I am back and this will be a consistent forum for me to share the wonderment of this crazy life, and the passion that I have for soccer and where in the world it leads me.
Right now Im back in Norway–I just read through the blogs that I have written already in the last 2 years, and there seems to be one amazing consistency….injuries. Its amazing how after one obstacle, you just pick yourself back up and forget about what you’ve already been through. I guess that’s where blogs can be quite helpful. Reminding yourself what the view behind you looks like.
Well the one thing that I do realize is how much I love to play, because lord only knows I have been through a lot to continue on many different fronts. But as I said to my friend the other day, its like a drug–all the injuries, the tears, the frustrations, and it just takes one amazing moment on the field, that you’re like, injuries, what injuries? 🙂
Well to sum up this year, I think travels and injury would probably sum it up quite well. Travelling wise its been borderline ridiculous, but an absolute blast at the same time. The year started visiting my old roommate in Oslo, Mafalda, in Portugal, with my other best friend from last year Travis. Mafalda was an amazing host and we spent a week touring her beautiful country. Then, I went back up to Norway, where I started on day one of preseason January 4th and survived through the coldest winter in Norway in 30 years. We were training outside some days in minus 15! I have never experienced anything like it. Even better when the field wasn’t constructed properly, so I felt like I was at Karen Magnussen Ice Arena (you North Vanners know what I’m talkin about :))
Anyways, to go through the year quick, I went to Ireland for a match against France, flew up to Scotland to visit my Aunt Ger, Uncle Doug and cousin Ella, went back to Hjorring with Kolbotn, my Norwegian team, then flew to Israel with the Irish team (amazing experience), then back to Norway, then to Ireland to play Switzerland, and then thats when my injuries started.
I had pain in my ankle when I got back, that I played through in a match the day after I got home, which was our last match before the start of the season. And, long story short, I have been sidelined since. Well I’ve been back now for about 6 weeks, but it was a very long and very frustrating injury, in that it came out of nowhere; I didn’t get kicked or twisted it…it just hurt. And no one could tell me what it was. I ended up back in Ireland to see my miracle man Ger, that couldn’t work a miracle this time, then went to Italy to see my friend Carm who plays for Canada and who was there and then finally 7 weeks later, decided to go home to get it sorted out.
Randy Celebrini is a genius and after a week and a half I was back on the field with minimal pain. So I trained back up at home, and then my Dad ended up having heart troubles in Mexico when I was back. So I ended up staying home through the summer break here and trained a little with the Whitecaps. I started to have Achilles problems on my other leg, and was at the point where I was just ready to throw in the towel. But I am back in Norway and got through the first week of training back here, and so far so good. Well I wake up in pain every morning, but nothing a good shower and some of Randy’s exercises can’t sort out.
I have 3 games with Ireland in August, with our new coach, so I am just focusing on that for now and just enjoying being back with the Kolbotn girls and having some fun. I also had the opportunity to fly through Iceland on the way back to Oslo, and met my teammate Thora from last year, and was in an Icelandic fishing tv show with her. Her coach was in it with us, so I also had the opportunity to talk to him about how it works in Iceland with girls soccer. Iceland has always fascinated me, as I think they are maybe 6 spots lower than Canada in the world rankings and have as many people in their country as we have registered female players in their country. The fact that they can compete, to me, is amazing.
Anyways, as I struggle a little with what I am going to do next, I know that there are some pretty sweet opportunities to change women’s soccer for the positive, and I have been so blessed with all the amazing people I have met around the world who share the same passion for the game, and the desire to make it better for the next generation.
Essays on Life 