← Welcome to the Party
Welcome to the Party
Abby Wambach & Julie Foudy: What Makes a Great Teammate (And Why It Matters)
00:48:10
Loading summary
Transcript143 lines
- [00:00]
A
With, like, a quarter left in the game, she goes straight up to her own goalkeeper and gets an inch from her face and yells, give me the effing ball. Attention. The party is about to commence.
- [00:22]
B
Welcome to the party. What's up, party people? I'm Julie Foudy.
- [00:31]
A
And I am Abby Wambach.
- [00:34]
B
Abigail. For many years. Hi. We have had this ongoing conversation about what we value in a teammate. And I find it so fascinating, actually, in the more and more I think about it and break down our different teammates and teams over the course of our career. And now it's like. It's incredible to discuss, like, what it is that we value. So we're going to talk about the various traits and how it becomes a beautiful mix of awesome and why that's important.
- [01:10]
A
Okay, so. But before we get into this, Jules, I just want to tell this brief story, okay? And because I think that the way I want this conversation to kind of flow into is with this mentality of. Of understanding that. That every person who comes into a team locker room or plays on a team, they are bringing their whole self. And their whole self isn't just the talent. Right. Because I think, of course, when we're talking about our women's national team, we. We just understand that the talent has to be there. Like, that's like a. A very basic thing that. That you need to. In order to get into this system. But then there's all these other parts of who we are as people and the way that we interact with people and the way that we are on the team, the kind of teammate we are, what we. What our roles kind of are in. In different ways other than just the actual game itself. So I was on a stage. This is many years ago. I was on a stage with Mia, and we were talking about.
- [02:20]
B
Mia Hamm.
- [02:21]
A
Yeah, Mia Hamm. Have you ever heard of her?
- [02:23]
B
Heard of her?
- [02:24]
A
Yeah.
- [02:25]
B
Love her.
- [02:26]
A
And we were talking about kind of the differences of her and I. And so I kind of started to make fun of myself because, you know, I'm a big girl, and I wasn't, like, the fastest player on the planet when I got going. I was faster than you would expect.
- [02:45]
B
Let's look the F out when you got going.
- [02:48]
A
Watch out.
- [02:49]
B
I've been on the other end of that, and it's not fun.
- [02:54]
A
So I was kind of, like, giving myself a little hard time about my lack of speed. And Mia, she looks over and she kind of like. She. She kind of was like, no, no, no. And kind of quieted me down with her Hand gesture. And I was like, what? She's like, don't do that. And I was like, don't do what? And she's like, don't make fun of your supposed weakness. And I was like, why? We were getting into this debate, like, we were on a panel, on a stage, talking to a group of people. And I was like, what do you. What do you mean? And. And she's like, look, team sports are. It's very important for. For there to be strengths and for there to be weaknesses inside of every person, right? And it is up to the coaches and the players to discuss what those strengths and weaknesses are like out loud in public so that we all can understand each other in the best way possible. And she's like, abby, if you were really, really fast, that wouldn't have allowed you and me to be as strong, like a. As dynamic of a duo that we were. The fact that you had all of these different strengths and the fact that I had all of these different strengths to yours allowed us to really kind of come together and be an unbreakable unit. And I think if you were to, like, split that up over the course of the Entire field, around 11 players, that is like an interesting sociology experiment, right?
- [04:26]
B
So why is that Mia Ham forget her soccer skills. She is so, so wise.
- [04:32]
A
I know, and it actually made me feel a lot better. And also the way that I thought about leadership, because what we're really talking about is thinking through the psychology of leadership and. And leading a team, right? How do all of our personalities mix together? Because most of us are, you know, maybe not you and I, Jules, but. But a lot of the players are, like, type A, like, hardcore, like, very driven. And how do you get all of these players on the same page? And what does, in fact, make a certain teammate's character or the values that they bring to the team, for me and for you, more. More valuable than. Than others. Maybe so.
- [05:19]
B
And I find it fascinating because it is a really good reminder that it's not just the X's and O's, right? You can have a team that's fit, that's technically good, that knows its strategy, but the real differentiator between the good and the great, right? You can be consistently good, but can you be consistently great? And the differentiator, that small percentage of difference is when you get it right in terms of that of mixing it together with the different teammates, the different personalities, and you come together, and it. And it's true in everything in life. It's not just sports, obviously. It's true. In every team, you're on family work. Right. Like, life is about figuring out how you can make the team better. And you don't have to be. You always hear coaches say, oh, you have to be more vocal or you've got to be more confident. And it's like, to Mia's point, like, well, maybe that's not you. Like, Mia wasn't the one that was in the middle of the huddle getting us fired up. Right. That wasn't her personality. That was you and me doing that. But if you had a team of just you and me, we would drive everyone bonkers, and it wouldn't be successful. So you need that balance, and figuring out how to make it work is critical.
- [06:42]
A
This is what I hope coaches and parents and teachers and leaders of our world, like, are thinking about. Right. Like, we can't just have the same exact person throughout an entire team, like you said. And I want to go through a little list that I made of some of the values that I thought about, traits of teammates that I really loved. Now, this doesn't mean that there are other traits. I'm just giving you a short list. So don't come after me, people.
- [07:14]
B
Don't come after me.
- [07:16]
A
Yeah, don't. Okay. One of the. One of the. One of the values.
- [07:20]
B
I want to hear this. Yeah, one of your values. Yes.
- [07:23]
A
Team first mentality. I had a couple of teammates that absolutely showcased on a consistent basis that the team. The team itself was their first priority. Right. They often were the ones that were off the bus first and unloading stuff, where everybody's just walking off the bus and walking straight into the locker room. Christy Rampone. Shannon Box. You, Jules, I think that you are very much a team first mentality kind of person, and I was so grateful to kind of learn from somebody like you. You know, we have staff people who. Who actually get luggage off, but there's something about watching a captain, a leader on a team doing kind of a trivial task. Picking up cones, doing things that are carrying the water.
- [08:22]
B
No one wants to do that. They don't have to do that anymore, by the way.
- [08:26]
A
Yeah.
- [08:26]
B
That are things they don't have to set up anymore. Yeah. Carla Overbeck of my era. Yes. For sure.
- [08:33]
A
Yes. And what this does is it creates this. This moment. And whether it's like, a conscious thought or an unconscious thought, whenever I would watch you pick up the cones or grab the bags underneath the bus, like, I just kept. I would always have this moment, like, oh, she believes that this whole system is a family.
- [08:54]
B
Yeah.
- [08:54]
A
And that she's just trying to figure out how she can put in whatever it is to do her very. Her. Her part. In order to make the family function at its best, whenever you needed to input something, whether it was like, I don't know, throwing in a joke or taking, you know, the balls off the bus or the bags off the bus or getting people excited before a meeting or getting people excited, like, those are such important elements to me. But like you said, not everybody on the team can do that. Right. Like, it's like everybody has their own kind of vantage point or. Or importance or. Or. What is the word of that skill set?
- [09:40]
B
Yeah, yeah. They're gonna bring. Yeah.
- [09:44]
A
Yes, exactly.
- [09:45]
B
I called the team first mentality. I always call it the we is greater than the me.
- [09:50]
A
Oh, good.
- [09:51]
B
But the piece of it that I think gets lost. And when people hear that, they're like, okay, we get it. You should always value the we over the me. But the me is really important. Like, it's not saying the me's not important. It's just saying you've got to think about the thing that matters the most is at the end of the day, the team is winning. And what helps the team win is the me. You know, they always say there's not an I in team, but there's. There's a me. It's so true, because you have to be pushing your teammates. You have to be wanting to get better. So you're not losing that competitive element. You're not losing the. That individuality which I think makes a team special. It's that which makes the team greater. And it's not for your gain. It's for the team's game. I think that's the shift in the mindset. And so that's where I just love the player that's going to run through a brick wall for you. And you know it. Every practice, every drill, I love it.
- [10:51]
A
I actually believe that this is one of the things that is a huge differentiator of our US Women's national team versus other teams in the world, oftentimes in professional sporting environments. Right. You're always trying to manage the team and myself, and one of the bedrocks and foundational. Like, when I got to the team, it felt kind of surreal. First of all, I was playing with my. My idols. But second of all, there was a part of me, especially because of my big size. I remember at the time, April Heinrich sat me down one time, and she said, hey, Abby, are you playing hard enough? Like, are you playing the hardest? That you can play during practice. And I said, well, no, I'm a little bit nervous. I don't want to hurt anybody. And she said, really? She. Yeah, I was really, like, scared. I didn't want to, like, bump into you guys and, like, hurt you. And she said, well, you not playing at your best is actually hurting them because your body and your size is not just a strength for you, but it's something that they get to work on defending.
- [12:08]
B
Right.
- [12:08]
A
They get to work on playing somebody that is strong like you. So when we go play a Germany or whomever and they're big and strong, they will be able to deal with that because they're training against somebody that has your size and strength. And that was like a really, like, big light bulb for me that I was like, wow, okay. I then have to bring my fullness. And so being on the women's national team was such a cool experience for me because there was this expectation that the team mentality was just as important as the me mentality, where if you brought your very single best self every single time you stepped on the field, you were actually contributing to the we in the best possible way.
- [12:51]
B
So the rising tide value system.
- [12:53]
A
Yes. Yes.
- [12:54]
B
You're lifting all boats. Yes. By. By. By making the team better. By you being better. Because I think people take it as like, oh, then I shouldn't be consumed with how I'm doing. No, you should still be consumed with how you're doing, because to your point, you're going to make everyone else better. And it's every practice, it's every day. And that's the thing that I think gets lost when we talk about team first. It doesn't mean that the me is not important. Okay, Abs, here's something I've learned from years of competing. Here's what we know. You do not get there alone. There's no way. Even the best players, you need a coach. You need someone who sees the big picture, who keeps you accountable, maybe helps you make your next right move. We need that support. That's what we know. We've known that.
- [13:51]
A
I mean, and also, while you might not be chasing an actual championship, you are chasing a meaningful life. And that's where Strawberry me comes in. They really have made high quality career coaching accessible for. For everyone. Matching you with a certified coach who is very invested in your. In your growth.
- [14:12]
B
Yeah. And what's really cool is that together with this coach, you can clarify your goals. You can break through in terms of maybe what's holding you back, which we all have those Things that are holding us back, you can build. Build, like, real confidence, not just for your next job, of course, but for. For the life that you want. And I think it's important to remember your future shouldn't just happen to you. With the right coach, you get to actually write it, you get to shape it. You get to write that next chapter on your terms.
- [14:46]
A
All right? And if you're ready to get unstuck, visit Strawberry Me. Welcome to the party. To claim a special offer and to get started today. That is Strawberry Me. Welcome to the party. Stop settling, folks. Start building the career and the life you actually want.
- [15:12]
B
Okay, what's your next one?
- [15:14]
A
Okay, so the next one I have is connection and empathy. I think that having teammates who were, yes, they wanted to win, but they really understood the value of a team that was kind of unbreakable with the connections that we had. You know, I. I think about Lauren Chaney. I think about Rachel Bueller in this way, and I. And honestly, I think about Sid LaRue a lot. For me, at the end of my career, she was one of my best friends on the team. We were, like, thick as. We were just like pals, just bopping around, getting through the difficulties of. Of playing a Prof. Being a professional athlete, because it is hard, and the world knows that, Julie. But I do think it's really important to have people who are conscious about connecting with people. The. The folks who are like, hey, do you want to go get a coffee? Hey, you know, sit by you and. And come up to you and be like, hey, is everything okay? Or you're. Whether you're playing well or not, you're just kind of. You're. You seem sad. Right? And so having people that are. That are wanting the fabric to be woven together rather than being so worried about, like, the competitive nature of what we're actually doing. Because, like, the truth is, all of us are competing. We're competing for starting spots, and not everybody is getting them, or we're competing to make rosters, and not. But not everybody is getting on the roster. So there's this. This really interesting, like, dynamic that. That oftentimes, I think some of the. This trait specifically, I think, is kind of a big determiner whether a team can win a championship or not is if they feel connected. And then you have some of these players who are. Who really emphasize, like, this connection with each other, regardless of, like, us trying to make the same roster spot or not.
- [17:20]
B
Because connection and empathy brings the most important element. Well, I shouldn't qualify that a very Important element. And that's.
- [17:32]
A
What is it.
- [17:33]
B
Trust. You have to trust your teammates.
- [17:36]
A
You.
- [17:36]
B
When the shit hits the fan, you have to be like, hey, they've got my back. Or I'm having a terrible game and this person's got my back. And that trust comes from just that, I think that connection and empathy. I don't know how many times I've had this conversation with my two kids and I'll be like, hey, check in with your teammates. To my 16 year old, Declan, check in and just say, hey, if you're noticing someone kind of off to the side, it takes two seconds. But like, that goes such a long way to be like, yo, bro, you good? And he's like, that's.
- [18:10]
A
That.
- [18:10]
B
That's weird, Mom. He goes, we don't do that. I'm like, why not? Guys do that. Of course they do. Be that guy that checks in on people. Same with Izzy. Right? Like, be the person that, when you notice someone, like, to your point, like, let's go grab a coffee. And I said, and it doesn't need to be like, oh, let's go sit for three hours. But like, just showing that you have that, that empathy is huge. Because then that trust develops over time.
- [18:40]
A
Yeah, I think about this one a lot because I think. I think that, like, you can be training so many hours with people and there's just this one random training where this person is just like, they're a little bit more chippy, they're like a little bit more pissed. They're like playing a little bit angrier. And it's just like, they're not themselves. And so the training happens and it's just like, it's literally what you said, Jules. It's like a 2 second or a 3 second interaction that's like, hey, are you okay? Like, what's going on? You. You seemed a little bit pissed out there. Or like, hey, you good? Something just very simple that, that. It's just they. And they don't need to get into the wholeness of what they're. They're. They're upset over. But. But being seen and being acknowledged is so important for team connection. And they might tell you the thing or they might be like, no, I'm good. Which is also really.
- [19:42]
B
They register it too.
- [19:43]
A
Yeah, they clock it.
- [19:44]
B
They're like, okay, wow, thank you.
- [19:45]
A
That person noticed.
- [19:47]
B
Yeah.
- [19:48]
A
Okay, so I want to get to the next one too.
- [19:50]
B
Wait, I just want to say one quick story on that again, like, connection and empathy. Christine Lilly and I used to just battle it out at Training and one training. We would. I mean, we were throwing balls at each other. I mean, we were so freaking competitive. We were so pissed at each other. Like, she, she's like. And I'd stand in front of her so she couldn't. Like, instead of a throw in, it was a kick in. And the small sided game, she's like, you gonna let me effing play or not? I'm like, no. And so the end of, end of it. All right? Like, that it gets heated and that's okay. But like, the great thing about us as a team, which I think was such a strong trait of our US Women's National Team, is that after it was all done, the two of us would hug it out, like, literally laughing and be like, damn, we're crazy. Sorry about that. And she'd be like, no, I'm good. All good. We're roommates, right? And so you just recognize, like, that's part of it, but it's part of the connection and empathy that afterwards you put your arm around him and be like, great job. We just made each other better. Okay, next one.
- [20:58]
A
Yeah, that's so important because I think that especially with the younger folks, they're afraid to get so competitive, like, because there's a real vulnerability. Like, Glenn and I talk about this a lot. Like, competitiveness is an extraordinary, I think, personal quality around. And we're going to get into competitive next. Competitiveness next. But like, to, to plant your flag in the sand and say, I care about the outcome of this, that is like, really vulnerable. And it's like, it's too vulnerable for a teenager. Right? Like, they're like, they're like, whatever. Like, I don't know. I don't care that much.
- [21:40]
B
I'm giving the chill vibe.
- [21:42]
A
Yeah, it's like, fine. But competitiveness is in fact one of my next favorite things about a few teammates that I had. I think that, like, all of us needed to have a high level of competitiveness, but I had a few teammates who were a little bit off the charts. I would say Brandi Chastain. I would say Kelly O'. Hara. I would say Christine Lilly, Heather O'Reilly, Mia Brianna. Where it, like, things got a little bit, like, chippy.
- [22:16]
B
Oh, yeah.
- [22:17]
A
Things were tough. Like, and when you get. I just, I was always of the mind with my competitiveness that, like, I wanted to be competitive and I wanted to win, but I really didn't want to ruin relationships over the winning or losing. Like, there would be a point where it would get to. That I'd Be like, okay, fine. Like so many times. I'd have to be like, okay, Kelly, that's fine. You can win. That's fine. Like, you can win. If you want to win that way, you can do it. And so I would start antagonizing her. But, man, these women, like, were just the, the kind of competitors that wouldn't quit. They wouldn't say no. They wouldn't be like, fine, you win. They'd just be like, no. Like, I don't, I don't agree that was, that was cheating or that was. That was unfair, or the Aaron Heifetz called the wrong foul or whatever, because he would be.
- [23:10]
B
Our press officer, would be training with us or ref.
- [23:14]
A
But you need people like that. You need people like that. That. Because they're the ones that push the standard. They're the ones that raise the ceiling.
- [23:23]
B
Michelle Akers was compelling. Oh, my God, that woman. And for those of you who don't or haven't followed soccer, Michelle Akers, we called her Mufasa. For all her curly maneuver from Lion King, she. She was just a beast in the best of ways. And she was so damn competitive. We'd play these, like, small sided games and, you know, she'd start off and if her team, you know, she'd be sharing the ball with the youngsters a little bit, and then if the team went down, she'd be like, give me the effing ball and everything.
- [23:57]
A
Hold on, Julie, were you on that? Are you seriously telling the story?
- [24:01]
B
Yeah.
- [24:03]
A
Wait, do you know this? That this is my story?
- [24:07]
B
Was that yours?
- [24:08]
A
Was that.
- [24:08]
B
Were you the young kid that was part of that?
- [24:12]
A
Julie, this is crazy.
- [24:14]
B
Tell me, Tell me.
- [24:14]
A
Okay, I wrote this. I wrote the Wolf Pack book, and this is a big story that I wrote in the Wolf Pack book. I was in the U18 team. Yeah. Yes. Okay. So it wasn't just us little kids. So she came and trained with the U18 national team prior to the 99 World cup in Chula Vista. In Chula Vista, yeah. Because there was no professional league and this is the only place she could train. And so she walks up and we get into a 5 a side game. And for those who might not know what five aside is, just like close, close goals. Big goals. Five. Five versus five. And Michelle, for the first like three quarters of the game, she's like coaching everybody. She's like, you're doing great. Keep going, you know, pushing everybody forward. And then with like a quarter left in the game, she goes straight up to her own goalkeeper and gets an inch from her face and yells, give me the effing ball. And we were, like, freaking out. We were like. And then she drifted to the entire field, and we were all on the ground. It was insane. And so this is hilarious. This is a story I've been telling for the last fucking 10 years, all the time.
- [25:27]
B
Because the. The way the. The games are set up, if you score, you get the ball back from your keeper, you keep the ball. So she would score and then go back to the keeper and be like, don't give it to anyone else. You give it to me. Give me the effing ball.
- [25:44]
A
Oh, my God. I mean, honestly, Jules, I'm. I'm telling you that she taught me a freaking important lesson about stepping into my power and demanding the ball. Like, because there's so much of the world that tells us girls, like, don't be demanding. Just be grateful for what you have. And this was in a really important moment for me at 18 years old, like, every single time, like, on the national team, as I got older and got more veteran and the corner kick would happen or whatever, I would say to whoever was going, I was like, get me the ball. Get me the ball. And Michelle, like, brought me that sense of, yeah, awesome.
- [26:25]
B
There's one piece of it that I also think Dr. Colleen Hacker taught us on the national team that was so important is that competitiveness, right? Which I think was part of the consistently great with our team. That was, like, the thread that ran through. Everyone had this competitive, obviously some more than others, but you had to have that piece of the puzzle to play on at that level. And we called it, thanks to Colleen, wholesome discontent. Because we know there is also discontent that is not wholesome. And that can be something that becomes a negative because it's never good enough. It's never strong enough. It's never enough. And so the wholesome discontent is what I loved about our group because it was there all the time. But there was also a balance to it. There was also the connection and empathy. There was also these things that we talk about this team first mentality that goes with it. And it's. Again, it shows you how all these things have to come together, and the various players will bring these elements of it, but it just can't just be team first. It can't just be competitiveness or connection and empathy. And so you're bringing all these different personality traits together.
- [27:50]
A
I love that. Wholesome disconnect or discontent.
- [27:54]
B
Wholesome discontent.
- [27:56]
A
Okay, I got two more before we. We end here that I wanted to Talk about. I think consistency is one of the most important qualities of a teammate to me. So somebody who shows up and you know exactly what you're gonna get from them. Somebody who's kind of that consummate professional who's taking care of their bodies, who's constantly like, they're just there. It's ironic because most. The way that I think about this is, like, the way that I've separated these out in my mind is. Is kind of separated by positions. So the defenders are, like, all in the consensus.
- [28:34]
B
I was just going to. Joy Fawcett when you were saying.
- [28:37]
A
Yeah, exactly. Becky Sauerbrun, Heather Mitts, Ali Krieger, Amy Lake. People who were just constants. I mean, Christian Rampone. Every defender that I played with were people that I relied on, because when another team broke through, we just had to rely on them to do the job, you know, and they just kind of. They just were just. And people. If you can't see me, I'm just, like, doing the turtleneck, just, like, chugging along, just slow, but sure. Who is your consistent? Who is your fan?
- [29:13]
B
And the thing about Joy is Joy is the one who popped out kids while playing. The first one to do that with the U.S. women's National Team. And. And with every kid, it was like she just kept getting better. And it was like, she's just so steady. Very steady, very consistent. You know, you wouldn't know that she hadn't slept all night because her kids had been barfing the whole night or, you know, that Katie or Maddie had been, you know, up all night. You would know. She would never say it. She was just so steady. I'm so excited to announce that this show is sponsored by MIDI Health and Party People. You need to listen up for this one, because we talk a lot. Yes, we talk a lot about overall health as athletes. And there's a lot of time and focus and effort it. It takes to understand how we care for our bodies. But even with all that, and I don't know about you, abs, but, I mean, I got hit by a train when perimenopause and menopause came, because I was like, what the hell is happening here to my body? And we don't talk about it. I literally would be like, can someone please help me? Why can't I sleep through the night? I'm just like, this hot. I kept feeling like when I was sitting in the car, I'd be like, who turned on my seat heater? This is re. Who did it? Who did it?
- [30:39]
A
But Julie for too long. This is the problem. Women's serious midlife health issues have just been brushed aside. Nobody wants to tell us what to do, nobody wants to even do the research. It's, it's just like you got to deal with it. That's we're told. So yeah, even today 75% of women seeking care for menopause and perimenopause are completely left untreated. 75%.
- [31:03]
B
Ridiculous, right? And here's the powerful truth. Guess what? It is time for a change. It's time for midi. And this is so cool. MIDI is more than a healthcare provider. This is what I love. It's a women's telehealth clinic founded and supported by world class leaders in women's health. And, and they're the only women's telehealth brand covered by major insurance. So you can get expert high quality care, which Abby, as you were saying, we often don't, that is finally accessible and affordable for everyone. And with mini, you literally get one on one virtual visits with clinicians who actually listen and they give you tailored solutions like hormone therapy and weight loss protocols and they even give you life coaching and preventative care. I mean so. Okay, ready? Are you ready to feel your best and write your second act script? Yes. Visit join midi.com today to book your personalized insurance covered virtual visit. That's joinmitty.com midi the care that women deserve.
- [32:20]
A
All right, so let's just do a little recap before we get into our final to at least and this is not the only, the only traits that I love about my teammates. These are just the ones that came to mind yesterday. Um, we got the team first. We've got connection, we've got competitiveness, we've got consistency. And this last one, you gotta have a few of these on every one of your teams truly. Um, winners, you gotta haves winners, winners, people who show up and the expectation that they show up with is that we are winning this game and I'm going to do whatever it takes in order to win this game. Whether it's a five aside game in training, whether it's an 11v11 friendly game or the World cup final, whatever we're talking about. They have the gamer mentality. I have a couple of teammates that are like this from, from more my era I kept, I stayed a little bit away from your era ju so that you could maybe add in a couple of your friends and teammates. But I would say Alex Morgan, Carly Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe. Big, big winners, big gamers. Big time. Who, who, who would you say were some winners from your era?
- [33:36]
B
This gal called Abigail Wambach, maybe. Big winner. Yeah, yeah. You go in that category, of course. Mia Hammer, Christine Lilly, you need the game changers. Michelle Akers. So, yeah, absolutely. Where you're like, get on my back. I got you.
- [33:56]
A
Yeah.
- [33:57]
B
And. And, and they. They don't mind. And you. And you can speak better to that than I can. You don't mind that pressure of like. I mean, that goal you scored, Abby, in the 2011 World cup quarterfinal.
- [34:12]
A
Oh, dang.
- [34:14]
B
The header against Brazil from the Megan Rapinoe ball across. That sent it into extra time, right?
- [34:21]
A
Yeah, that sent it. That tied it up, thank God.
- [34:23]
B
Yeah.
- [34:24]
A
Oh, my God.
- [34:25]
B
But ironically, that's.
- [34:27]
A
Ironically. I think about the chain of passes that happened before that goal a lot. And so many things needed to be perfect, Right. Like, it wasn't just about my header. It was about Christy Rampone getting the ball from the Brazilian on our own touchline, our own goal. Like where our goalkeepers line is passing it to Ali Krieger, who then passes it to Carly Lloyd, who then took enough touches in the middle of the field to change the shape of the defensive formation of Brazil. Then she passes it all the way out to. To Pino. And Pino. Pino just thinks she's. She can do anything ever. All the time. And that is why I love her.
- [35:10]
B
Yeah.
- [35:10]
A
Because she looked up and she knew I was going to be in there. She was like, I'm just. I'm going to blast this, launch it. And then proceeds to pass what I think might be the greatest assist that has ever happened in women's football history. Honestly, all I had to do was not miss because it was such a great ball.
- [35:28]
B
That is so not true. Because you had the Brazilian keeper coming out at your head, ready to punch it, and you didn't even flinch. That's the amazing thing. Most people I would have turtled, I would have been like, okay, no, thanks. You just calmly, boom, she. And she, like, I don't know, she came.
- [35:46]
A
She came in front of me. Close.
- [35:47]
B
Yeah, she came close.
- [35:48]
A
She came in. She came in front of me. It was a. It. That was a while.
- [35:54]
B
You had her passing and the ball coming and you just, boom, locked it. Yeah, yeah.
- [35:59]
A
That was a fun moment. And look, just to wrap up the entirety of this conversation, I have one quick.
- [36:04]
B
I have one quick more one that I want to.
- [36:07]
A
Yeah, please.
- [36:08]
B
Because it. I couldn't figure out whether it fell into any of those you just mentioned, but I. I do Think, and this is such a good one for young players to hear and for parents and coaches to hear. And it goes back to something that I think was vital with our US Women's national team for years and years and years. You have to find joy in the grind, because it's a grind, right? If you want to get on to the next level and play at the next level, and maybe you don't, which is totally fine, but regardless of what level you're at, to want to keep doing it, you have to find joy in it. And that piece of it, which we talk about a lot with when we talk about youth sports and how we as parents have sucked the joy out of it a lot. But those players that bring the joy into. I think of, you know, Carla Overbeck in the middle of fitness, you know, in the middle of fitness, being like, there's no way Norway is doing this right now. And we all start kind of like giggling as you're, like, crying. But you. You just figure out how to make it fun, because by making it fun together, you want to work harder together. And I think that's an element that we shouldn't forget for sure. To being a great teammate. Can you. Can you bring the energy and joy to what you're doing on a daily basis?
- [37:34]
A
I can't. I think that this is such an important thing, and I believe a reason why those teammates are the most important is because they understand that the joy and the grind is done together. It is not done alone. And so those people are like the team, like unifiers, especially when we're suffering during. During sessions of. Of sprints or fitness or whatever it might be, like, finding the joy is. That's like an. It's one of the most important qualities around. Because it is hard. The. The people know it. They voted for it 78%. They know that being a professional athlete is hard. But. But here's the thing. Yeah. When you suffer together, it's possible it feels less hard. I mean, look, when I. When I was earlier in my retirement starting to train for marathon, I, like, could not deal with how hard running was by myself. And my wife was like, abby, just get a running partner. And I was like, why?
- [38:40]
B
So true.
- [38:41]
A
And she's like, because it'll be easier. And I was like, so wait, so suffering shared is better? She said, yes, that's just the way the world works. So nice. Oh, my God.
- [38:52]
B
Absolutely.
- [38:52]
A
That's right. That's why you've known this.
- [38:54]
B
You've spent life doing this suffering with teammates.
- [38:57]
A
I know. I know, it's the team.
- [39:02]
B
We've talked about a lot about the what of being, you know, the values that we cherish in teammates. But the why is equally important because I think it goes beyond sports. When you're a good teammate and you're a great teammate, like, you win in life, you win in sports, you win in relationships, you win with building a community out. Like, people want to be around you. When you're a good teammate, that. That understands the value of that. So is one of really, the gifts of sport is when you learn and you play on a team and you're part of a team that really clicks and you bring in all these diverse ideas and thoughts, and that becomes something you can bring to the table with work and family and relationships and everything else. And it's what I value the most.
- [39:54]
A
Yeah. And I think, just to end this conversation, I think one of the things that's the most important to me is that you don't have to be everything on this list.
- [40:03]
B
Yeah.
- [40:04]
A
You just have to be yourself. Like, find the things that are most interesting and fascinating to you about the list that we've just given, whether it's team first mentality or connection or competitiveness or consistency, or if you're a winner or not. You don't need all of those qualities in order to be a good teammate. You just need to show up and be yourself and understand that team sports and being a part of a team, being part of a family, being part of a community, you can work on this stuff all the days long. And it's just. It's. For me, it's like. It's. It's an experiment. Like, every time I go into a new team, I'm like, how do you get this team from where we are to where we ought to be? It's fascinating and fun.
- [40:55]
B
Yeah. I'm watching Cindy Parlo Cohn, who is a teammate of ours, who is a great teammate, do it. Now, talking about, how do you get a team? She's running U.S. soccer as the president of U.S. soccer. And she was on the quieter side. Right. She was more like a mia, but, man, did she bring such a consistency and empathy and emotional content that was so important. And I'm watching her crush it as president. And it's all these things that then you carry on with you for the rest of your life that you learn by being around these awesome women. So. What a gift. A gift. That's right, a gift.
- [41:33]
A
Cindy's a nice.
- [41:34]
B
Only 22% agreed with me on that. But I'm Sticking with it. Okay, party people, don't forget to subscribe to the welcome to the party YouTube channel. So you can actually watch the party. And if you subscribe, it pops up right away into your feed, which is really cool rather than having to find it each time. So definitely subscribe on the YouTube channel and then if you would, click that little bell icon because that's the thing that actually reminds you when new episodes go live. And we're going live on and we're going up on Tuesdays and Thursdays twice a week.
- [42:08]
A
And you know, if you can just take one minute, it would mean a lot to us to rate, leave a comment and subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. It's very important to us so that we can keep doing what we're doing because we love this. And then also just be. Be sure to follow us on TikTok and Instagram @. Welcome to the party show where Julie, Billy and I will bring the party straight to your feed. You can also email us at party people questionsmail.com that's party people questionsmail.com for any questions you want us to answer.
- [42:47]
B
We want to hear from you. We would love to hear, like, what are some of the things we should be hitting on? What are some of the sports? What are some of the stories? So all of that is great, great. We would love to hear also, Julie.
- [43:01]
A
I just need to give the proper shout out that Kate Diaz deserves.
- [43:05]
B
Yes.
- [43:06]
A
So when you are listening to this, this episode and all of our episodes, you will hear the theme music, folks. And the theme music.
- [43:14]
B
Attention, party people.
- [43:15]
A
Attention. I'm obsessed. It becomes like this ear worm for me. I'm like, boom, boom. Like, I'm. I'm like. It's just so great. And. And Kate Diaz is the woman who wrote and composed it herself. We love you, Kate. Thank you so much for.
- [43:33]
B
Thank you.
- [43:35]
A
The theme. You're the best. Yeah, we just love it.
- [43:38]
B
It's all her voices in there too. So good. So good.
- [43:42]
A
She's so great. Do you want to break us down, Jules?
- [43:45]
B
Let's go, party people. Put your hands in the middle. I got my little. Can you see that on? Because who knows? Gay might break out somewhere and I gotta get my hair up. Why do I still wear this?
- [43:58]
A
I don't know.
- [43:59]
B
That's my headband around my wrist.
- [44:02]
A
On three, from the soul Abby.
- [44:06]
B
One, two, three.
- [44:07]
A
USA.
- [44:08]
B
USA.
- [44:08]
A
USA. USA. U.S.A. we did it. We did it. Welcome to the Party is an independent production brought to you by Treat Media Treat Media makes art for humans who want to stay human forever. Dog is our production partner and you can watch our full conversations on the welcome to the party YouTube channel and follow us at welcome to the Party show on Instagram and TikTok.