50-Erin McLeod-on playing fearlessly, enjoying the process, and making art from the heart

In today’s episode I interview Canadian national team goalkeeper and Olympic medalist, Erin McLeod.

Erin’s obsession with competing in the Olympics  began at childhood in Alberta, Canada. Despite doubters, Erin was convinced it was going to happen. It did. And more.

Erin has represented Canada in three World Cups, and two Olympics, earning a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics. She is now seen as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

Erin’s talents extend beyond the soccer field. She is a tattoo artist, the co-founder of the clothing line company Motive Collective, the creator of Motive Nation (providing content and resources for people striving for more), the wife of pro-footballer Ella Masar,  and the mother to two chihuahuas,  among many other things.

Through it all, Erin has an insatiable hunger to grow, learn, evolve, and inspire.

In our conversation, Erin talks about:

-how her obsession with Wayne Gretzky and the Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles spurred her art career

-the influence her art has on her goalkeeping

-what it was like living and playing in Jakarta, Indonesia as a child during the riots

-the risk scale, created by  Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, that she uses  to rate her days

-her interaction with Lebron James at the Olympics

-why her third ACL tear served as an opportunity to fall in love with the game again

-the period-tracking app that she uses to enhance her performance on the field

And more.

Enjoy my conversation with the creative, never-ending learner Erin McLeod

Listen on iTunes: 50-Erin McLeod-on playing fearlessly, enjoying the process, and making art from the heart

Resources

Erin’s clothing line:

Motive Collective

Erin’s blog:

themotivenation.ca

On Instagram:

@erinmcleod1

On Twitter:

@erinmcleod18

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

41- Emily Infeld- On “no days off”, recovery tips, and coping from injury with Bon Bons

In today’s episode, I interview professional long distance runner Emily Infeld. Emily grew up running track in her hometown of University Heights. At Georgetown University, she set the school record in the 3000m and 5000m, and notched a first place 3000m finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. After college, Emily decided to pursue her dream of running professionally. She became one of the first women to join Jerry Schumacher’s Portland-based running group, the Bowerman Track Club, which encompasses some of the best runners in the world.

One of my favorite things about our conversation, is that despite Emily’s bubbliness and positivity, she candidly shares her internal struggles-including when she suffered a stress fracture just months before the Olympic trials (the race she’d been training for the past four years). In her lowest state. after a couple weeks of coping via snarfing down peanut butter and bon bons in bed, Emily persevered by accepting where she was and giving her best on that given day. Her strategies worked, as she competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics and earned a 3rd place in the World Championship finals.

In our conversation, we talk about:

-The benefits of high altitude training and other running “hacks”

-Her college track days (with Portland Thorns FC Emily Menges) attach link to Emily Menges podcast

-What it’s like training with her childhood idols, Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher

-Why she takes just one full day off every two months

-How she recovers from training sessions

And a lot more.

Enjoy my conversation with the upbeat, very fast human, Emily Infeld

Show Notes

:50 Who is Emily Infield?

3:10 The benefits of altitude training

6:57 What running hacks does Emily use? Cyrotherapy

8:20 Has Emily always known how to rest her body?

10:24 Emily’s recovery day

12:20 What does Emily do to release from the pressure of running?

13:50 Emily’s ombre hair & baking

16:02 Emily Menges’ Georgetown running

18:10 How did Emily choose Georgetown?

19:54 What other sports did young Emily participate in?

21:55 When did Emily start specializing in running?

23:15 Emily’s first Olympic dream

24:40 Emily’s path to the Bowerman Track Club

27:45 Her training partners:  Shalane Flanagan & Kara Goucher

29:39 What made the recruiting visit to Portland special?

30:52 Is Emily an analyzer or go with the flow personality?

31:49 Emily’s 1st training session with her idols

33:50 What is the training team like?

34:50 Is everyone’s training regime the same?

37:05 How helpful is training in a small team atmosphere?

39:12 World Championship experience 2015

42:23 How did she qualify for the Olympics?

43:37 Emily’s stress fracture recovery

45:49 How did Emily emotionally react to her setbacks?

49:38 What did it feel like for Emily to run in the Olympics?

52:50 Balancing competitiveness, setbacks and the appreciation of the sport

55:37 How does Emily get thru a mediocre track workout?

57:06 What would Emily tell her 12 year old self?

58:41 What are the best ways to recover after a run?

59:53 What music does Emily listen to while she runs?  Her obsession with Blink 182

1:00:47 Is running a form of mindfulness for Emily?

1:02:10 Emily’s morning routine

1:03:21 What body or mental prep does Emily do before training?

1:04:26 Biggest misconception that people have about Emily?

1:06:26 How does Emily get herself out of mental slumps?

1:08:12 Emily’s favorite failure

1:11:20 What is Emily’s favorite accomplishment?

1:13:38 What is Emily’s one simple tip for female athletes?

Follow Emily:

On Twitter: @emily_infeld

On Instagram: @EmilyInfeld

Share the love

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

39-Caitlin Foord-on sacrificing the “little parties in between for the bigger party at the end”

In today’s episode, I interview Australian national soccer team member, Caitlin Foord. Caitlin grew up a 2 minute walk from the beach in Lake Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia. Before Caitlin took up soccer, she participated in athletics, touch football, and surf life saving. At age 9, Caitlin played in her first soccer game at age and scored 6 goals. She hasn’t stopped netting goals since. Caitlin scored a goal in her first appearance with the Matildas. At 16,, she was the youngest Australian player to play in a World Cup and was voted the Best Young Player of the tournament. Caitlin has played in the the Australian W-league with Sydney FC and Perth Glory, in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) with Sky Blue FC, and is is currently playing in the Japan Women’s Football League  with the Vengalta Sendai Ladies.

In our conversation, we talk about

-the biggest differences between playing in Japan, USA, and Australia

-the times she had to sell chocolate bars at school to afford to go to soccer tournaments

-the sacrifices her mom, a single parent, made to help Caitlin pursue soccer

-why Caitlin hates warming-up

-her experience with being burned-out from soccer, and the strategy she used to fall back in love with her sport

-why she thinks the Matildas’ world ranking has continued to rise

-her love affair with music festivals, her dog Peach, and Chipotle

And more.

Enjoy, my conversation with Caitlin Foord!

Show Notes

:48 Who is Caitlin Foord  Sky Blue FC

2:50 Caitlin’s adjusting to the Japanese culture

6:40 Caitlin’s Japanese team – Vegalta Sendal

7:24 How does Japanese soccer style compare to US/Australian?

11:40 Cailtin’s early soccer travel and struggles of homesickness

16:00 Cailtlin’s childhood home,  Illawarra

17:40 Cailtin’s young star in soccer v. touch football

21:55 Her mom’s single parent support and selling chocolate bars to pay for      tournaments

27:23 Australian Nat’l team call up at 16 years old.

32:10 Cailtin’s favorite game

35:38 Her ability to separate soccer from other aspects of her life

40:29 Has she ever been burnt out from soccer?

43:20 Are their training things that Cailtin doesn’t like?

45:29 Caitlin’s morning routine

Brittney Cameron

@bcam00

47:01 Caitlin’s free time activities

48:15 Caitlin’s biggest misconception about herself

50:28 Is Caitlin a go with the flow athlete or an overthinker?

51:50 Her biggest accomplishment

52:45 What does she want to accomplish before she retires? And how does she want to be remembered?

53:45 Caitlin’s pregame body and mental prep

54:30 How does she deal with a bad game?

56:13 Best opponent and best teammate

Christie Rampone

@christierampone

Sam Kerr

@samkerr1

59:38 Best game day chants

1:00:39 Biggest life lesson from playing soccer

1:01:55 How does Caitlin eat a taco?

1:02:58 One simple tip for female athletes

1:04:22 Caitlin Foord

Follow Caitlin:

On Twitter: @CaitlinFoord

On Instagram: @CaitlinFoord

Caitlin’s obsession with her dog Peach (Instagram: @BrindlePeach

Share the love

If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

1. Click HERE

2. Click “view in itunes”

3. Click the “ratings and reviews” tab

4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

Garga Caserta-Thorns FC strength and conditioning coach-on maximizing speed, injury prevention, and the Brazilian capoeira

In today’s episode, I interview Garga Caserta. Garga is the Thorns FC performance management consultant and strength and conditioning coach. He is the owner of GC Strength,a sports performance center specifically for soccer players. He is also the father of two dogs, and soon-to-be human father, as he and his wonderful wife, Molly, are expecting a baby boy.

In this episode, we talk about how Garga grew up playing futsal in the streets of Brasil and how as a child, he had already calculated how many World Cups in which he was going to play in his lifetime. We discuss how Garga first gained interest in the power of movement through the capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music.

In the second portion of the interview, we dive into technical aspects of speed, agility, strength, and all things mobility.

Garga talks about:

-the most common mistake athletes make while training

-the importance of a meaningful warm-up

-how to prevent injuries, particularly acl tears

-the key components to increasing your speed

– why he makes Thorns FC players, wear gps and heart rate monitors every training

-why coach Mark Parsons and he plan out every single training session before our season starts

and more.

If you stick around to the end of the interview, Garga has a special gift for you!

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Garga Caserta.

Shownotes

:50 Who is Garga?

4:00 Garga’s art of coaching

5:21 His upbringing in Brazil

7:47 How and why did Garga move to the US.

10:07 What inspired his interest in movement?

17:00 When did Garga stop playing soccer?

22:06 Why did Garga come to Portland?

23:18 Garga’s transition to the Thorns conditioning coach

24:45 How does Garga prepare for Thorn’s pregame warmups?

27:35 What is central nervous activation response?

30:09 Benefits of warmups

30:48 Biggest mistake of running form

33:24 Tip for increasing running speed

36:08 Is speed and agility innate or taught?

37:47 How much does weight training influence speed?

41:01 Does Garga like heavy or light lifting?

43:46 Why is doing more not always better?

48:41 Importance of building fundamentals

51:00  biggest mistake rushing preparation

51:50 Garga & Mark Parson’s preplanning training sessions

55:07 Garga’s lighter day schedule

57:16 GPS systems & heart rate monitors

1:03:04 Garga’s video replay analysis

1:07.41 Garga’s new company

1:11.54 Fan questions

1:13.45 How can female athletes decrease the possibility of ACL injury?

1:16.35 What is the best method to increase speed and stamina?

1:18.04 How important is stretching?

1:20.01 What is one of Garga’s craziest beliefs?

1:21.38 Is there a body prep you do every day?

Share the love

If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

1. Click HERE

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3. Click the “ratings and reviews” tab

4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read

Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

Click HERE for Garga’s Free 1 month strength and speed workout

Click HERE for Garga’s Instagram & HERE for his Twitter

Click HERE for Garga’s Website

EP 24- Jacqueline Wiles: US ski team Olympian- On chasing snow and dreams, with a side of medicinal mushrooms

In today’s episode, I interview US downhill and super G ski team member and Olympian Jacqueline Wiles, aka Janky Lil’ J . Take a look at Jackie’s Instagram and you’ll see beautiful snow-capped mountains ranging from Chile to New Zealand to Switzerland. Jackie is living her dream, but her life isn’t always glamorous. Behind those photos are grueling traveling schedules, hours spent in the gym, and races lost by just .01 of a second.

Jackie wouldn’t want it any other way and is grateful for her journey.  From the moment Jackie started skiing at age 2, she had a need for speed. By age 3, Jackie distinctly remembers being upset that her 5 year-old brother was able to start ski racing, before herself. All her life Jackie knew that she wanted to make the US ski team, and held onto that image despite people doubting her.

After years of climbing the ranks, Jackie became one of just a handful females in the entire United States to be a part of the U.S ski team.  But her journey was just getting started.

Only certain members of the team are fully funded, and at the time, Jackie needed to find $25,000 to continue her dreams. She was able to raise the money through sponsorships, including one from her teammate Lindsey Vonn, through the Lindsey Vonn foundation. Also, Jackie’s teammates and her came up with a creative fundraising strategy, and sold “An Under The Suit: Bodies of the Ski Team”  calendars in which they posed naked on the mountain.

Jackie’s sport is filled with ups and downs, but she’s always learning from them and eager to keep improving.

In our conversation, we dig into:

-how Jackie qualified for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics just weeks before the event
-why Jackie posed naked on the mountain to assist her in raising the $25,000 needed to pursue her dreams
-becoming the first ambassador to her teammate Lindsey Vonn’s foundation, The Lindsey Vonn Foundation 
-how Jackie deals with skiing’s uncontrollable factors such as weather and slope conditions
-Jackie’s specific visualization technique before races
-Competing in World Cups (which are a lot different different than soccer World Cups)”
-how Jackie  travels and lives out a suitcase for the majority of the year
-Medicinal mushrooms and why Four Sigmatic Mushroom Tea  is  one of her favorite products to improve her performance
-what she’s thinking about when she’s  bombing down the hill at 70mph
-And a lot more

Share the love

If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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3. Click the “ratings and reviews” tab

4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Shownotes
:49           Who is Jaqueline Wiles?
4:07         Where did her nickname come from?
5:08        Jackie’s favorite song and music she listens to while skiing.
7:11          Jackie’s childhood skiing days
8:33         What other sports did Jackie play?
9:55          Angry 3 year old Jackie and her goal at age 5 to always ski.
11:27         What speed does Jackie ski at in competittions
12:28        Does fear intensify Jackie’s focus in skiing?
14:23        What does Jackie prepare for in each new terrain?
16:50        How much training is done on slope vs. gym?
18:38        How does Jackie incorporate visualization into her training?
21:38        How is it training for hours for just an 1 1/2 minute race?
24:03       What’s is Jackie’s prerace preparation?
25:33        Jackie’s decision to not attend college
27:57         What age did Jackie not see athletic progress and how did she change that?
20:04        Does Jackie spend more training time on the mountain or in the gym?
30:47         How did Jackie’s new training (Facebook@ BODY by TROY ) change the path to the  US Nat’l   team?
32:54        Training abroad experience
36:20        Does Jackie enjoy the individual competition or the team experience?
37:17          How important is equipment?
38:53         How does Jackie get back from a bad race experience?
40:17         Does Jackie journal?
42:13         Jackie’s blog  http://www.jacquelinewiles.com/blog/
46:38         Jackies naked calendar experience  http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/suit-calendar-features-nude-portraits-u-s-ski-team-gallery-1.2921503?pmSlide=1.2921600
51:48          How does US ski team sponsorship work?
53:38          Lindsey Vonn Foundation  https://www.lindseyvonnfoundation.org
56:17           Jackie’s morning routine
1:00.09       Has Jackie had a bad spill?
1:01              What’s the biggest misconception about Jackie?
1:02.17        What is one of Jackie’s craziest beliefs?
1:06.47        Does Jackie follow any type of diet?
1:08.26       What does 18 year old self Jackie wish she knew?
1:09.35        Jackie’s favorite failure
1:11.08        Jackie’s favorite accomplishment
1:12.53        Jackie’s one tip for female athletes

Jaqueline Wiles    http://www.jacquelinewiles.com
Jaqueline Wiles ski camp  http://www.jacquelinewiles.com/skicamp.html
Jackie Wiles instagram https://www.instagram.com/jankylilj/

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

Click HERE to check out Jackie’s Blog

Click HERE to support Jackie and her dreams

Click HERE to follow Jackie on Twitter & HERE to follow her on Instagram

Click HERE to sign-up for Jackie’s 6 day camp at Mt Hood

EP 18-Lianne Sanderson: English National Team footballer-on keeping it real and following your destiny

English national team footballer Lianne Sanderson grew up knowing she was destined to be a footballer. At age 14, she signed her first contract with Arsenal. By age 16, Lianne she was playing in front of 28,000 fans in the FA Cup Finals. From there, Lianne’s career has taken off.

She has played for 10 different teams. On those teams,  Lianne has participated in 3 FA Cup finals and two world cups, including the team who won the bronze medal in 2015. She’s also won the Champions League, and most recently  the 2016 NWSL Championship.

Since day one, Lianne has kept it real. Even during difficult times, she has always followed her intuition and never compromised who she is in the process.

In our conversation, Lianne opens up honestly about all areas of her life. She talks about what it’s currently like coming back form her first ever injury, attending an all girls school as a child, signing her first contract with Arsenal at the age 14, the most nerve wracking day of her life-which wasn’t playing in front of 28,000 fans as a young teenager, but rather when the day she was invited by the prime minister to attend his palace, what it’s like to be one of few openly gay professional athlete, her secret to goal-setting, and the importance of staying true to who you are.

Enjoy my candid conversation with the fierce, compassionate,  soccer-obsessed, human-loving, Lianne Sanderson.

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

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EP 15- Jill Loyden: Former USWNT Goalkeeper, The Keeper Institute Coach- On Overcoming Adversity and Becoming a Bouncy Ball

Former USWNT goalkeeper and founder of The Keeper Institute, Jill Loyden, has been an underdog her entire life. Growing up, Jill was one of three kids raised by a single mom, in Vineland, New Jersey. She was cut from several teams, laughed at when she told her grandma her dreams, and recruited by only two colleges.

But deep down, Jill,  has always known that only she controls her destiny, and has used this stubbornness to find a way through adversity.

Jill fought her way onto the US Women’s National team, but just months before the Olympics, she received the worst call she could have ever imagined. She lost her sister due to domestic violence.

Instead of allowing this tragedy to break her, Jill discovered an even greater purpose in her life. She continued playing in the Olympics, and started in a game on the day of her sister’s birthday, an accomplishment that meant far more than just a soccer game.

She’s since retired, coaches for Sky Blue FC and is the founder at the The Keeper Institute,which hosts the only facility in the country specifically catered towards goalkeepers.

In our conversation we talk about why Jill thrives being an underdog, why she views herself as a bouncy ball, how the loss of her sister changed her perspective on soccer and life, what to do if you our someone you know is involved in a domestic violence dispute, the one trait all the Greats possess, and she gives us  a simple yet highly effective exercise to get you through the most difficult times.

Jill’s a very inspiring human, and once you’re done listening to our interview, if you’re like me, you’ll want to head out into the world and take names!

Share the love

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

Ep 04: Tobin Heath: World Champion, 2x Olympic gold medalist-on crushing days and living authentically

U.S women’s national team member Tobin Heath (@TobinHeath) aka “The Nutmeg Queen” of the soccer world, is a 3x NCAA champion at North Carolina, a two-time olympic gold medalist, a World Cup champion, 2016 US soccer women player of the year winner, one of two women with 5 star skills on the EA Sports FIFA ’16 video game w/ 5 star skills….the list goes on.
She is an absolute baller and feels most at home on the pitch.
In this conversation, we cover many things, including:

-if her family share’s her laid-backness
-her thoughts while destroying an opponent down the flank
-living to crush each day
-if she gets nervous (spoiler alert: she doesn’t)
-the power of playing with intention
-staying true to herself, despite critics
-life after soccer
-her favorite failure
and heaps more.

Show Notes

1:01      Welcome Tobin Heath!

2:25      www.arrowliving.com

2:58     Does it bother Tobin when her hair is always in her face?

3:59     Did Tobin come from a laid back family?

5:23    Was Tobin born soccer obsessed?

6:44     Tobin’s most influential people in her youth.

7:30     At what age did Tobin want to make the National team?

10:15    When was her 1st National Team call up? 

11:00    Does Tobin get nervous? 

11:51    How does Tobin deal with off-field pressure?

12:38    What is going through Tobin’s mind when she destroy an opponent down the flank? 

14:19    Are skills innate or learned? 

16:26    What does it means to “feel” the ball and importance of intentions

18:05    Is Tobin intentional outside of soccer?

18:53    Where is home?

20:52    What’s left for Tobin to win?

22:23    Anson Dorrance quote

23:06    Tobin’s “here and now” mentality

24:39    Morning routine

25:34    Favorite coffee shop in Portland:  Coffeehouse Northwest

26:08    Free time activities

27:27    Favorite books

28:03    Tobin’s greatest accomplishment in soccer 

34:29    Does Tobin ever go against her instincts?

35:53    Tobin’s life-purpose 

38:40    Favorite failure  

40:20    Tobin’s one simple tip for female athletes

41:32     Where can you find Tobin Heath?

Share the love

If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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2. Click “view in itunes”

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content