MillyMakerLife

Featuring: Lori Lindsey
Sport: Soccer
Position: Mid-Fielder
Level Played: Professional (13 year injury-free professional career), U.S Women’s National Team
Website: http://www.lorilindsey.us

1.Do you think there are positive role models for young athletes to look up to? If yes, who? If no, why not?

Absolutely. The sport of soccer itself has a ton of positive role models – look at the U.S. women’s national soccer team who just won the 2015 Women’s World Cup. All of these women are dedicated to their craft of being the best they can be on the field, but they are also very well-rounded women who are educated and speak up about issues pertaining to equality and women’s right. All qualities that I believe any young female athletes would want to emulate.

2. If you had one piece of advice to give to a young female athlete, what would it be?

Take care of your most important weapon: your body. Too many athletes wait until it’s too late to start focusing on this.

It’s an exciting time for young female athletes to be involved in sport as there are so many opportunities for them to participate. However, due to the increase of the digital era and decrease of physical education and overall general play – many of these athletes are thrown into situations without preparation.

We are seeing more and more injuries, especially at earlier ages, due to burnout, over involvement, and sport specificity. With that said, my advice for female athletes is to strength train.

The benefits of strength training (i.e. improved athleticism and injury prevention) are not limited to just the field – It’s self esteem, confidence, and empowerment that one gains from her new found strength that will carry over in to all aspects of her life.

3. What makes a strong female athlete?

A strong female athlete is one who is strong on the field and is dedicated to master her sport, but who is also strong off the field, using the skills she’s learning on the field and applying them off the field.

4. How has failure played a part in your training and career? How has it helped you to succeed?

It’s taught me to focus on the things I can control. The outcome of my goals might not pan out the way I want or expected, but I have the choice to continue to pursue my goals and attack them in another way. Focusing on small progress and enjoying the journey is in my control.

5. Tell us about your life now and how being involved in sports has shaped who you are today.

I am a strength coach at Ambitious Athletics in Washington, DC. We train everyone from the general population to young athletes. To me, coaching is the next best thing to playing as I get to “pay it forward” to all the people who helped me throughout my career. Plus, I still get to be a part of a team which was my favorite aspect of playing team sports. I believe my dedication to being the best I could be and my curiosity about soccer and the game is what made me successful. I use these qualities everyday in coaching.