Life Lessons From USWNT Coach Emma Hayes
- Amber Tatum
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
This past weekend I went to see the US Women’s National Soccer Team play Argentina in the She Believes Cup.
I am such a massive fan. Nerd level. Obsessive.
The game was…a little spicy. A couple of almost-fights bubbled up. Hair was pulled. Knees were slammed into backs. Yellow cards were issued. Ugly.
My US ladies won 2-0, but the win didn’t feel like other wins. It generated a collective sigh of relief that the clock ran out. The team looked frustrated. The fans felt that energy.
The team huddled up with coach, Emma Hayes, for a post-match talk and I was yearning to be a fly in that circle. Luckily, they posted a video of the huddle and I was taken with Emma’s words for the team. She is an amazing coach. Here is a partial transcript:
“It's a win, right? Remember as we develop into winning tournaments, sometimes you're gonna face an opponent and I know they might make it scrappy; it's a little bit ugly; it gets into a hair-pulling contest. It's not pure.
But what is important, what is important for everybody, is to make sure you don't feel disappointed.
We have won the first game; that's step one and we have positioned lots of you who might not have had the experiences of playing against Argentina for you to be reflective and say, “actually if we get a team like that in the World Cup, what have I learned?”
...Next one, Canada, right, and we stay together as always. We lift each other up. Good start, solid. Well done!”
Lessons here:
Reflect. Always. Win or lose, you must examine and learn from it. Be a sponge.
Take things one step at a time. What is the next right thing? Do that.
A win is a win. Take it. Let it lift you up. Let it teach you. On to the next.
These are life lessons I never tire of hearing. If it's good enough for the USWNT, it's good enough for me. Onward!
(Tomorrow we take on Canada. LFG!)
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