Here I sit again! I am on my laptop in a Chula Vista hotel just waiting to head to the Olympic Training center for practice. For some reason, this scenario is all too familiar. It seems that I have done this before. But, there is one significant difference. This time, I miss my little boy back home.
The National Team is together for the first time in 2011 and we have kicked off the New Year with new goals. It is wonderful to see the faces of each teammate. They all come from different backgrounds and are currently living life outside the National Team under very diverse circumstances. But, for these particular weeks, we all have the same goals, breath the same air, and conquer the same daily obstacles. It is refreshing to have people to share the experience with and encounter the physical pain together. There is just one main difference.
When the sunsets and the day comes to a close, I am walking through a different reality outside the pitch. I rush out of the training center, not to complete my college homework or call my best friend to see how last night’s social activities ended. Rather, I depart quickly so that I can call my husband and catch my 1 year-old son, Xavi, before he goes to bed.
The balancing act of being a wife, mother, and teammate is something that is still very novel to me. I have days were it seems impossible to do all three and other days that all the pieces fit together like a perfect jigsaw puzzle. But, no matter what type of day I am experiencing, one thing in very clear; I am a lucky woman! Not many people get to play the sport they love, with a group of amazing teammates, and then come off the field greeted by a supporting husband and adorable son. With the right amount of support and the right attitude, it is possible!
Until next time….
Keli
As the 2010 NCAA field hockey season came to a close, many players, fan, and coaches packed their bags and departed to Phoenix, AZ. This year, the USA Field Hockey Association hosted the annual hockey festival in north Phoenix.
Xavi, my son, and I joined my husband on the trip. Inako was recruiting and playing for the mixed team True North. I was also playing for the same team, and Xavi, well, he was just along for the ride.
Each day, we woke-up and packed the diaper bag in preparation for a long day at the fields. We spent countless hours watching and playing hockey, and enjoying life’s simple pleasures while viewing Xavi benefitting from the pure desert air. He was exhausted by the day’s end, but I know he had fun playing with other kids and feeling the constant attention from those around. It was a week of excitement for our little man!
It was a successful week for our mixed team ‘True North’ as the group once again brought home the championship. I might add, not too surprising. This was the most talented mixed group that I have ever played with. The picture shows some of the team but unfortunately many of our teammates had to fly home early and are missing from the photo.
Festival always seems to put a close on the field hockey season in America. So, raise your glasses to another year full of action packed excitement at every level.
Looking ahead, 2011 seems busy. First, the national team has a packed schedule as they prepare for the Pan American Games in Mexico. This is the first opportunity to qualify for the 2012 Olympics and we are looking forward to doing just that! Also, I am preparing to launch a competitive club team. Stay tuned for the details! Lastly and most important, Xavi is turning 1 year-old in January. Things are always exciting with him in our lives and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Until next time, get shopping and enjoy the eggnog!
Keli