As it turns out, Lin came crashing down due to a knee injury. Even though he’s out for the rest of the season, don’t expect him to just kick back and play Party Poker all day with his boys. The young point guard has clearly shown that he’s a baller, and a valuable asset the Knicks will miss in the postseason.

That’s really what makes this story so great. Despite the “expert” coaches, scouts and GMs not giving him a snowball’s chance, the kid proved himself on the NBA’s biggest stage. And the Knicks didn’t waste any time capitalizing on the Linsanity. Everyone got caught up in the frenzy, including the world’s biggest media outlets. Lin He graced the cover of Sports Illustrated two weeks in a row, then followed that up with the cover of Time.

Lin’s success on the court is not a fluke. For all of you diamond’s in the rough out there still waiting to be discovered, here are 5 tips to keep in mind while you are still unknown.

1. The only expert on you is you.

When we’re trying to make an impression on someone, the tendency is to invest all of our self-worth in the opinions of the people we’re trying to impress. The problem with that approach is that those people generally don’t know much, if anything about you: your intelligence, your work ethic, your motivation– all the intangibles that have drive your performance but usually take time for an outsider to discover. Don’t let someone else’s lack of knowledge discourage you. You just need to educate them.

2. Be open to wherever the journey takes you.

As an undrafted rookie, Lin was offered a contract from the Dallas Mavericks, last year’s NBA Champions, but instead decided to play for his home town Golden State Warriors. After bouncing around from California to China to Houston to the NBA D League, Lin finally ended up in New York City. The journey was frustrating but the current situation couldn’t be better. His coach’s offense is a perfect fit for his abilities, his teammates love him, and the bright lights of the Big Apple have turned Lin into one of the NBA’s most marketable athletes to an Asian market worth billions of dollars. I’m sure Lin didn’t plan his roadmap to success this way, but things certainly seem to have panned out.

3. Stay confident.

A lot of people are wondering if Lin’s game will get sidetracked with all of the trappings of fame swirling around him. It’s a valid concern, but Lin was actually a popular player in Golden State, despite barely getting any playing time. Which scenario is more likely to affect to negatively affect your performance? Praise and adoration, or being cut, criticized and ignored? If Lin kept his confidence when nobody believed in him, he should thrive with his new celebrity status. Staying focused on the goal, grounded in his beliefs, and confident in himself arethe reasons he has turned his struggles into success.

4. Be Consistent.

This image says it all. Lin’s countless hours in the gym are the reason he’s helped turn a team on the brink of collapse into an exciting contender. The idea of overnight success is the biggest myth in life. Success takes more time than most people are willing to commit. But when they do commit, the payoff can be huge.

5. Be prepared.

While success may not come overnight, recognition does. Sometimes it happens in a split second. When someone else sees in you what you’ve always seen in yourself, you need to be ready to seize the opportunity and run with it. Don’t worry about how you’ll perform. You’ve put in the work and cultivated your self confidence from hours of focus and dedication. Your game will take care of everything else.

Joslin Green is the Founder and President of PLAY3RSPORT, the Leadership Academy for the Next Generation of Athletes. Connect with him on Twitter @JoslinDGreen

I’m currently playing soccer for West Virginia Tech but I am a Canadian citizen. I originally wanted to take Criminal Justice and become a police officer when I got back to Canada.

However after my first semester and 16 credit hours’ worth of classes I realized I was not actually as interested in Criminal Justice as I thought was. Maybe it was all those episodes of The Wire. Whatever the reason, it became clear as the year went on that being a police officer actually wasn’t the right occupation for me.

The reality is that the average college or university student changes their major 2 to 3 times throughout their time at school. So for all of you high school athletes and parents, here are three things to keep in mind as you consider a major and a school, especially in another country.

1. Will the major get you to where you want to be?

As I mentioned, I thought I wanted to be a police officer so I decided on criminal justice. After graduation, the plan is to return to Canada and start a career in my hometown of London, Ontario. Here’s the problem. I found out near the end of my semester that when I return to Canada my major would not be honored due to the differences between the US and Canadian government and legal systems. If I would have continued for 4 years, unaware of this fact, I would have come out with only a minor in psychology (which was recommended to accompany Criminal Justice) and no major at all. Be aware of all of the requirements for your career and make sure your major includes as many of those requirements as possible.

2. What are some minor (or major details) you want your school to have?

When I first started to think about which school I wanted to go to, there were several features I had in mind. I was actually not looking at the athletics first. Yes, it was a factor for me but the education was the first priority.

My mother always said to me growing up “Soccer will help get you an education but focus on your education first. If you ever get injured and cannot play you will always have your education to fall back on.” Look at the different aspects of the schools you’re considering and see if they match up with the career you wish to have when you finish your education. Big school or small campus? Warm weather or cold? Lecture hall or intimate classroom setting?

I went with a small school because I love being in a class where you can get one-on-one attention from a teacher who actually knows your name, rather than just being another student ID number. Location was another big thing. Do you care how far away you are from home? I am about an eleven hour drive from home so I fly home for every holiday. That is an added expense you really need to consider.

3. What do you LOVE to do?

When I realized that criminal justice was not for me I decided on a physical education major with a sports management minor. Even though I am not one hundred percent sure of the job I wish to have in the future I know FOR A FACT that I want to work within sports.

So what do you love? Do you love how organisms works (biology), or how people have lived (history)? Do you love to read or write (english)? Think of it this way, if you are going to be in a career for the rest of your life, you might as well be doing something you love to do. I know for myself, if I am going to get up at six or seven in the morning I had better be getting up for something I really like to do. Choose what you love and what makes you happy!

Hopefully my experiences this year will help you with the process of choosing a school or major. Feel free to pass on this information along to anybody who may be going through this stage right now.

Bridget Leach is a Playersport athlete and a Canadian varsity soccer player for the West Virginia Tech Golden Bears

Most of us think of Tom Brady as The Golden Boy.

The Patriots leader will go into the history books as one of the top five quarterbacks of all time. A win in Super Bowl XLVI could place him even higher than his childhood hero, Joe Montana, as arguably the best quarterback ever.

There isn’t enough room in this post for Brady’s achievements so just head over to his wikipedia page to get your mind blown.

You would think that Brady was a naturally gifted athlete, blessed by the football gods with spectacular ability, and destined from birth for sports immortality.

But you would be wrong.

Brady has persevered through more obscurity, scorn, and rejection than any other Hall of Famer.

Tom Who?

The beanpole quarterback from San Mateo California began his illustrious career as a backup on a high school team that hadn’t won a single game all season. As Tom Brady Sr. puts it:

“The team didn’t score a touchdown and Tom still wasn’t considered good enough to play one offensive play.”

After a lackluster high school career, he somehow managed to secure a spot on the roster at the University of Michigan. Although seven other quarterbacks were ahead of him, Brady’s attitude was always positive. Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr describes Tom’s memorable determination as a sophomore fighting for a starting spot.

“Tom sat down right in front of me and said, ‘Coach, I’m not going to leave. I’m going to prove to you that I’m the best quarterback.’”

By his senior year, Brady had worked hard and proven that he could lead the team, carrying the Wolverines all the way to an Orange Bowl victory. He earned the nickname the Comeback Kid for winning come from behind games in dramatic fashion. Games that would never have been in question, if only the coaching staff had let Brady continue to play rather than sharing his time with the much heralded, Michigan native – blue chip recruit, Drew Henson. Remember him? We didn’t think so.

Yet, despite Brady’s patient leadership and obvious success, the only thing NFL scouts saw was “a skinny kid with poor build who can’t drive the ball downfield, and gets knocked down easily.”

The waiting continued.

Number 199

That’s where Tom Brady was selected in the 2000 NFL draft.

Round number 6, pick number 199.

How’s that for a confidence booster? As Brady watched six quarterbacks get picked ahead on him, he tearfully recalls wondering if anyone else believed in him as much as he believed in himself.

Reluctantly, New England head coach Bill Belichick decided to take a chance. The young Brady was no longer competing against a home town hero for a playing spot. Now he had to prove himself against an NFL All Pro quarterback in Drew Bledsoe. From an outsider’s perspective, the chances of Brady ever cracking the roster looked slim to none.

For Brady, it was pure motivation. Be patient. Work hard. The time will come.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft recalls vividly his first meeting with Brady. As Tom introduced himself, Kraft remarked that he knew who he was, he was their sixth round draft choice. To which Brady replied, “That’s right. And I’m the best decision, this organization has ever made.”

Brady’s confidence never wavered, even after his rookie season passed without him appearing in a single regular season game. He knew that if someone gave him a chance, he would come through. He just needed to keep waiting for that chance.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long. When Drew Bledsoe got injured in the second game of the 2001 season, the unproven, gangly, sixth round pick was thrust into the starting spot.

His patience paid off. Five months later, Brady became the youngest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl, capturing MVP honors in the process. And the rest is history.

With over 40 NFL records, you’d think Tom Brady doesn’t have anything left to prove.

You would be wrong again

“When I look at myself play I still don’t think I’m very good. I want to be the best quarterback for this team. I want to earn it, every single day. That’s what gets me up every morning.”

It’s pretty remarkable that someone who has reached the height of professional and personal glory (let’s not forget about his supermodel wife and brand new mansion) is still driven to succeed each and every day. Let’s unpack exactly how Brady fostered a lifestyle of perseverance in order to have incredible success.

1. Believe in Yourself

This is the most important and often the most difficult thing to do. After a certain age, we are actually conditioned to stop believing that we can achieve anything we put our minds to and instead settle on the path of least resistance. Don’t do it. Stay focused on your goals and believe in your ability to make it happen. Time and again, despite the circumstances, Brady believed in himself.

2. Find Another True Believer

In Brady’s case the other True Believer was his father, Tom Brady Sr. In an interview after his senior year at university, Brady quipped that his parents had also graduated that year, from the University of Northwest Airlines! Their support for Brady was consistent and strong, particularly during his trying times at Michigan, when he contemplated transferring as a junior. He would not be where he is today without their encouragement. There will be days when your belief in yourself will disappear. Make sure you have someone you can lean on to remind you that you are not struggling alone.

3. Be Ready.

This is where the first two steps come into play. Diligent preparation to figure out exactly how you’re going to reach your goals, along with regular practice to overcome the barriers, will ensure you’re ready when the opportunity presents itself. In high school, university and the NFL, Brady worked tirelessly to improve his strengths and neutralize his weaknesses, patiently waiting for his opportunity to arrive. It always did.

Preparation, Practice and Perseverance

The 3 keys to achieving your goals come down to those three “Ps”.

If you were looking for a magic formula there isn’t one. You don’t need any more time, money or natural ability than you’re currently working with. You just need to be consistent and the results will come.

Work It – Take Action

Read. Check out the article on how Tom Brady still relies on another True Believer—his middle school throwing coach

Write. Sit down and document exactly what it is you believe about yourself. Show it to your True Believer and ask them to add their own thoughts as well. Keep it right alongside the Mission Brief for your goals, as encouragement when times are tough.

Reflect. Research some of your heroes or talk to some people you look up to and find out what things they had to persevere through to make it to where they are today.

In case you were on another planet this week, Tebow pulled off the best performance of his NFL career, leading his underdog Broncos to an upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Preparation is paying off.

After you’ve prepared yourself by identifying your motivations, resources and barriers, I won’t lie to you, this next step is going to take some serious work. It’s time to focus on breaking down the barriers standing in your way and building up a new you with a clear focus and a consistent routine.

Breaking Barriers like Brees

As in Drew Brees, one of the hardest working and most dedicated athletes in professional sports.

Let’s talk barriers. Earlier this year, when football fans were sweating bullets at the prospect of not having an NFL season, Brees took matters into his own hands. He organized and paid for team practices when he technically had no team to play for.

Offensive guard Carl Nicks considers Brees’s work ethic as second to none.

“He’s not of this world,” says Nicks. “You’ve got a guy who practices what he preaches. He’s the first one to practice and the last to leave. If you don’t do anything but watch him, you’re going to get better.

Despite the naysayers, the heart and soul of the New Orleans Saints earned his record breaking season by putting in more time Monday through Saturday than any other player in the NFL.

Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey, a physical specimen in his own right, has tried unsuccessfully to outwork the undersized quarterback.

“I cannot beat him here, ” Shockey said. “He’s here very early. I’ve been here every day at about 6 o’clock, and he’s beaten me here.”

Coaching staff and trainers can attest that Brees is always the first one to arrive and the last one to leave. He sets a standard for his teammates, making it clear that the leader works harder than everyone else. His personal motto says it all:

“I will not be denied. I will not fail”

Building a Routine of Excellence

World renowned fitness expert Todd Durkin has trained some of the best NFL players in the game today, including Aaron Rodgers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Reggie Bush. In his eyes though, none of them can compare to Brees when it comes to sheer work ethic and discipline. In an interview posted on Durkin’s website, the trainer explains what sets Brees apart:

“One of the best stories about Drew is the oft-told story about how he came back from major shoulder surgery when everyone doubted whether he would come back at all. Drew never doubted that he would be back in the NFL again after he suffered that devastating injury in 2005. That’s always one of my favorite stories. I guess one of the more recent stories that I can share is when Drew won almost every ESPY award in July and we went out and had a great time afterwards. But of the athletes, there was only one person up the next morning at 7AM and that was Drew Brees. And that’s consummate Drew. I was training him in the gym at 7AM the day after the ESPYs – the morning after there were a lot of parties and hoopla afterwards. But Drew is so disciplined in his approach that despite his busy schedule with appearances, endorsements, community involvement and everything he does, he never lets those things be a distraction. He continues to do what he needs to do to be in the best shape of his life and compete at a world-class level.”

The devastating injury Durkin is referring to was the shoulder separation Brees suffered in the final game of the 2005 season. The damage was so severe that it brought with it a 360-degree torn labrum, a partially torn rotator cuff and capsule damage. Basically, every piece of tissue that allows you to throw. No small obstacle for a professional quarterback.

Needless to say, few people believed he would even play again. Brees on the other hand, set two modest goals for himself.

1. Become the NFL comeback player of the year
2. Win league MVP

Early on in the process, Brees would show up at Durkin’s house in the mornings to practice throwing again. Five yards at a time. Slowly, painfully, and consistently building himself up to be even better than he was before the injury.

Break and Build

Those are the keys to conquering barriers.

Break down the elements of your goals and your perceived barriers into small, manageable, 5-yard chunks of action. Consistently work on those small steps until you’ve reached a milestone. Reward yourself. Then up the ante and keep moving forward to the next level.

Build on your progress with a steady routine that allows you to slowly reach your goal while developing a better, stronger you in the process.

Work It – Take Action

Read. Check out the STACK magazine article on the Rebuilding of Drew Brees. And if you’re feeling really brave, take a stab at his workout routine.

Write.Write down all of the barriers related to your goal on a single sheet of paper. Everything you can think of that is preventing you from getting to where you want to be. Simply writing them out is an important part of breaking them down in pieces you can crush. On a separate sheet of paper write down, in as much detail as you can, the regular (hourly, daily, weekly) actions you will take to defeat those barriers.

Reflect.Talk to a friend, teammate or family member that has overcome some major barriers and listen to their story. Take notes on the specific tactics they used in their own situation and determine if there is anything you can use for your own resolutions.

Oh right, his skills as a quarterback.

It’s ironic that while the top three quarterbacks in the NFL are having historic seasons, the media’s attention is focused on one of the worst passers in the league. For some reason, his faith is a compelling story, even though there are several more accomplished players (e.g. Larry Fitzgerald, Troy Polamalu) who are equally outspoken about their faith.

For me though, the compelling story about Tebow is that he’s not content with having the top selling jersey, while he’s sitting at only 15th in passer rating. He wants to be the best. And he’s motivated to work his tail off in preparation for greatness.

The first step on the road to achieving any goal is preparation: well thought out, systematic preparation.

Most people with a goal in mind spend little or no time on preparation. They jump right into the action without first asking the right questions and being honest with themselves about the answers.

What do I want to achieve?

Why is it important?

How long will it realistically take?

What things will I need to change?

Before you start hitting the gym or cutting the calories, make sure that the critical questions are asked and answered. This will save you hours of precious time, and prevent the disappointment of unmet expectations. Taking the time to reflect will reveal:

- the real motivation behind the goal you’re trying to reach

- the pros and cons of striving to make it happen

- how long will it realistically take

- the list of resources you’ll need

- how your life will change during the process

- what your life will look like after you’ve made it happen

Stats tell us that 46 per cent of people are still on track towards their New Year’s resolutions after six months. So does that mean that more than half of us fail, or that almost half of us succeed? Let your answer be your guide. Are you positive or negative about the prospect of change?

Now is the time to be brutally honest with yourself. Admit that it’s likely going to take a lot of work, and ask yourself: Am I up to the challenge? Am I willing to make the sacrifices necessary to succeed?

To help you through the process, we’re giving you a great resource used by our athletes in the BLU3PRINT Performance program. The Goal Preparation Mission Brief is a step-by-step template that will help you determine exactly what it is you want to achieve and what it will take to get there.

Download it here: Goal Preparation worksheet (PDF) .

Take your time. It’s better to realize that you need more time to get prepared, than to commit halfheartedly and give up before you’ve made any real progress.
If you’ve counted the cost and are still raring to go, next up, Step 2: Conquering Barriers.

Work It – Take Action

Read. Check out the article on how Tim Tebow is preparing to become the next great NFL quarterback.

Write. Download the Goal Preparation worksheet (PDF) .

Reflect. Tell someone close to you, whose opinion you trust, what your resolutions are for the New Year. Ask them some of the questions from the Mission Brief (“What do you think I will need to do to get a tryout in June?”) and see how their answers compare to your own. A different perspective will help make sure that you’re not fooling yourself.

If you’re like most people, when January 1st rolls around you’ll think up a major resolution, force yourself to do something for a few weeks and then give up once you realize that change is hard.

Don’t be like most people.

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to dive into three simple yet critical steps you need to take in order to really conquer your resolutions and change your game in the New Year.

1. Preparation: Learn how to equip yourself with the resources and knowledge you’ll need to make progress (90% of people miss this step entirely which is why the fail. Miserably).

2. Conquering Barriers: Identify the walls –real or imagined– that are standing in the way of your goals and learn how to deal with setbacks before they happen.

3. Perseverance: Everyone falls off at the horse at some point. Expect it. Embrace it. The people who are successful are simply more persistent about getting back on after they hit the dirt. Every. Single. Time.

This series will put you in a position to not only keep your resolutions at the start of the new year, but more importantly, give you the tools to consistently improve over the next 12 months. .

Anything that you want to accomplish, whether it’s losing ten pounds, adding ten points to your scoring average or boosting your GPA by 1.0, we can make it happen.

Let’s do this!

Bridget coming at you from my home sweet home in London Ontario Canada! It feels great to be back home! There is one thing missing though…SNOW! I miss it! I can’t believe I’m going to have a green Christmas, that’s just now Canada!

Anyway enough about me being sad for a green Christmas, I had the amazing opportunity to interview professional soccer player Joanna Lohman. I wanted to interview her after hearing the amazing project she is working on! Her along with her Philadelphia Independence teammate Lianne Sanderson are partners in the amazing project JoLi Academy. They will travel to India in January. But for a better explanation of what these two amazing women will be doing read the interview with Joanna Lohman and if you were touched and inspired like I was please donate or bid on their auction at http://joliacademy.myevent.com/

BL: Thank you again Joanna for taking the time out of your day to answer my questions. First off what are your thoughts on the condition of the WPS right now?

Joanna: The WPS is in a difficult situation at the moment. Since there were issues with Magicjack, the league was forced to make the tough decision to force them out of the WPS, leaving the league with only five teams. US Soccer has given the WPS waivers in the past to hold Division one status but considering this was the third year where it did not satisfy Division one requirements, US Soccer is no longer as lenient. US Soccer will now have to determine how they would like the WPS to continue and in what form. This uncertainty is hard for everyone involved in the league, from the CEO down to the individual player. Speaking from experience, it is hard to make decisions when a situation is so uncertain. There are never any guarantees that the league will survive from one year to the next so you always have to be prepared for the worst, or so to say, have a Plan B. It is a harsh reality of female professional team sports and I think that many players are used to it by now. I think in order for this league to be a long-term success the business plan must be totally revamped. I think this is slowly becoming apparent.

BL: You were very successful at Penn State! Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2000, many awards and nominations and you racked up 41 goals, 37 assists and 114 points! How did you keep the balance of soccer, academics and a social life?

Joanna: Many people assume that it is hard to balance soccer, academics, and a social life. However, I truly believe that playing sports since a young age teaches you the life skills to make this a fairly easy balancing act. When you are passionate about a sport, you learn vital skills that serve you both on and off the field. These essential lessons in focus, determination, leadership, TIME MANAGEMENT, drive, competitiveness, to just name a few, enable one to have better experiences in life. What you learn on the field translates well off of it. I have always believed that giving anything less than your best is sacrificing the gifts we are given. This goes for each aspect of life and pure self-motivation creates this beautiful balance.

BL: Before you settled to go to Penn State were you looking at any other schools? If so, was your decision hard?

Joanna: I took my official visits to the University of Michigan, Duke, University of Virginia, and Penn State. My final decision came down to UVA vs. PSU. It was not easy but since I felt like every school was strong enough academically, I could purely focus on my contribution to the soccer team. At Penn State, I thought I could have the greatest impact on the field and the student life seemed to fit my personality well.

BL: What were you favorite classes?

Joanna: My favorite classes were math and business. Hence the major in business management, and the minor in mathematics. I love the idea of there being a right answer. I love numbers, formulas, spreadsheets, calculators, and equations. I could perform algebra all day. Yes, I am a nerd. There is no greater feeling than finding a solution to a problem.

BL: How was your dorm life, or if you did not live in a dorm, how were your living conditions? Did most of your team live close together?

Joanna: I lived in the dorms my freshman year but then moved off campus with four of my teammates from sophomore year on. This was a very pleasurable experience but I would recommend living with non-teammates because you really get to broaden your spectrum of interaction. While I loved my roommates, I think I would have benefited from reaching out. It is very important to get away from the game sometimes and when you surround yourself with teammates, this becomes a more difficult task to accomplish.

BL: What is your most treasured memory in your whole college experience?

Joanna: My most treasured memory would have to be making it to the Final Four my sophomore year. This is what every college athlete dreams of and works all year towards. It was extremely painful to lose in the semi-finals but it was an experience I will never forget and will always be proud of.

BL: What is on your pre-game playlist?

Joanna: My pre-game play list consists of the latest house tunes. I like a strong powerful beat that gets my heart pumping out of my chest. For instance:
Calvin Harris – “Love in a Hopeless Place”
David Guetta – “When Love Takes Over” and many many more
Lady Gaga – “Marry the Night”
Swedish House Mafia – all their tunes are legit

BL: I have heard many great things about the JoLi Academy. Can you tell the readers and I a little bit about what this great project is and how it came to be?

Joanna: The idea firstly originated due to my brother living in Chennai, India. He works in the US Consulate as a Vice Consul. Lianne and I planned a month-long trip to go see him and to explore a country full of unique experiences. At the time we thought to ourselves why not make a fusion of this trip with our unique soccer backgrounds.

The original idea was called “Indian Vision”. The goal was to share our experience, passion, and knowledge for the game of soccer with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with the intent of evolving and growing the women’s game. Lianne and I both know how hard it can be for women to have the opportunities she and I have had in the world of soccer. Coming from the Western part of the world we have advantages as females that some women in other countries don’t get. One of these advantages has been to play professional soccer for both country and clubs all over the world, from the United States all the way to Spain. What drove us to this idea of “Indian Vision” was the burning desire we had and still have to give back what we have gained from years and years of playing this beautiful fulfilling sport. We have learned qualities such as confidence, drive, ambition, determination, leadership and focus which are essential, not only on the field but also, in the day to day life off the field. We want to share our experience and we want to help by making an impact mainly in developing countries where soccer, especially women’s soccer is minimally supported and under developed. It is with all of these important things in mind that we focused on this mission with the hope and intention of building long lasting relationships and long term positive impact not only with individuals but with whole countries.

At first the aim was to partner with PLAY3R Sport in helping with the training and development of the All Indian Football Federtaion (AIFF), the aim was to do this by having a 4-7 day camp in Goa (India) during the month of January 2012. We will work with the AIFF and the female players to develop their game and help put their team forward in the global standings. Nike will provide gear and the camp will be held in Goa, home of one of the few turf fields in India. The initial camp will be the start of a 4-5 year program that works with the AIFF to assist in their qualification for the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cups. This was all the original idea that came with “Indian Vision”, but things ended up molding and taking a different shape. We originally wanted to work with the Women’s National Team (WNT) and the AIFF but we got introduced to YUWA and we felt that the biggest impact would be made at the grassroots level in one of the worst areas of India, Jharkhand.

Now, JoLi Academy aims to change the trajectory of the lives of young women around the world– through soccer. Their first stop is in India– January 2012. Here JoLi Academy will share its gained experience with the All Indian Football Federation and an incredible NGO, YUWA (www.yuwa-india.org). JoLi Academy intends to supplement the training and development of these young female players by spending 10 days with them in Jharkhand, one of the poorest, least literate and most lawless regions in India. The ultimate goal is to mentor the girls to increase their chances to secure a more hopeful future: English studies, nutritional recommendations, and education opportunities both domestically and internationally.

The JoLi Academy, India 2012, will mark the first time that an NGO is working directly with the Indian Women’s National Team. This historic collaboration will have implications for years to come and will better propel India to seriously make a run at future Women’s World Cups.

JoLi Academy will bring along a two-man film crew to film what will be a short documentary about an all-girls soccer program competing, living, and thriving in rural Jharhkand, India. The Yuwa Girls play soccer with virtually no funding on a borrowed patch of field just like the great players of the world did when they were children – Messi, Rooney, and Marta.

In India’s top source state for human trafficking, teamwork is also a powerful force to combat the three primary causes of a young woman’s vulnerability: few opportunities, gender inequality, and lack of confidence. In Yuwa, a girl gains confidence to challenge the social script of gender inequality, and is introduced to opportunities she might not have dared consider for herself. The idea is to develop an atmosphere in villages which creates a sense of belonging, that builds a girl up, and that makes parents aware of a girl’s rights and value.

BL: Finally, any advice to give to girls in high school going through the recruiting process or looking to become a professional soccer player in their future?

1. Deliberate Practice Makes Perfect:

There is a magic number to becoming great: 10,000 hours. This is the amount of time it takes to become great at any one thing. That is A LOT of time. No one becomes an expert without this magic number, not Warren Buffett, not the Beatles, not Jerry Rice, not Mia Hamm, not Benjamin Franklin, not Picasso… NO ONE.

There is no way around this principle. There are no secret formulas. There is no easy way out. Deliberate practice makes perfect. Deliberate practice. What is it? There are three practice zones: the comfort zone, the learning zone, and the panic zone. In order to be deliberately practicing we must be in our learning zone. We can’t constantly work on things that we already have down pat (comfort zone) and we can’t work on things that are too far out of our reach (panic zone). We must focus on things that we need to improve and find challenging to improve (learning zone) and we must be able to repeat this, over and over.

To conclude, practice early, practice often, and practice deliberately. This is the only path to perfection.

2. The way you do anything is the way you do everything:

As described above, there is no getting around the fact that success takes hard work. No one is catapulted to the top. You must be willing to put in the time and the effort IN PRACTICE to reach your full potential. This is true for everything in life. There are athletes that try to cut corners, cheat, and expect to be handed the glory on a silver platter. If this is ones mentality, then this is how he or she will operate on the whole. Pushing oneself to the point of exhaustion is a learned trait. Extreme concentration is a learned trait and no one possesses a switch to be able to turn this on and off freely.

3. There is never a moment where you are not representing your own personal brand:

As a professional athlete, you have an image. You are looked up to. Young kids dream of doing what you do when they get older. There is no getting around this concept. Whether you get paid millions or thousands, you are a walking, breathing, and living representation of your brand. As we have seen numerous times before (Tiger Woods is the most notorious example) professional athletes are not only judged by their performances on the field but also off. It comes as part of the package that ones actions off the field can have serious effects on their overall brand. It is not just all about hitting the right shots, scoring the goals, and finishing first. It is also about fulfilling your duties as a public figure.

Every athlete, whether they like it or not, has a brand. It is their choice what they make of it. It is said that with power comes responsibility. Although it may be hard to constantly be in the limelight, with it comes a great platform to do good.

These three rules of thumb are my personal creed. I do not just write these words, I live them and I recommend that any professional athlete take what they do and who they are extremely seriously. Because if they don’t, no person will.

When I first thought back on the season before our last game I had all of these ideas in my head on what to write and post for this blog. But now I’m speechless. That last game got to me a little bit. Although we only have 2 seniors this year I got to know both of them pretty well, in the 3 months I’ve been here.

Hannah is a senior striker who has gotten a few hat tricks in her years here at Tech. She is from Wisconsin, or as we call it, lower Canada! She’s a biology major, which was fun for me because she had a project where she needed to collect 25 bugs and classify them.

For some reason I LOVE bug hunting! Let’s just say you’re welcome Hannah for the ‘A’ you will be getting thanks to me!

Mariam is our other senior. Coming all the way from Venezuela! Mariam and I dressed up together for Halloween this year. She was a coal miner, complete with black paint all over her body and a hard hat. I dressed up as a thug, complete with hat, baggy pants with boxers showing and a fake gun. Mariam has been a blast to hang out with and I wish I still had at least another year with her.

Our team finished with a record of 7 wins 10 losses and 1 tie. It was tough season for us. We played most of our games with only one sub, had 9 freshman and added a brand new coach 2 weeks before preseason.
But we made it through. It was a huge learning experience for me personally and I am sure the whole team would say the same thing.

To give you guys a glimpse at our life off the field, check out the pictures and videos I have posted on my profile. Good thing I always carry my camera with me!

Thanks to everyone who followed along during my freshman season, but don’t worry its not over!
I’m going to keep blogging in the off season to keep everyone up to speed on what the Lady Golden Bears are doing when we’re not on the pitch!

Yours in soccer,
Bridget Leach #1

Bridget: You went to Villanova, what others schools were you talking to and how did you get recruited?

Jill: I was looking at Rutgers University and Villanova. Those were the only two schools that showed interest in me. I got recruited by those two schools because both of the coaches were my previous ODP coaches and club coaches.


Bridget: Was your decision very hard when it came to choosing a school?

Jill: It was really tough to decide. In fact, I thought after my visit to Rutgers that I would end up going there. But once I went to Villanova I was decided. I committed even before I left campus. I loved the team atmosphere and the girls were great.


Bridget: How was your pre-season? What was your favorite or least favorite part?

Jill: Preseason was extremely hard my freshmen year. I learned what real fitness was and what it took to get to the next level. I redshirted my freshmen year and really took the year to adapt to the higher level and speed of play. It was the most important year in my career.


Bridget: You had a lot of success in college soccer! 4th in the nation for save percentage in your senior year, Big East goalkeeper of the year 3 times in a row (a conference first) and 10th in division 1 history for minutes played. How were you so successful and still able to balance school work and your social life?


Jill: The balance between school soccer and social life was a tough one to balance, especially my freshmen year. I learned quickly though because I had to. As a comprehensive science major, essentially a Biology major, I had to learn quick or else the academic side was going to chew me up and spit me out! When I wasn’t on the field I was doing my school work. Social life was on the back burner until after our season was done. Being on a team is enough social life as it is!



Bridget: What were your favorite classes?

Jill: I really enjoyed all my science courses.


Bridget: How was your dorm life, or if you did not live in a dorm, how were your living conditions? Did most of your team live close together?


Jill: At Villanova there really isn’t off campus housing. We all lived in dorms near each other. Villanova is a fairly smaller school so everything was pretty close. I lived with soccer girls my whole career.



Bridget: I am a goalkeeper as well, was there competition at
Villanova for the goalkeeping position?


Jill: There was always a tough group of goalkeepers at Villanova. Villanova has been known for their goalkeepers. We have always had strong GKs in the net. Every GK that I ever played with at VU made the atmosphere really intense and it was a must that you come to train and play hard every day.


Bridget: On the national team how is the competition between you, Barney and Hope? How do you keep your motivation in practice when you are chosen as the third goalkeeper?


Jill: With the US team our GK dynamic is great. We all strive so hard to push not only ourselves but each other. We bring out the best in each other. Even though I am the 3rd keeper it is important for me to still go tor training every day and continually get better. Every day I look as an opportunity to improve my game, learn from the best, and translate that to my game. It’s not about the end result but enjoying the process of becoming the best GK I can be.


Bridget: I read on your U.S. Soccer bio that you want to finish off your career as a forward. What is that situation right now, will we see you as a forward for the US WNT anytime soon? And why do you want to be a forward and not finish off as a goalkeeper?


Jill: That was more or less a joke! I love playing the field in pick up and what not. I think all GKs think that they can be forwards! The only difference is I actually can… haha just kidding!


Bridget: What is your most treasured memory in your whole entire soccer career?


Jill: Being part of the incredible World Cup run that we have is something that I will never be able to forget. That was one of the most amazing things I have ever been a part of. Although I didn’t play a single minute, I still have the experiences that will last a lifetime.


Bridget: Finally, any advice to give to girls in high school going through the recruiting process? And any advice for goalkeepers specifically?


Jill: My advice to GKs is to work hard and enjoy what you do. Goalkeepers have the hardest job in the world I think. You have to be mentally strong, physically strong, and be able to take criticism. We make mistakes, it’s inevitable. The best GKs learn from them, move on, and don’t let them happen again. But at the end of the day just have fun. Smile and have fun, if you are doing that and working as hard as you can you will succeed.



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