Do you BELIEVE in Magic? "Those who don't believe in magic will never find it"

I’m on the bus and my mind wanders…

5 Minutes

The most important part of a game is the first five minutes of each half, the last 5 minutes of each half and the first five minutes after a goal is scored. 

The game is 90 minutes long but in these particular moments, these particular 5 minutes within the game so much can happen…

My team scored a goal and within 90 seconds our opponent had not one, but three pretty good chances to get the goal back… In just 90 seconds our opponent had three chances to completely change the game!

I think of just this year and I think, ‘so much has happened.’ So much has happened every single year… Does this much happen to everyone?! If I just look at the past events from January its like I am living in those “5 minutes of the game” all the time.

There are 90 minutes in a game but then you really only remember certain moments, minutes or seconds. 

Just like in life there are moments you will never forget. There are 525,600 minutes in a year but then there are certain moments, certain minutes and certain seconds you will never forget.

For example…

“Jackie your surgery came undone! Jackie my father died. I have cancer!  I’m going through a divorce! I quit! My brother died! They are taking the house! We have no money! I need help.” 

You have these horrific moments…

But then you have these moments that take your breath away in another way… You have these GREAT MOMENTS

“Your lungs are the best I’ve seen. You’re at 88%. You survived. We want you to come to Tyresö. I got the job. I booked a trip. Were getting married. You passed the test. We did it! Were in the final!! They invited me! We won Champions League!!! Surfing. That perfect wave. A simple coffee with a friend. I scored! Surprise! You’re here! ”

It could be a goal, a person, training, a place, a great day, a great night, a conversation…

There is so much bad that happens every day, so much horror whether its losing a loved one, losing a home, going through a divorce, losing your job or so on.. But then there are moments, moments of pure joy where you are completely taken away.

I’m on the bus home thinking about practice today, thinking about these girls and this group and I am full. We are training and I get so excited I lose track of time. It is a place where you almost do not want to leave. A place where even if it is just for 90 minutes nothing else exists and your are surrounded by pure happiness.  An escape..

 Hold on to these moments of joy, cherish them and enjoy every second and when you do feel down “replay” them. When are you happiest? Put yourself in that position. Play your best foot by putting yourself in those places and surrounding yourself with those people! 

My mind wanders again…  I’m thinking about my 5 minutes and I think about a very special moment in Barcelona.

The Shorts

I was recently with FC Barcelona women’s team. I went to the training wearing an old pair of Nike shorts with the number 23 on them and one of the players, Leire Landa came to me and started pulling on my shorts and speaking very fast in Spanish..

I had no idea what she was saying but she was pointing to my shorts..

I said “yo no say”

Then she said “Nice number! The best! My number! My number!! Trade?”

I said, “yes! Those shorts?” pointing at the Barcelona shorts

She said “No national team”

Then I came back to the field that afternoon and she gave me her world cup shorts!!

I asked her, “ why is this number so important to you? You are not number 23. You are number 3!! “

She told me her story in Spanish/Spanglish. I understood most of what she said but I asked after to make sure I got it right.

When she was 10 years old she was diagnosed with cancer... After enduring chemotherapy she lost all of her hair.  She was ashamed of her hair loss and did not want to play.

Then there was this player in Barcelona named Ivan de la Peña is known for playing with his bald head. He became her inspiration and helped her overcome the “shame” she had.  Pena was number 23…

Hearing this story gives me goose bumps again just writing about it.. A player who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 10, endured chemotherapy and just PLAYED IN THE WORLD CUP THIS PAST SUMMER WITH SPAIN AND IS NOW PLAYING WITH FC BARCELONA… HOW CAN ANYONE SAY SOMETHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!!!  I am completely honored to have traded shorts with her.

A moment I will never forget… I think of “moments” and my mind drifts one last time on this bus from Tyreso to Gullmarsplan.

My youth team

We are jumping over hurdles. They see the hurdle.

“Jackie this is to high. I can’t jump over this.”

Right when you say “You cant” you limit yourself in ever being able to jump over the hurdle your body literally shuts down.

I stopped the training and I said…

“If you don’t believe in magic how will you ever find magic”

“If you don’t believe you can jump over the hurdle you never will be able to jump over the hurdle.”

“If you don’t believe you will achieve it you will never achieve it. If you don’t believe you are the best how can you become the best?!”

“The moment where you doubt you can fly, you cease for ever being able to do it.”-Peter Pan

Every player jumped over the hurdle.

Impossible?? What is the definition? 

I have a big dream. I am dreaming the great dream.  I see it. I see myself becoming a Champions league coach and a National team coach. I see myself standing in front of 90,000 people in a champions league final screaming from the side. I see myself coaching and winning the World Cup and making a huge change within this great game. 

But with a great dream comes great adversity.

“You are crazy!”” You are making a big mistake.” (I get this so much)

I’m sure many reading this now are thinking I am crazy!

 

Or I hear “you have it all figured out. Its so easy for you.”  so I just smile and think “I have nothing figured out and nothing is easy”

I know its countless hours to become that “overnight success” 

"When 90% of people doubt your idea you are either gravely wrong or about to make history"

I think of Leire Landa again, this inspirational girl who survived cancer and played a world cup and is now playing with Barcelona Impossible.. How can someone say something is impossible after hearing this story? What right do they have to say what is possible and what is not?  If you have something in your heart never doubt that you can “fly” or “jump” over a hurdle, whatever it may be.   

It is scary because you with this great dream I will work so hard for something that could never be but I am ready to take the chance. I am ready to fly!