On today's edition of Checking In With CanWNT, we've got central defender Emily Zurrer. The 25-year-old from Crofton, B.C. tells us about battling through the "toughest" year of her career (and what she's learned from it), the importance of playing on home soil and, of course, froyo and waffles.
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So, you've had a few months to think about it... "Emily Zurrer, Olympic medalist." How does that feel? Has it fully sunk in?
Not quite, say it a few more times... Just kidding. No, I think it has and it hasn't. I mean, sometimes I forget the enormity of it all until I am reminded of it when I look into a young kids fascinated eyes or shake the hands of an adoring fan. It's still crazy to me. To hold the medal and think that we actually went through all of what we went through and achieved our childhood dream is insanely awesome, and still a bit hard to believe.
We've heard that you've been hard at work preparing your new business, Sweet Ride Fro-Yo, a frozen yogurt and waffle truck in the Vancouver area. Could you tell us a little bit about that?
I have been dreaming about starting my own business since I started my first lemonade stand and wrote my own neighborhood newspaper as a kid. True story, it was called the Shiny Times Newspaper -- I was the journalist, writer, editor, illustrator and deliverer, with my little sister Annie tagging along at times. I think there were about four or five editions. Selenia (Iacchelli) and I have been great friends since we first started playing for Canada at age 15, and have been dreaming up ways to make money together outside of soccer pretty much since then.
We came up with the idea this summer after London when Selenia was visiting Vancouver, and based on the growing popularity of food trucks in Vancouver and the consistent love of frozen yogurt in general, we knew it could be successful. Not only that, it was perfect for us because of the flexibility -- we could easily work it around our soccer schedule. The waffles were added to the idea a bit later because we need something that would sustain us through the colder months and that would also pair well with the froyo.
I happened to be taking an entrepreneurship course online through Athabasca University at the time, and my final project was to write a business plan for a hypothetical business. It was actually perfect timing, as I wrote the plan for Sweet Ride, and then afterwards we used it to apply for a loan and mentorship program through the Canadian Youth Business Foundation. We ended up getting the loan, and at that point it became pretty real. It's been moving along fairly quickly since then (we just bought our truck!) and the support from everyone in the soccer world has been pretty amazing.
Aside from Sweet Ride, what else have you been up to since the Olympics?
Oh man. We had no idea that things were so crazy back home until we touched down on Canadian soil. We had heard things from family members and got a small gist of it on social media, but I can honestly say that we were genuinely shocked when we landed and were greeted by hundreds of screaming fans. It was awesome. I figured that most of the excitement would have died down by now, but people still stop us on the streets and at different events to tell us their own personal Olympic stories, and most commonly about how mad they were after the US game. (laughs)
So since London, we have been lucky enough to attend a ton of events and appearances around the country. One of the best parts about the whole London experience is coming home and sharing in the excitement with everyone. It's really cool to be able to inspire young kids by sharing the medal and our story -- definitely one of my favourite things to come out of the London journey. Other than doing appearances, I have been rehabbing, training and coaching in Vancouver.
Let's go back to the beginning of the year. You were left off the roster at the Olympic qualifying tournament, but worked your way back onto the roster for the Olympic Games. How did it feel to work your way from what must have been a low back up to a high point?
This year for me, personally, has been the toughest of my career yet, but it has also been the most rewarding. After being left of the roster of an Olympic qualifying tournament that was being played in my hometown, I was devastated. But I realized I had two options: I could either let that situation break me, or I could use it to motivate me even more to work harder than I ever had before in order to prove myself to the coach and make the roster for London.
I also realized that I had a great opportunity to set an example for young athletes who might be going through the same thing, albeit on a smaller scale and with less media attention. I think it's cool for kids to see that elite athletes go through challenges and setbacks too, but it's how you deal with those setbacks and challenges that will define your success as a player and person.
You went with the team to London, but an injury unfortunately kept you off the field during the tournament. How did it feel to be in that situation, especially as you saw several of your fellow defenders also go down to injury?
It killed me to not be on the field fighting with my teammates. Especially when Chaps and Robyn went down, I pushed even harder to make it back for our second game, and that's when I tore the hammy again. Looking back now at how long it's taken to rehab and recover, the chances of getting back to close to 100% in that short a period of time were probably slim to none. It was an emotional roller coaster for sure, but just one of many that my team overcame.
Definitely an enormous disappointment for me not to be on the field, but it really was all part of our Olympic journey, and the feeling of winning a medal with my team overcomes any of the heartache I felt for not being able to play. This medal represents more than just two weeks -- it is the reward for years of dedication, sacrifice, resiliency and teamwork.
With London being your second Olympic Games with the national team, how were things different the second time around? Were you able to enjoy the overall experience a bit more, or was there even more pressure?
During my first Olympics I had to pinch myself every so often to make sure it was real. We played against China, the host country, in our second game in front of 60,000 people, and at that time it was by far the most I had ever played in front of. I was nervous but I loved every second of it.
The second time around I think we were less distracted by the magnitude of the Olympic Games and the many distractions that come with it. We were completely focused on making it to the podium and that was it. I think it helped too that for most of the time we were playing in pretty remote areas outside of the village. We were able to completely focus on the task at hand without being preoccupied with the enormity of it all. Even so, when you walk into the stadium and see the Olympic rings that same euphoric feeling rushes through you. I doubt that will ever change.
As for pressure, I think we felt it a little bit less than we had before the World Cup because I think people had less expectations of us after we bombed that tournament. While the support for CONCACAF was awesome, I think a good chunk of fans wrote us off after our poor showing in Germany. Luckily we proved them wrong.
How did you feel when the new North American professional league was made official? Is it something you'd like to be a part of?
I think it will be huge for women's soccer to have a league in North America and a great opportunity for a lot of the CanWNT to be in the same pro environment. I have played overseas a few times, and loved both of those experiences for a variety of reasons, but there is nothing more that myself and most of my teammates would like than to be able to play at home in front of our own families, friends and fans.
While the U.S. isn't exactly Canada, it is definitely a step in the right direction and hopefully Canadian teams will join in the near future. It is really good to have the support of the CSA, and the fact that US Soccer and the CSA are working together I believe will only strengthen the league and make the potential for future Canadian teams that much stronger.
As someone who's gone overseas to play, how important do you feel it is for players to have a domestic option in North America?
Like I said before, it would be huge for us to be able to play at home in North America instead of having to pack our bags and go overseas every year. I think it's really important for the fans as well. It's harder to stay connected and excited about our team when we only play in big tournaments on TV every four years, or play a game at home once a year. We want to be at home playing in front of our fans! If this league is sustainable, and Canadian teams can join, that would be a dream come true.
Given how riveted the country was with the team's performance in London, how excited and motivated are you about the prospect of playing in a World Cup on Canadian soil in 2015?
More excited than a five-year-old on Christmas morning. The chance to play in a World Cup in your home country is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I think now we are more motivated than ever. We want to bring a gold medal to Canada and the fact that we have a chance to do it IN Canada is that much more motivating. The way the country reacted to our bronze medal run has been amazing, and we can only hope that that support and excitement carries on to 2015.
The fact that people are still stopping us in the street to say congratulations and tell us their stories of where they were when they were watching our games in London is a good sign. I would love nothing more than to put on the jersey at home in 2015.
If 2012 has taught you one lesson -- about soccer, or about anything -- what would you say it is?
Oh wow, 2012 has taught me so many lessons! If there was ever a year for growth for me this would be it. It was a year full of ups and downs, but I learned and grew more this year than any other year in my life. I learned that the most important thing in life is not about the amount of trophies you win or the colour of your medal, but it's about the relationships you make and the way you carry yourself during tough times. Also to always stand up for what you believe in. At the end of the day I'd much rather be remembered for the type of person I am than any of my on-field accomplishments.
Saying that, there is no greater feeling than being able to overcome an obstacle and achieve your dreams. I was able to do that a few times this past year, and our team did it many times. Coming from a dead last place finish in the World Cup last year to an Olympic podium finish is pretty special and made the medal that much more rewarding. If you work hard and never give up, anything is possible!
And if you, at this point in your career, could impart one lesson to an aspiring young player, what would it be?
Never let anything or anyone stand in your way. If you work hard and have a relentless belief in yourself through both good times and bad, anything is possible. Never give up!
If you could sum up 2012, from a soccer perspective, in 10 words or less, what would those words be?
The toughest and most rewarding year of my entire life.
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