Carli Lloyd’s record-breaking hat trick for the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) that all but sealed the deal in an eventual 5-2 victory over Japan in the 2015 World Cup final was downright incredible on its own. But once you hear her story, that performance will go from the story of an athlete shining on her sport’s biggest stage, into a motivating tale to never give up on your dreams no matter how many people tell you no or how many times you get knocked down.
With the help of Wayne Coffey, Lloyd’s recently published “When Nobody Was Watching: My Hard-Fought Journey to the Top of the Soccer World” reflects on her rollercoaster journey and transformation from a small town Jersey girl into a national icon through tremendous perseverance, determination and a sole focus on proving all of her doubters wrong.
Often times in sports, the “heroes” are seen as this almost god-like figure who can do no wrong. Others wish to be like them, with the idea that they live a perfect life in a perfect house with a perfect family. But in reality, many of the most inspiring athletes experienced quite the opposite. Carli Lloyd’s story is no different.
Falling in love with the game at a young age, Lloyd developed her skills and hoped to make the local Olympic development team, but as one of the youngest to tryout, she experienced her first heartbreak, failing to make the cut. That heartbreak would turn out to be the first of many.
She went on to play soccer for Rutgers University and upon graduating, she realized she wanted more and after meeting with her current trainer James Galanis, she set her eyes on the U-21s – the development and feeder team for the national team. As she cycled through many coaches, she found herself bouncing around and at one point off of the roster for “lack of effort.” In a time when others may have walked away, Lloyd came back hungry, eventually finding her way onto the USWNT. However, the heartbreak did not stop there as she struggled to find her footing with several coaches in her early years. Even after she scored the gold medal-winning goal in the 2008 Olympics, she was forced back to ground zero as she found herself without a contract.
Though it is a memoir of an athlete, “When Nobody Was Watching” goes much deeper than your typical sports story and many readers will relate to Lloyd on a different level – through her struggles and estrangement from her family.
Lloyd would be the first to admit her love for her always supportive parents. They introduced her to the game and sacrificed their time and money to allow her to play the game she loved, but as her career developed, the support she once felt became suffocating. Lloyd began to feel as if her parents didn’t trust her decision making or understand her complete focus towards her ultimate goal: the national team.
Over time, tension grew and the strain became too much and just before the 2008 Olympics, Lloyd was kicked out of her house. Upon attempts at reconciliation, her parents attended a game in 2013 and Lloyd became hopeful of a relationship going forward. When the game was finished, she discovered her parents had already left. She hasn’t seen them since.
As an avid sports fan and book lover, I found “When Nobody Was Watching” a book that I couldn’t put down. Prior to reading it, I didn’t think I could be any more inspired by Lloyd’s ability to put her team on her shoulders like she did in the World Cup, but her story made her efforts even more jaw-dropping. Lloyd’s memoir tells the story of an underdog who has never backed down from a challenge and emphasizes the importance in the strength of one’s character and determination to outwork everyone else – even when nobody is watching. Especially when nobody is watching.