October 1, 2025 • 38 mins
After a 16-year club and national team career, Angel City FC defender and captain Ali Riley is retiring from soccer. She joins Sarah to discuss finding the balance between “Ali the Player” and “Ali the Person,” fighting to get healthy so she can say goodbye on the field with her teammates, and the injury struggles and personal challenges she’s battled over the last few years, including losing her childhood home to the Palisades Fire just days before her wedding.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we've been
so busy we're way behind do Halloween. I got no
costume picked out, I've got no party rspps. All I
got is some light up skeleton arms that will soon
be poking out of my front fence. It's something gotta
go big for spooky season, y'all. It's Wednesday, October first,
and on today show, we'll be skipping the need to
(00:20):
know and jumping straight into my conversation with Angel City
FC defender and captain Ali Riley, who has announced that
she's retiring from soccer. We talked about the emotions surrounding
the decision, finding the balance between Ali the player and
Ali the person, and the injury struggles and personal challenges
she's battled over the last few years, like the loss
of her family home to the Palisades fire. What she
(00:41):
says about taking care of herself, fighting to return to
the field, and finding the peace she needed to move
into the next phase of her life might just make
you tear up. It certainly made me emotional. That conversation's
coming up right after this, joining us now for a
(01:06):
second time here on the show. She's a defender and
captain for Angel CITYFC and captain of the Football Ferns,
the New Zealand national soccer team. Former Stanford Cardinal has
played for professional clubs in the US, Swedeen, England and Germany.
Has played in five World Cups and captain international team
a record fifty times. She's a co host of the
BFFR podcast, the author of a plant based cookbook called
Girls Gone Veg, a newlywed, and has just announced that
(01:29):
she's retiring at the end of this season. She's coming
to us live via her new phone, Miss New Booty.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
It's Alan Riley.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Hi, Ali, Hello, Hello, thank you for having me on again,
and what a wonderful, thorough introduction.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
We are very happy to have you back.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
We are sad to talk about the end of your
soccer career, but what a career. I just want to
start with emotions. What are the emotions you're feeling this
week as you're announcing and going public with your retirement.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So many it has been a roller coaster. I think
I am very excited. I'm excited for what comes next.
I'm excited for everyone to know this is happening finally,
and I'm really happy that I'm able to do this.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
On my own terms.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
I'm not going to say it's exactly how an athlete
would imagine it in an ideal world.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
But to be able to make this decision.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
While playing soccer with Angel City is really really special.
And I didn't know if I would be able to
have this. And I'm sad only because I wish I
had been able to play more.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Games for my national team and for Angel City.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
But to be back here and feeling healthy and feeling
so much pride and joy, it is the right time and.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Four more games left, maybe more, maybe more, but it's time.
It's time to rest, and I am looking forward to that.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Four more games guaranteed for sure. Yes, you mentioned that
you haven't been able to play as many games. Can
you talk a bit for those who aren't super familiar
about the injuries that you've been dealing with, how they've
impacted your time with the New Zealand national team with
Angel City over the last few years. Why you're miss
new Booty. That's definitely one of the injuries that you're
working on.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I can try.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
I can try, so very long, complicated, mysterious story short,
I have a nerve compression injury.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So because of how I played and how long I played,
and the.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Way my body moves, and yeah, just kind of maybe genetics.
Eventually this all caught up to me and I where
my nerve runs through certain muscles in my glute slash hips.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
That's why I call it my booty.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
There's scar tissue and just build up from past injuries,
past strains, some issues because I was getting cortizone injections
repeatedly for what I was feeling, and so there's been
a deterioration in that part of my body. And eventually
that space just started to collapse on.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
My nerve, my siatic nerve on my left side.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
And so walking, sleeping, let alone running trying to kick
a ball would send lightning, just strikes down my leg,
down my.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Hamstring, and I dealt with that for yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Basically since November twenty twenty three, continued to try to
find solutions, but short term solutions which ended up not
serving me at all all, culminating in trying to make
the twenty twenty four Olympic Games with New Zealand, and
just days before the opening game, the compression got worse
(04:55):
and I was withdrawn from the team and basically we
started rehabbing. Didn't see progress at all for seven months,
and I have my kind of like coulda water should up.
Maybe this wasn't handled the best way for different reasons,
but there is really no point in looking back, and
(05:17):
so eventually I just got the right support medically and
we started to see progress in February and I was
able to very very slowly claw my way back.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
There were times when I was very close to giving up.
I was really depressed for.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
A period of time, and then when we really started
to see some progress and I didn't have to be
alone in the gym every day, I could start getting
on the field, touching a ball again, and then eventually
training with the team again, and then now making the roster,
traveling with the team, warming up for games. I haven't
gotten into a game yet, but it's possible.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
So all of that just it's.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Surreal to think about the journey I've been on and
that we had no idea that we would get here.
There was no guarantees. It feels like kind of yeah,
achieving the impossible. But I do want to share later
down the line everything kind of went through in case
someone does start feeling some of these symptoms. The deems
and don'ts, so no one has to get to the
point that.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I got to.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Yeah, so I hadic pain is horrible. I made up
a body part called my butt string because I couldn't
explain what was wrong.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
And I was like, it's like.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
The bottom of my butt but the top of my
leg and I can't figure out. But it's like just
constantly hurting, and it hurts all the time. And it
was because I have disk issues, so it was a
nerve deflection as a result of my back not being
able to take the pain anymore. It started to send
it to my quote unquote butt string that I invented,
but I have it at such a minor level because
I'm just trying to be in the world and you
(06:54):
were trying to be a professional, high level athlete with it,
which is unbearable.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
You said we you.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Said we didn't know we would be back here. Who
are you talking about in the Royal.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
We Oh, my gosh.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
I you know, my parents and Lucas have been a
big part of this, and also the physios and the
doctors who have worked with me. And I have to
give a shout out to Sarah Neil. She has now
since left Angel City. But she saw me through basically
getting onto the field and getting off season ending injury list.
(07:25):
And I don't know if she hadn't advocated and pushed
for me the way she did, if she hadn't spent
the hours we weren't together at the facility.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Researching, asking questions, calling doctors.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
She flew with me on Valentine's Day this year to
Salt Lake City to see a new doctor where I
got different injections, no more toxins, no more steroids. And
we spent Gallantine's Day and night in Salt Lake City.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
We had our own rooms, we didn't really have we
didn't have to bunk up here.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
But that kind of commitment, that is not a guarantee
and that's not something that I take for granted. So
I really owe her a lot for her dedication. And
you know, when I got back, I was like, it's
a miracle. It's not a miracle. I worked my literally
my ass off, and worked hard for me so that
I could have this moment.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And they knew, they knew that it might not.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Be something I could sustain for a long time, even
if I did come back, And so their commitment to me,
knowing that when I came back, it might be to
say goodbye. It's something I will I will never never
forget that type of support.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Well, you posted about returning to the field in August
after over a year sideline. You said, quote in my
Phoenix era, rising from the ashes. So what did it
mean to you literally from that moment. Yeah, yeah, we'll
get to that. But to just get to wear your
kitten boots, just to be on the field with teammates,
(08:56):
even if there's no guarantee of a game. Why did
it mean so much too? And why did it so
much to you to work so hard versus saying this
feels a little insurmountable.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I guess it's time to go.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
I love this game, I love this club, and of
course I have been so lucky to have still felt
like I am part of something and that I'm valued
the club, the staff, my teammates have really really made
sure of that, the fans, going down and greeting the
fans after a game, you know, in my civilian ware
(09:31):
was still very special.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Something that means a lot to me.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
But to where the kit, this club is my heart.
It is me and I think, especially not knowing I
would ever be able to do that again, to stand
shoulder to shoulder with my teammates in a huddle before
a game. It's a different feeling than watching the game
from high up in the stadium.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
And I I knew I.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Couldn't give up, and so I think that was also
just a symbol of I never gave up and I
got here, and after that it's out of my control.
I did everything in my control to come back, and
if it hadn't worked, then that's that.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
You know.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
But I committed to doing everything in my control and
it's still how I'm living now. I show up every
day with the best attitude to support my teammates, to compete,
to play, to maintain my health so that I am available.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
For selection every week. That is my goal.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
And I think when you have an injury, or it's
not even about injury, if you're at a club and
you don't play a lot, you don't start like, what
is your mindset?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
And all you can do is be.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Your best every day and then it's up to someone
else if you get on the field or not. So
I just felt like a player again, that's everybody's role,
rights that's all you can do.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
And yeah, it took some reframing. Obviously, when I got injured.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
I was headed to captain and am and playing every
game for Angel City, and that has changed dramatically, and
a lot of athletes go through that, not just at
the end of their careers, not just because of an injury.
And I have always told my teammates and truly believed it,
it doesn't matter how many minutes they play on the field.
They are an important part of the team, they are valued,
(11:19):
they we can't win without them.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
And so I had to actually listen to my right. Yeah,
and how that happens. Yeah, it's really hard, really really hard.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
But I think now, especially now that I know I'm
at the end, I really can just after every training
and after every game, I'm I'm so grateful and just
so happy, and of course I'm trying to kick everyone's ass.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I want to get on the field, but that's all
you can do.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
And so to be in a position to say I'm
doing everything I can and whatever happens, that's that's what happens.
Is a privilege to do that after this injury and
at the end of my career at home with my
family here, having had all of the support after everything
I've gone through in the last kind of sixteen months,
and I, yeah, I'm genuinely really really really really happy.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
There are so few athletes that get to do the
win it all and walk off the field A tiny,
tiny percentage. Then there's another percentage that just get to
fight till the very last minute and then say mentally
I'm ready. Then there's a whole bunch more that are
physically my body won't let me anymore. Mentally I still
want to, but I can't. And then there's some that
(12:35):
don't get to know it's their last game exactly, and
that could have been you, but you battled to have
the chance to say, I know I'm going to suit up,
I know what I'm going to say goodbye, and I
get to be on the field for it instead of
in a suite. And that is a big difference for athletes.
It's a huge difference for athletes. The joy that your
(12:56):
teammates had in that moment watching you post after your
first game back, where you got to warm up and
everything and your coach is hugging you and everyone's going crazy,
like it was so clear that they it mattered to
them too, Like it was so important to them to
see you out there. How did they support you and
make you feel like you were so part of the
team for a really long time that you were out.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
The love that they have shown me, and we have
had a huge change in the locker room this year.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
There are so many new players.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Who didn't know what I was going through, didn't know
about my injury really close hand. And they also a
bunch of players came in after the beginning of the
season not even really having seen what happened post the
fire and understanding what my family has been going through
this entire year. Every morning, just you can do it,
(13:48):
coming into the gym to cheer me on when I'm
on the skier or on the assault bike or on.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
The World car.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Bullshit, horrible, horrible things, checking in on me, having conversations
with me pregame postgame as if you know, I was
a contributing member of the team, asking my advice. And
this year was so much, so different from last year
because once we started to have a plan with my rehab,
(14:18):
I couldn't watch training and do a full rehab and
do my bits on the field.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
You know, that's kind of seven to five.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
So I wasn't able to watch training for periods of
this season, and I wasn't able to.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
There were days when they'd be leaving and I'd be
arriving at.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
The facility, but there was always someone who had a
kind word, who was encouraging. And yeah, I think the
being part of the leadership group and being club captain
and having a relationship with Sarah and Angelina who were
our team and vice captain, and really feeling like we
were leading the team together, even though I questioned so
(14:56):
many times is there a point in me being here?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Like is this worth it?
Speaker 3 (15:02):
And yeah, or is this going to be all for nothing?
And you know your mind, you go to some really
really dark places.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
So everyone just.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Before that moment, long before every single day, that is
how I felt valued.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
And it wasn't like.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
The way that they made me feel like I was
part of the team even if I would never come back,
So to then come back, I think that was just
this this bonus, this gift, and we were able to
celebrate that together. And I just have to show my
gratitude obviously by talking about them whenever I can, but
by committing and having a mindset every day at training,
(15:43):
you know, I'm training as Orlando and Washington Spirit and
Louisville and Seattle and sand like I've played for every
team this season, you know, to help prepare my team, and.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
That is how I can give back.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
That is how I can help this team try to.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Make the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
There's still a chance, or just finished the season strong
and give something back to the fans and also.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Prepare the team for next season, even though I won't
be baring it.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yeah, I heard they started assigning you as tim Ushawinga,
which was crazy, but you did it a good job replicating.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
Replicating moves.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Yeah, you know, I've all I've been. I've been some
really good players and training.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
We got to take a quick break when we come back.
The rest of my conversation with Ali Riley back in
the Jeff, You've mentioned the fire. In addition to rehabbing
an injury, you were planning a wedding and then five
(16:44):
days before the ceremony this past January, you had to
deal with the loss of your childhood home to the
Palisades fires. So first I want to hear about those
hours and maybe first day or so after evacuations where
your parents have done this over the forty plus years
they've lived in that house a couple different times, and
they thought, here we go again. We're gonna be fine.
We'll let's pack up some stuff, but we'll return to
(17:05):
the house, and instead the house was gone. So in
those hours, you had gone to dinner the night before,
the night house, you were in the house the night before. Yeah,
what happens in the hours in the day or so
that follows.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
So that day.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
I've tried to kind of reconstruct it so many times,
and I think my parents have really kind of yeah,
blocked it out kind of because we all have very
different memories of how that day went. But basically in
the morning they were still there. They sent photos on
WhatsApp of the fire coming to like our family chat.
(17:43):
There was clouds because he smoke, but the fire was
up in the hills. It was going the other direction
where a little more sparsely populated area.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
And I went.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
To physical therapy, and it's it was a law long process, obviously,
and when I finished, I think I had forty something notifications,
and so Lucas and my parents they had tried to
call me, and there was just this whole conversation about
people are starting to evacuate, the winds have changed, and
so my parents they didn't end up evacuating probably until
(18:19):
around two pm, so between the morning and the afternoon
they had had time to pack a lot. But I think, again,
your the brain works in mysterious ways, and maybe didn't
have the most cohesive evacuation that maybe we would have
wished now in hindsight. But they were safe. They got
a lot of stuff in two cars, so we're really
(18:39):
really lucky. So they headed south to the South Bay
to friends to really get as far away as possible
because once it started coming that direction, we didn't.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
It did end up, you.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
Know, Insino evacuated. It did end up kind of coming
this way. My parents still thought that maybe the house
was going to be standing, but we kind of knew
we wouldn't be hosting any wedding festivities there. So Lucas's
brother and sister in law, we're supposed to stay at
the house. So now we're trying to find accommodation for them.
We're going to have something the day after the wedding,
(19:12):
so we're canceling everything, and we were having things for
the wedding.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Delivered to the house and I actually, yes, I posted,
I didn't even think about that. Yes, I posted.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
The last photo we have of the house is from
Amazon when they show a picture of the because the
ring dot com stopped working. But yeah, there's a package
on our bench in front of the.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
House at like three. I don't know how the driver
is this commitment. I don't know how the driver.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Got into this evacuated area, left the package and how
they got out, and so yeah, that was last. It
was like, I think it was glasses or something for
the reception, and so yeah, that is one of the
most surreal things. Last, the last image we have of
the house standing. And and eventually two days later, after
(20:03):
we knew everything was gone, I watched the news I
think literally for over forty eight hours, couldn't sleep. We
lost power actually periodically out here. And then my parents,
we finally saw them. They stayed here, and two nights
before the wedding, my parents are sleeping in mine, in
Lucas's bed, Me and my best friend are sleeping in
the guest room and Lucas was sleeping on the couch.
(20:24):
So that was like our aura getting ready for the wedding,
the biggest day of your life.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yeah, yeah, were you remotely Bridezilla ask before this happened. Like,
was any part of you nitpicky type a control freak
or were you already the kind of person that was like, oh,
it's gonna be a great day and like whatever, it'll
be great regardless of whether my makeup looks good or
like my dress is perfect or you know, is that Yeah,
I wasn't a bridezilla, but I was. I'm a control freak.
(20:53):
So I was like, I want this to happen. I
need this to happen. I don't want it to be
too hot. I don't want to be sweaty. My hair
need to get pulled up, like you know, just like
like everything's going to be photographed and for the rest
of my life people are gonna be like, let me
see your wedding photos and how did you look? And
I can't imagine if like the nights before, I'm like, well,
now I'm going to look like a wreck. I'm not
getting any sleep. You know, where's all the stuff that
(21:13):
we had sent? And like, did you have that moment
at all or was it all gratitude that like your
parents were in your house and safe and.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
I so I had also just had my eggs retrieved.
So the one thing I thought about leading into this
was how bloated I was going to be, and if
I was going to fit into my dress that my
teammate had made for me. So it was just a
little bit worried about squeezing into my dress. But other
than that, when my parents confirmed that they still wanted
(21:43):
to even have the wedding, and our neighbors all said,
we need this alley, We're coming.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
We're going to drink so much, we're going to party.
We lost our clothes we were going to wear, but.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Like, we will be there, And I said, I don't care,
as long as there's food for all these great people.
Of course, we confirmed with the vendors, especially the photographers,
but I knew that everyone there would understand exactly what
we were going through. That many people there were going
through the same thing, and we a lot of people
(22:11):
couldn't come.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
We had friends who.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Were on high alert and they drove there because we
had you know, it changed a lot, right, But I, yeah,
I just I couldn't really things went wrong during the wedding,
but I couldn't even get myself to not not that
I didn't care, but it felt so unimportant. So SID
(22:35):
was the one who was like was like getting on
the floorist and getting on the wedding planner and like
trying to fix things. My friends were the ones like
why isn't the wine being served? And I was just
completely like it was so blissful and Lucas and I
had the best night.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
It's a good time to have a sid LaRue when
you can stick your bold on the people that.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Need to be exactly exactly. I didn't even know I
read at a.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
LA Time quote they did a story about the wedding
and your aftermath of the fire, and you said, we
had a lot of people who had lost everything there
and borrowed clothes and mismatched shoes.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
And there's just.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Something about a perfect wedding that is less memorable than
one where everybody decides to come together in the face
of all of this, because that's ultimately what life is
is like just community and togetherness and supporting each other
when you most need it, which can be a wedding
in the middle of wonderful times, but even more so
(23:32):
as a wedding in the middle of the worst of times.
And that's a real gift that you and your parents
gave people. All the photos everyone looks so happy, and
all the interviews drunk will and we'll forgive them for that.
That's most weddings really, even without the fire part. But yeah,
just the interviews with your family and your parents and
the posts during it really said a lot about like
(23:55):
who you all are as people. I want to ask you,
because you always have a big smile on your face.
You're always bringing joy and love and support to your
teammates and your friends and your family. It's like you're
just known for like being like a human hug basically.
But you have been through a lot in the last
couple of years, whether it's the injuries and missing time
with your national team and Angel City and the fire
(24:15):
and your family.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Do you ever let.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Yourself be down as someone who's always a source of
happiness for others? Is it hard for you to be
around people if you don't feel like you can be
on and be the thing that they're used to having
from you.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
It is really hard.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
And I think that's an important conversation around mental health
that I'm glad I'm seeing more and more of now
in sports, especially because we are look to to.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Be these very strong and yeah, it's what no pay,
no gain and just all of these yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Stereotypes about athletes that I think actually can can hurt
us in the long run when we are human and
go through tragedy and trauma and lots of things. I
think that's that actually is one of the reasons why
I did take a little bit of time off this
year that I haven't talked a lot about.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Because.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
I could be that person still very positive and very
determined and support the team when I was at training,
but then I would come home and just be a
shell of myself. And it took too long for me
to realize that that isn't a way to live. That
isn't living, and that I think for everyone being able
(25:31):
to have balance in your life, and especially for me,
I'm so social and when you see a huge shift
in what you are doing, willing to do, wanting to do,
that is a sign that something is wrong and something
needs to change.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
So when I started this and where I am now.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
It was like, yes, I'm sad, but of course I'm sad,
I'm injured, but I'm still like social and active and
I can live my life like, of course you're going
to be sad or frustrated whatever. But in that middle
period when you know, seven months seeing no progress. That
is a long time and with no answers, and just
(26:09):
why am I doing this every single day? It's not changing.
That is when I think I saw that shift where
I didn't want to see anyone. I couldn't leave the couch,
I couldn't leave the bed. I cried every afternoon, and
you know, Lucas didn't know what to say and how
to do it like and that's not his job either,
you know, and I didn't. I didn't have the home
(26:32):
to go to our house where I would go every
off day and have dinner with my parents. My parents
were either far away or it's so hard to navigate
where they're staying. They're staying with friends, They're all over
the city. And so that was when I had to
really reset. And that's actually also when I did my
second round of IVF, and that helped me get back
(26:55):
to what I want in my life and my future
and to actually give something and take care of the
woman and the person I am the twenty two hours
of the day I'm not training, and that changed my
outlook on everything. And as soon as I got through
(27:17):
completed the cycle and we had positive news coming out
of that, and I started to really remember that I
need to invest in myself as a person and not
just a soccer player. And then once I realized that,
I was so motivated again and I was able to
be me all the time, and I think that is
again why this is the time that I need to retire,
(27:40):
is because again I'm getting into that period where in
order to maintain my body in order to continue to
be able to perform on the field, it's taking a
lot and it is taking away from the rest of
my life. And I'm not saying it's not worth it,
but for me and my goal in my life and
(28:01):
what makes me excited. And I think everyone deserves to
be able to be their full, authentic self in every
space that they're in, and I wouldn't be able to
be me for much longer. I think, not another season,
at least not another half season. And so, yeah, does
part of me wish that this season was two months
longer like now that I'm playing, and I'm that, but
(28:23):
I also know that life doesn't work that way, and yeah,
I just I'm going to give everything I have left
to my team now for these last four games, but
then I really need to get back to giving back
to myself.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Yeah, I love that. I mean physically you get to
be in uniform, but also mentally you get to have
already arrived at a place where you're like, ooh, all
these other parts of me are actually parts I really
want to foster now at this part of my life,
and that makes it easier to say goodbye to the
part that was soccer. I have a friend who had
situational depression after her dad passed away, and she is
(29:00):
used to being the light and being on all the time.
And what you said about knowing your own baseline is
so important because I think we tell stories about ourselves,
and if we are people who don't often struggle with
mental health or depression or have off days, when we
do start to have them, we push them aside because
we're like, oh, that's not who I am. But everybody's
(29:20):
baseline can move, and being aware of how you feel
and how that's changing so you can take care of
yourself is just so important.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
So I'm so glad you talked about that.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
We're running out of time. I wanted to ask you,
and I feel like you've addressed it a bit. But
for athletes of really even just high school level when
they're done college professionally, but now sixteen years in the pros,
it is so hard for the identity part to shift.
The idea of this is who I am, this is
what I am is. I'm an athlete. It's my person,
not just my job. What's your identity going to be
(29:51):
going forward?
Speaker 2 (29:53):
I am so lucky because I don't think my identity
will change.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
I think all these really nice things you said about
me and how people see me, I hope that will
continue because what my goal has been, what my mission
has been, and what my identity I think has become,
because when you do those behaviors over and over again.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
It becomes who you are.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Is to make people happy and to spread joy and
advocate and put good energy out into the world. To
use my platform to storytell and to grow this game.
And I'm lucky that I've been doing that now for many,
many years. I started making content on a camcorder when
(30:40):
I started playing for the national team in like two
thousand and six, and I also had a lot of
good advice and support around me.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
I also had a.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Mom who told me from the very beginning I was
going to have to get a real job eventually, I
think I have been preparing for my retirement since I
got drafted, saying it has to be that extreme for everybody.
But I do think that the advice I was given
and just it also comes a little bit from not
knowing how long women's soccer would be around. I went
(31:12):
through a league folding and teams folding, so it comes
a little bit out of a broken system and things
that happened to me before that I don't think will
happen anymore. But I do think that we are still
at a time that players will have to work after
they retire from soccer, or you know, at some point the.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Savings will run out that you've made.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
I know we're getting to big contracts now, but to
at least hone and foster other skills and passions, and
so I think it will be strange a very It
will still be a big transition that I'm not doing
those things on the side as a side hustle. But
I do feel like the person I am and how
I identify can continue, And I think that is also
(31:52):
why I'm really excited and feel good about this milestone,
because I actually am hoping I can, if I work really,
really hard, get an even bigger platform and share even
more stories and be everywhere smiling all at once. You know,
I love it on the airwaves and on your TV
and on your phone. And I just want to keep
(32:15):
being me, and I want to keep spreading the message
that everyone should be able to be their authentic self
in every space, and I want to advocate that for
the rest of my life.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Gosh, I love that so much. I also love that
you've got footage going back to two thousand and six.
I think we need to start to release the old footage.
I want a mini documentary if that's the best we're
going to get, or a full flooding if you've got
enough content for it.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
There's some players, we know, some recognizable people in these.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Videos, so you know, probably with different eyebrows and hairstyles
that we would be dying to see. Which that actually
leads me to another question, which you started so long ago.
You were at a you know, Gold Pride game against
Saint Louis Athletica and the WPS in twenty ten, with
thirty three hundred people in the audience. You were, you know,
(33:01):
playing with your national team back in the early two thousands.
The environment around the game has changed so much, so goodness.
What stands out to you from that first game and
what do you think is most important for you to
help change going forward? That still needs to be work done.
Speaker 3 (33:19):
I think what's really cool is that the level was
so good back then. I mean, our team was amazing.
The product has been there the whole time. The product
is so good, it's so exciting. What has changed is
that investors and maybe men have started to realize that
the product immediately really good and that it is not charity.
(33:42):
Women's football is not charity. That mindset has finally started
to shift and that we are so valuable.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
And I think I see that now just with.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
The advertising going on and the merchandise available because the
fans have been there.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
Yeah, maybe they're only thirty three hundred people because they.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Didn't know there was a game and no one they
hadn't seen how amazing Marta was and they didn't and
the high.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
School pitch could only hold thirty three hundred people exactly.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
Exactly, so I think, and we're still seeing that obviously
with less invested programs and less invested federations, and you know,
New Zealand has a long way to go, and we
don't have the same investment as a US or as
an Angel City, but that is what I want to
continue to just shout from the rooftops and I swear
if you go to one Angel City, game will go
(34:34):
to another one.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
So it's like, how can I convince the key.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Stakeholders and people with money to that it's smart to invest.
And then also just the stories around the product, because
I just know if someone watches one game at this
next World Cup, they will be hooked. And I also
want more and more girls to be playing soccer because
it is so good for them, even if they don't
make it to play pro.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
We all know that. And also it will make the
sport more inclusive.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
It will make the sport better and all those little
girls deserve a chance to dream as big as possible
and see themselves doing things that I could never have
dreamed possible. And so that is one area that I
think again, the more visibility and the more investment will
encourage these girls to play. But also how can we
(35:26):
have a system where they actually have access to the
sport as.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Well right have a chance. Well, I think your new
rules women's football hype Woman has already begun and we
look forward to seeing you across the globes running the
good word of women's football. Thank you so much for
the time, Ali, Congrats had an amazing career and have
fun the next couple games.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Thank you so much. I'll see you soon.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Thanks so much to Ali for joining us and letting
us help share her news. We have to take another
break when we come back the rest of my proper
Thanks to Ali. Welcome back slices. We love that you're listening,
but we want you to get in the game every
day too, So here's our good game play of the day.
(36:14):
Follow Ali and subscribe to the BFFR podcast too. We'll
put links to our social media accounts and the pods
page in our show notes. We always love to hear
from you, so hit us up on email good game
at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail at
eight seven two two oh four fifty seventy and please
scroll down to the stars. Give us five stars, rate
(36:34):
and review the show. It's really helpful and it's super easy.
Watch a career well spent, rating sixteen out of sixteen
years of phenomenal pro footy review all right, I gave
Ali her well deserved flowers in our interview, But I
got a double down here. You ever met a person
that just feels like sunshine personified, That's Ali Riley. But
(36:57):
not only that, She's been a fierce competitor over the
course of her sixteen year pro career, whether in the
international ranks with the New Zealand Ferns, in the uslw WPS,
Swedish League, Women's Super League, Frown Bundesliga, or the NWSL.
And not every player who laces up their boots is
lucky enough to last that long in the pro ranks.
I'm not surprised at all that Ali did. She approached
(37:20):
her whole career with the same fervor and enthusiasm with
which she approached her rehab process these past few years,
and I'm so excited she got back on the field.
I'm also really excited to see what this next chapter
has in store for her. Cheers again, Ali, and thanks
for the memories. Now it's your turn, y'all, rate and review,
Thanks for listening, See you tomorrow. Good game, Ali, good game,
(37:42):
Ali's new booty few time. It comes for all of us,
It comes for all of our bodies. Matter of fact,
my back hurts right now. Good Game with Sarah Spain
is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep
Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
(38:06):
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzie
and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz,
Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutterer. Our editors are Emily Rutter,
Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
And Gianna Palmer.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
Our associate producer is Lucy Jones. Production assistance from Avery
Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we've been
so busy we're way behind do Halloween. I got no
costume picked out, I've got no party rspps. All I
got is some light up skeleton arms that will soon
be poking out of my front fence. It's something gotta
go big for spooky season, y'all. It's Wednesday, October first,
and on today show, we'll be skipping the need to
(00:20):
know and jumping straight into my conversation with Angel City
FC defender and captain Ali Riley, who has announced that
she's retiring from soccer. We talked about the emotions surrounding
the decision, finding the balance between Ali the player and
Ali the person, and the injury struggles and personal challenges
she's battled over the last few years, like the loss
of her family home to the Palisades fire. What she
(00:41):
says about taking care of herself, fighting to return to
the field, and finding the peace she needed to move
into the next phase of her life might just make
you tear up. It certainly made me emotional. That conversation's
coming up right after this, joining us now for a
(01:06):
second time here on the show. She's a defender and
captain for Angel CITYFC and captain of the Football Ferns,
the New Zealand national soccer team. Former Stanford Cardinal has
played for professional clubs in the US, Swedeen, England and Germany.
Has played in five World Cups and captain international team
a record fifty times. She's a co host of the
BFFR podcast, the author of a plant based cookbook called
Girls Gone Veg, a newlywed, and has just announced that
(01:29):
she's retiring at the end of this season. She's coming
to us live via her new phone, Miss New Booty.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
It's Alan Riley.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Hi, Ali, Hello, Hello, thank you for having me on again,
and what a wonderful, thorough introduction.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
We are very happy to have you back.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
We are sad to talk about the end of your
soccer career, but what a career. I just want to
start with emotions. What are the emotions you're feeling this
week as you're announcing and going public with your retirement.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So many it has been a roller coaster. I think
I am very excited. I'm excited for what comes next.
I'm excited for everyone to know this is happening finally,
and I'm really happy that I'm able to do this.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
On my own terms.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
I'm not going to say it's exactly how an athlete
would imagine it in an ideal world.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
But to be able to make this decision.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
While playing soccer with Angel City is really really special.
And I didn't know if I would be able to
have this. And I'm sad only because I wish I
had been able to play more.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Games for my national team and for Angel City.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
But to be back here and feeling healthy and feeling
so much pride and joy, it is the right time and.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Four more games left, maybe more, maybe more, but it's time.
It's time to rest, and I am looking forward to that.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Four more games guaranteed for sure. Yes, you mentioned that
you haven't been able to play as many games. Can
you talk a bit for those who aren't super familiar
about the injuries that you've been dealing with, how they've
impacted your time with the New Zealand national team with
Angel City over the last few years. Why you're miss
new Booty. That's definitely one of the injuries that you're
working on.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I can try.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
I can try, so very long, complicated, mysterious story short,
I have a nerve compression injury.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So because of how I played and how long I played,
and the.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Way my body moves, and yeah, just kind of maybe genetics.
Eventually this all caught up to me and I where
my nerve runs through certain muscles in my glute slash hips.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
That's why I call it my booty.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
There's scar tissue and just build up from past injuries,
past strains, some issues because I was getting cortizone injections
repeatedly for what I was feeling, and so there's been
a deterioration in that part of my body. And eventually
that space just started to collapse on.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
My nerve, my siatic nerve on my left side.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
And so walking, sleeping, let alone running trying to kick
a ball would send lightning, just strikes down my leg,
down my.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Hamstring, and I dealt with that for yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Basically since November twenty twenty three, continued to try to
find solutions, but short term solutions which ended up not
serving me at all all, culminating in trying to make
the twenty twenty four Olympic Games with New Zealand, and
just days before the opening game, the compression got worse
(04:55):
and I was withdrawn from the team and basically we
started rehabbing. Didn't see progress at all for seven months,
and I have my kind of like coulda water should up.
Maybe this wasn't handled the best way for different reasons,
but there is really no point in looking back, and
(05:17):
so eventually I just got the right support medically and
we started to see progress in February and I was
able to very very slowly claw my way back.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
There were times when I was very close to giving up.
I was really depressed for.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
A period of time, and then when we really started
to see some progress and I didn't have to be
alone in the gym every day, I could start getting
on the field, touching a ball again, and then eventually
training with the team again, and then now making the roster,
traveling with the team, warming up for games. I haven't
gotten into a game yet, but it's possible.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
So all of that just it's.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Surreal to think about the journey I've been on and
that we had no idea that we would get here.
There was no guarantees. It feels like kind of yeah,
achieving the impossible. But I do want to share later
down the line everything kind of went through in case
someone does start feeling some of these symptoms. The deems
and don'ts, so no one has to get to the
point that.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I got to.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Yeah, so I hadic pain is horrible. I made up
a body part called my butt string because I couldn't
explain what was wrong.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
And I was like, it's like.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
The bottom of my butt but the top of my
leg and I can't figure out. But it's like just
constantly hurting, and it hurts all the time. And it
was because I have disk issues, so it was a
nerve deflection as a result of my back not being
able to take the pain anymore. It started to send
it to my quote unquote butt string that I invented,
but I have it at such a minor level because
I'm just trying to be in the world and you
(06:54):
were trying to be a professional, high level athlete with it,
which is unbearable.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
You said we you.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Said we didn't know we would be back here. Who
are you talking about in the Royal.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
We Oh, my gosh.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
I you know, my parents and Lucas have been a
big part of this, and also the physios and the
doctors who have worked with me. And I have to
give a shout out to Sarah Neil. She has now
since left Angel City. But she saw me through basically
getting onto the field and getting off season ending injury list.
(07:25):
And I don't know if she hadn't advocated and pushed
for me the way she did, if she hadn't spent
the hours we weren't together at the facility.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Researching, asking questions, calling doctors.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
She flew with me on Valentine's Day this year to
Salt Lake City to see a new doctor where I
got different injections, no more toxins, no more steroids. And
we spent Gallantine's Day and night in Salt Lake City.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
We had our own rooms, we didn't really have we
didn't have to bunk up here.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
But that kind of commitment, that is not a guarantee
and that's not something that I take for granted. So
I really owe her a lot for her dedication. And
you know, when I got back, I was like, it's
a miracle. It's not a miracle. I worked my literally
my ass off, and worked hard for me so that
I could have this moment.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And they knew, they knew that it might not.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Be something I could sustain for a long time, even
if I did come back, And so their commitment to me,
knowing that when I came back, it might be to
say goodbye. It's something I will I will never never
forget that type of support.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Well, you posted about returning to the field in August
after over a year sideline. You said, quote in my
Phoenix era, rising from the ashes. So what did it
mean to you literally from that moment. Yeah, yeah, we'll
get to that. But to just get to wear your
kitten boots, just to be on the field with teammates,
(08:56):
even if there's no guarantee of a game. Why did
it mean so much too? And why did it so
much to you to work so hard versus saying this
feels a little insurmountable.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I guess it's time to go.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
I love this game, I love this club, and of
course I have been so lucky to have still felt
like I am part of something and that I'm valued
the club, the staff, my teammates have really really made
sure of that, the fans, going down and greeting the
fans after a game, you know, in my civilian ware
(09:31):
was still very special.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Something that means a lot to me.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
But to where the kit, this club is my heart.
It is me and I think, especially not knowing I
would ever be able to do that again, to stand
shoulder to shoulder with my teammates in a huddle before
a game. It's a different feeling than watching the game
from high up in the stadium.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
And I I knew I.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Couldn't give up, and so I think that was also
just a symbol of I never gave up and I
got here, and after that it's out of my control.
I did everything in my control to come back, and
if it hadn't worked, then that's that.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
You know.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
But I committed to doing everything in my control and
it's still how I'm living now. I show up every
day with the best attitude to support my teammates, to compete,
to play, to maintain my health so that I am available.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
For selection every week. That is my goal.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
And I think when you have an injury, or it's
not even about injury, if you're at a club and
you don't play a lot, you don't start like, what
is your mindset?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
And all you can do is be.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Your best every day and then it's up to someone
else if you get on the field or not. So
I just felt like a player again, that's everybody's role,
rights that's all you can do.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
And yeah, it took some reframing. Obviously, when I got injured.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
I was headed to captain and am and playing every
game for Angel City, and that has changed dramatically, and
a lot of athletes go through that, not just at
the end of their careers, not just because of an injury.
And I have always told my teammates and truly believed it,
it doesn't matter how many minutes they play on the field.
They are an important part of the team, they are valued,
(11:19):
they we can't win without them.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
And so I had to actually listen to my right. Yeah,
and how that happens. Yeah, it's really hard, really really hard.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
But I think now, especially now that I know I'm
at the end, I really can just after every training
and after every game, I'm I'm so grateful and just
so happy, and of course I'm trying to kick everyone's ass.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I want to get on the field, but that's all
you can do.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
And so to be in a position to say I'm
doing everything I can and whatever happens, that's that's what happens.
Is a privilege to do that after this injury and
at the end of my career at home with my
family here, having had all of the support after everything
I've gone through in the last kind of sixteen months,
and I, yeah, I'm genuinely really really really really happy.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
There are so few athletes that get to do the
win it all and walk off the field A tiny,
tiny percentage. Then there's another percentage that just get to
fight till the very last minute and then say mentally
I'm ready. Then there's a whole bunch more that are
physically my body won't let me anymore. Mentally I still
want to, but I can't. And then there's some that
(12:35):
don't get to know it's their last game exactly, and
that could have been you, but you battled to have
the chance to say, I know I'm going to suit up,
I know what I'm going to say goodbye, and I
get to be on the field for it instead of
in a suite. And that is a big difference for athletes.
It's a huge difference for athletes. The joy that your
(12:56):
teammates had in that moment watching you post after your
first game back, where you got to warm up and
everything and your coach is hugging you and everyone's going crazy,
like it was so clear that they it mattered to
them too, Like it was so important to them to
see you out there. How did they support you and
make you feel like you were so part of the
team for a really long time that you were out.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
The love that they have shown me, and we have
had a huge change in the locker room this year.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
There are so many new players.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Who didn't know what I was going through, didn't know
about my injury really close hand. And they also a
bunch of players came in after the beginning of the
season not even really having seen what happened post the
fire and understanding what my family has been going through
this entire year. Every morning, just you can do it,
(13:48):
coming into the gym to cheer me on when I'm
on the skier or on the assault bike or on.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
The World car.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Bullshit, horrible, horrible things, checking in on me, having conversations
with me pregame postgame as if you know, I was
a contributing member of the team, asking my advice. And
this year was so much, so different from last year
because once we started to have a plan with my rehab,
(14:18):
I couldn't watch training and do a full rehab and
do my bits on the field.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
You know, that's kind of seven to five.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
So I wasn't able to watch training for periods of
this season, and I wasn't able to.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
There were days when they'd be leaving and I'd be
arriving at.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
The facility, but there was always someone who had a
kind word, who was encouraging. And yeah, I think the
being part of the leadership group and being club captain
and having a relationship with Sarah and Angelina who were
our team and vice captain, and really feeling like we
were leading the team together, even though I questioned so
(14:56):
many times is there a point in me being here?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Like is this worth it?
Speaker 3 (15:02):
And yeah, or is this going to be all for nothing?
And you know your mind, you go to some really
really dark places.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
So everyone just.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Before that moment, long before every single day, that is
how I felt valued.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
And it wasn't like.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
The way that they made me feel like I was
part of the team even if I would never come back,
So to then come back, I think that was just
this this bonus, this gift, and we were able to
celebrate that together. And I just have to show my
gratitude obviously by talking about them whenever I can, but
by committing and having a mindset every day at training,
(15:43):
you know, I'm training as Orlando and Washington Spirit and
Louisville and Seattle and sand like I've played for every
team this season, you know, to help prepare my team, and.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
That is how I can give back.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
That is how I can help this team try to.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Make the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
There's still a chance, or just finished the season strong
and give something back to the fans and also.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Prepare the team for next season, even though I won't
be baring it.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yeah, I heard they started assigning you as tim Ushawinga,
which was crazy, but you did it a good job replicating.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
Replicating moves.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Yeah, you know, I've all I've been. I've been some
really good players and training.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
We got to take a quick break when we come back.
The rest of my conversation with Ali Riley back in
the Jeff, You've mentioned the fire. In addition to rehabbing
an injury, you were planning a wedding and then five
(16:44):
days before the ceremony this past January, you had to
deal with the loss of your childhood home to the
Palisades fires. So first I want to hear about those
hours and maybe first day or so after evacuations where
your parents have done this over the forty plus years
they've lived in that house a couple different times, and
they thought, here we go again. We're gonna be fine.
We'll let's pack up some stuff, but we'll return to
(17:05):
the house, and instead the house was gone. So in
those hours, you had gone to dinner the night before,
the night house, you were in the house the night before. Yeah,
what happens in the hours in the day or so
that follows.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
So that day.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
I've tried to kind of reconstruct it so many times,
and I think my parents have really kind of yeah,
blocked it out kind of because we all have very
different memories of how that day went. But basically in
the morning they were still there. They sent photos on
WhatsApp of the fire coming to like our family chat.
(17:43):
There was clouds because he smoke, but the fire was
up in the hills. It was going the other direction
where a little more sparsely populated area.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
And I went.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
To physical therapy, and it's it was a law long process, obviously,
and when I finished, I think I had forty something notifications,
and so Lucas and my parents they had tried to
call me, and there was just this whole conversation about
people are starting to evacuate, the winds have changed, and
so my parents they didn't end up evacuating probably until
(18:19):
around two pm, so between the morning and the afternoon
they had had time to pack a lot. But I think, again,
your the brain works in mysterious ways, and maybe didn't
have the most cohesive evacuation that maybe we would have
wished now in hindsight. But they were safe. They got
a lot of stuff in two cars, so we're really
(18:39):
really lucky. So they headed south to the South Bay
to friends to really get as far away as possible
because once it started coming that direction, we didn't.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
It did end up, you.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
Know, Insino evacuated. It did end up kind of coming
this way. My parents still thought that maybe the house
was going to be standing, but we kind of knew
we wouldn't be hosting any wedding festivities there. So Lucas's
brother and sister in law, we're supposed to stay at
the house. So now we're trying to find accommodation for them.
We're going to have something the day after the wedding,
(19:12):
so we're canceling everything, and we were having things for
the wedding.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Delivered to the house and I actually, yes, I posted,
I didn't even think about that. Yes, I posted.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
The last photo we have of the house is from
Amazon when they show a picture of the because the
ring dot com stopped working. But yeah, there's a package
on our bench in front of the.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
House at like three. I don't know how the driver
is this commitment. I don't know how the driver.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Got into this evacuated area, left the package and how
they got out, and so yeah, that was last. It
was like, I think it was glasses or something for
the reception, and so yeah, that is one of the
most surreal things. Last, the last image we have of
the house standing. And and eventually two days later, after
(20:03):
we knew everything was gone, I watched the news I
think literally for over forty eight hours, couldn't sleep. We
lost power actually periodically out here. And then my parents,
we finally saw them. They stayed here, and two nights
before the wedding, my parents are sleeping in mine, in
Lucas's bed, Me and my best friend are sleeping in
the guest room and Lucas was sleeping on the couch.
(20:24):
So that was like our aura getting ready for the wedding,
the biggest day of your life.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yeah, yeah, were you remotely Bridezilla ask before this happened. Like,
was any part of you nitpicky type a control freak
or were you already the kind of person that was like, oh,
it's gonna be a great day and like whatever, it'll
be great regardless of whether my makeup looks good or
like my dress is perfect or you know, is that Yeah,
I wasn't a bridezilla, but I was. I'm a control freak.
(20:53):
So I was like, I want this to happen. I
need this to happen. I don't want it to be
too hot. I don't want to be sweaty. My hair
need to get pulled up, like you know, just like
like everything's going to be photographed and for the rest
of my life people are gonna be like, let me
see your wedding photos and how did you look? And
I can't imagine if like the nights before, I'm like, well,
now I'm going to look like a wreck. I'm not
getting any sleep. You know, where's all the stuff that
(21:13):
we had sent? And like, did you have that moment
at all or was it all gratitude that like your
parents were in your house and safe and.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
I so I had also just had my eggs retrieved.
So the one thing I thought about leading into this
was how bloated I was going to be, and if
I was going to fit into my dress that my
teammate had made for me. So it was just a
little bit worried about squeezing into my dress. But other
than that, when my parents confirmed that they still wanted
(21:43):
to even have the wedding, and our neighbors all said,
we need this alley, We're coming.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
We're going to drink so much, we're going to party.
We lost our clothes we were going to wear, but.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Like, we will be there, And I said, I don't care,
as long as there's food for all these great people.
Of course, we confirmed with the vendors, especially the photographers,
but I knew that everyone there would understand exactly what
we were going through. That many people there were going
through the same thing, and we a lot of people
(22:11):
couldn't come.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
We had friends who.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Were on high alert and they drove there because we
had you know, it changed a lot, right, But I, yeah,
I just I couldn't really things went wrong during the wedding,
but I couldn't even get myself to not not that
I didn't care, but it felt so unimportant. So SID
(22:35):
was the one who was like was like getting on
the floorist and getting on the wedding planner and like
trying to fix things. My friends were the ones like
why isn't the wine being served? And I was just
completely like it was so blissful and Lucas and I
had the best night.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
It's a good time to have a sid LaRue when
you can stick your bold on the people that.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Need to be exactly exactly. I didn't even know I
read at a.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
LA Time quote they did a story about the wedding
and your aftermath of the fire, and you said, we
had a lot of people who had lost everything there
and borrowed clothes and mismatched shoes.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
And there's just.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Something about a perfect wedding that is less memorable than
one where everybody decides to come together in the face
of all of this, because that's ultimately what life is
is like just community and togetherness and supporting each other
when you most need it, which can be a wedding
in the middle of wonderful times, but even more so
(23:32):
as a wedding in the middle of the worst of times.
And that's a real gift that you and your parents
gave people. All the photos everyone looks so happy, and
all the interviews drunk will and we'll forgive them for that.
That's most weddings really, even without the fire part. But yeah,
just the interviews with your family and your parents and
the posts during it really said a lot about like
(23:55):
who you all are as people. I want to ask you,
because you always have a big smile on your face.
You're always bringing joy and love and support to your
teammates and your friends and your family. It's like you're
just known for like being like a human hug basically.
But you have been through a lot in the last
couple of years, whether it's the injuries and missing time
with your national team and Angel City and the fire
(24:15):
and your family.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Do you ever let.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Yourself be down as someone who's always a source of
happiness for others? Is it hard for you to be
around people if you don't feel like you can be
on and be the thing that they're used to having
from you.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
It is really hard.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
And I think that's an important conversation around mental health
that I'm glad I'm seeing more and more of now
in sports, especially because we are look to to.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Be these very strong and yeah, it's what no pay,
no gain and just all of these yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Stereotypes about athletes that I think actually can can hurt
us in the long run when we are human and
go through tragedy and trauma and lots of things. I
think that's that actually is one of the reasons why
I did take a little bit of time off this
year that I haven't talked a lot about.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Because.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
I could be that person still very positive and very
determined and support the team when I was at training,
but then I would come home and just be a
shell of myself. And it took too long for me
to realize that that isn't a way to live. That
isn't living, and that I think for everyone being able
(25:31):
to have balance in your life, and especially for me,
I'm so social and when you see a huge shift
in what you are doing, willing to do, wanting to do,
that is a sign that something is wrong and something
needs to change.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
So when I started this and where I am now.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
It was like, yes, I'm sad, but of course I'm sad,
I'm injured, but I'm still like social and active and
I can live my life like, of course you're going
to be sad or frustrated whatever. But in that middle
period when you know, seven months seeing no progress. That
is a long time and with no answers, and just
(26:09):
why am I doing this every single day? It's not changing.
That is when I think I saw that shift where
I didn't want to see anyone. I couldn't leave the couch,
I couldn't leave the bed. I cried every afternoon, and
you know, Lucas didn't know what to say and how
to do it like and that's not his job either,
you know, and I didn't. I didn't have the home
(26:32):
to go to our house where I would go every
off day and have dinner with my parents. My parents
were either far away or it's so hard to navigate
where they're staying. They're staying with friends, They're all over
the city. And so that was when I had to
really reset. And that's actually also when I did my
second round of IVF, and that helped me get back
(26:55):
to what I want in my life and my future
and to actually give something and take care of the
woman and the person I am the twenty two hours
of the day I'm not training, and that changed my
outlook on everything. And as soon as I got through
(27:17):
completed the cycle and we had positive news coming out
of that, and I started to really remember that I
need to invest in myself as a person and not
just a soccer player. And then once I realized that,
I was so motivated again and I was able to
be me all the time, and I think that is
again why this is the time that I need to retire,
(27:40):
is because again I'm getting into that period where in
order to maintain my body in order to continue to
be able to perform on the field, it's taking a
lot and it is taking away from the rest of
my life. And I'm not saying it's not worth it,
but for me and my goal in my life and
(28:01):
what makes me excited. And I think everyone deserves to
be able to be their full, authentic self in every
space that they're in, and I wouldn't be able to
be me for much longer. I think, not another season,
at least not another half season. And so, yeah, does
part of me wish that this season was two months
longer like now that I'm playing, and I'm that, but
(28:23):
I also know that life doesn't work that way, and yeah,
I just I'm going to give everything I have left
to my team now for these last four games, but
then I really need to get back to giving back
to myself.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Yeah, I love that. I mean physically you get to
be in uniform, but also mentally you get to have
already arrived at a place where you're like, ooh, all
these other parts of me are actually parts I really
want to foster now at this part of my life,
and that makes it easier to say goodbye to the
part that was soccer. I have a friend who had
situational depression after her dad passed away, and she is
(29:00):
used to being the light and being on all the time.
And what you said about knowing your own baseline is
so important because I think we tell stories about ourselves,
and if we are people who don't often struggle with
mental health or depression or have off days, when we
do start to have them, we push them aside because
we're like, oh, that's not who I am. But everybody's
(29:20):
baseline can move, and being aware of how you feel
and how that's changing so you can take care of
yourself is just so important.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
So I'm so glad you talked about that.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
We're running out of time. I wanted to ask you,
and I feel like you've addressed it a bit. But
for athletes of really even just high school level when
they're done college professionally, but now sixteen years in the pros,
it is so hard for the identity part to shift.
The idea of this is who I am, this is
what I am is. I'm an athlete. It's my person,
not just my job. What's your identity going to be
(29:51):
going forward?
Speaker 2 (29:53):
I am so lucky because I don't think my identity
will change.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
I think all these really nice things you said about
me and how people see me, I hope that will
continue because what my goal has been, what my mission
has been, and what my identity I think has become,
because when you do those behaviors over and over again.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
It becomes who you are.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Is to make people happy and to spread joy and
advocate and put good energy out into the world. To
use my platform to storytell and to grow this game.
And I'm lucky that I've been doing that now for many,
many years. I started making content on a camcorder when
(30:40):
I started playing for the national team in like two
thousand and six, and I also had a lot of
good advice and support around me.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
I also had a.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Mom who told me from the very beginning I was
going to have to get a real job eventually, I
think I have been preparing for my retirement since I
got drafted, saying it has to be that extreme for everybody.
But I do think that the advice I was given
and just it also comes a little bit from not
knowing how long women's soccer would be around. I went
(31:12):
through a league folding and teams folding, so it comes
a little bit out of a broken system and things
that happened to me before that I don't think will
happen anymore. But I do think that we are still
at a time that players will have to work after
they retire from soccer, or you know, at some point the.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Savings will run out that you've made.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
I know we're getting to big contracts now, but to
at least hone and foster other skills and passions, and
so I think it will be strange a very It
will still be a big transition that I'm not doing
those things on the side as a side hustle. But
I do feel like the person I am and how
I identify can continue, And I think that is also
(31:52):
why I'm really excited and feel good about this milestone,
because I actually am hoping I can, if I work really,
really hard, get an even bigger platform and share even
more stories and be everywhere smiling all at once. You know,
I love it on the airwaves and on your TV
and on your phone. And I just want to keep
(32:15):
being me, and I want to keep spreading the message
that everyone should be able to be their authentic self
in every space, and I want to advocate that for
the rest of my life.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Gosh, I love that so much. I also love that
you've got footage going back to two thousand and six.
I think we need to start to release the old footage.
I want a mini documentary if that's the best we're
going to get, or a full flooding if you've got
enough content for it.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
There's some players, we know, some recognizable people in these.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Videos, so you know, probably with different eyebrows and hairstyles
that we would be dying to see. Which that actually
leads me to another question, which you started so long ago.
You were at a you know, Gold Pride game against
Saint Louis Athletica and the WPS in twenty ten, with
thirty three hundred people in the audience. You were, you know,
(33:01):
playing with your national team back in the early two thousands.
The environment around the game has changed so much, so goodness.
What stands out to you from that first game and
what do you think is most important for you to
help change going forward? That still needs to be work done.
Speaker 3 (33:19):
I think what's really cool is that the level was
so good back then. I mean, our team was amazing.
The product has been there the whole time. The product
is so good, it's so exciting. What has changed is
that investors and maybe men have started to realize that
the product immediately really good and that it is not charity.
(33:42):
Women's football is not charity. That mindset has finally started
to shift and that we are so valuable.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
And I think I see that now just with.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
The advertising going on and the merchandise available because the
fans have been there.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
Yeah, maybe they're only thirty three hundred people because they.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Didn't know there was a game and no one they
hadn't seen how amazing Marta was and they didn't and
the high.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
School pitch could only hold thirty three hundred people exactly.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
Exactly, so I think, and we're still seeing that obviously
with less invested programs and less invested federations, and you know,
New Zealand has a long way to go, and we
don't have the same investment as a US or as
an Angel City, but that is what I want to
continue to just shout from the rooftops and I swear
if you go to one Angel City, game will go
(34:34):
to another one.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
So it's like, how can I convince the key.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Stakeholders and people with money to that it's smart to invest.
And then also just the stories around the product, because
I just know if someone watches one game at this
next World Cup, they will be hooked. And I also
want more and more girls to be playing soccer because
it is so good for them, even if they don't
make it to play pro.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
We all know that. And also it will make the
sport more inclusive.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
It will make the sport better and all those little
girls deserve a chance to dream as big as possible
and see themselves doing things that I could never have
dreamed possible. And so that is one area that I
think again, the more visibility and the more investment will
encourage these girls to play. But also how can we
(35:26):
have a system where they actually have access to the
sport as.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Well right have a chance. Well, I think your new
rules women's football hype Woman has already begun and we
look forward to seeing you across the globes running the
good word of women's football. Thank you so much for
the time, Ali, Congrats had an amazing career and have
fun the next couple games.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Thank you so much. I'll see you soon.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Thanks so much to Ali for joining us and letting
us help share her news. We have to take another
break when we come back the rest of my proper
Thanks to Ali. Welcome back slices. We love that you're listening,
but we want you to get in the game every
day too, So here's our good game play of the day.
(36:14):
Follow Ali and subscribe to the BFFR podcast too. We'll
put links to our social media accounts and the pods
page in our show notes. We always love to hear
from you, so hit us up on email good game
at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail at
eight seven two two oh four fifty seventy and please
scroll down to the stars. Give us five stars, rate
(36:34):
and review the show. It's really helpful and it's super easy.
Watch a career well spent, rating sixteen out of sixteen
years of phenomenal pro footy review all right, I gave
Ali her well deserved flowers in our interview, But I
got a double down here. You ever met a person
that just feels like sunshine personified, That's Ali Riley. But
(36:57):
not only that, She's been a fierce competitor over the
course of her sixteen year pro career, whether in the
international ranks with the New Zealand Ferns, in the uslw WPS,
Swedish League, Women's Super League, Frown Bundesliga, or the NWSL.
And not every player who laces up their boots is
lucky enough to last that long in the pro ranks.
I'm not surprised at all that Ali did. She approached
(37:20):
her whole career with the same fervor and enthusiasm with
which she approached her rehab process these past few years,
and I'm so excited she got back on the field.
I'm also really excited to see what this next chapter
has in store for her. Cheers again, Ali, and thanks
for the memories. Now it's your turn, y'all, rate and review,
Thanks for listening, See you tomorrow. Good game, Ali, good game,
(37:42):
Ali's new booty few time. It comes for all of us,
It comes for all of our bodies. Matter of fact,
my back hurts right now. Good Game with Sarah Spain
is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep
Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
(38:06):
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzie
and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz,
Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutterer. Our editors are Emily Rutter,
Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
And Gianna Palmer.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
Our associate producer is Lucy Jones. Production assistance from Avery
Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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