SoccerGirl - Jess Carter

Do you ever just want to hit someone the way that you used to be able to

Uh, yeah. Sometimes I would love that to just... Lower this boulder. What's up, guys? Welcome back to the Soccer Girl Pod

This week you're chatting with English national team and Gotham defender Jess Carter

We talked about her path to confidence, representing England at the world stage, and what she's learned about leadership, visibility, and staying grounded in a sport that's constantly changing

I love that we also got to talk about how she is super direct with her communication

And like that didn't work so well for me when I was in college. I always felt a little bit nervous around those types of players

But it was really cool to hear her just talk about learning to communicate with her teammates and how she likes to be communicated with

Yeah, and I think Jess has already proved that she's a New Yorker. She's got a favorite pizza spot, her favorite bagel order, and she's driving on the Jersey Turnpike

So welcome to New York, Jess. Thank you so much for coming on

We're so excited to chat with you today. Let's just dive right in, right

We'll go back in time. I know you made your senior debut when you were just 16 years old, which is unbelievable

What do you remember about those early days? And did you know then that this is what you wanted for your career

Absolutely not. I had no idea. I didn't grow up knowing that I could be a football player

I just love playing all sports, really. I just remember loving it and kind of just was playing football

And next thing I know, we were playing Champions League. And I felt like it just kind of happened

I mean, I say out of nowhere, obviously, there was a lot of work. But at the time, when you're 16, I don't think it feels like work

You're just kicking a ball around, having a laugh, having a good time. And then before you know it, it's a pretty big thing

I was going to say, it's like a blessing and a curse to play with no stress or fear or anxiety attached to it

when you don't realize how important the playing is that you're doing and you play really free at that age

How have you hung on to that and tried to continue to play free

instead of letting the reality of how important a lot of these moments are

get into your mentality? Most of the time, I'm able to do that quite fine

Most of the time, I'm just someone who, I'm going to go and do my best and that is all I can do

So I'm going to make mistakes. I'm going to do great at times, but there is literally nothing more than I can do

than give my best in that moment. So God bless for having that attitude. I wish I could have had that attitude when I played

No, it's tough though. I remember at times in this most recent Euros, a lot of these games was the first time I've experienced

being nervous or being stressed or worried about my performance. And that definitely had an impact on how I played in the Euros

So I've been lucky enough to not have to worry about that for 10 years and then it hit me in the Euros a little bit

The way we went into the tournament as a team, I don't think that we played that well throughout the year building into it

so I personally didn't go in with the most confident feeling that maybe we'd had previously

and then I think kind of not starting off the tournament great on a personal and I guess a

team level in the France game was then felt obviously more pressure to have to then do better

obviously Netherlands was great Wales were great but then obviously then have other top opponents

it was only going to get harder and harder and I so I think that was for me kind of some of the

main things as to why maybe it wasn't why I was feeling a little bit more nervous and so yeah I

don't know what's different because there's always pressure I mean I've been lucky enough to play at the top clubs where there's huge pressure to perform so I don't know what was different I'm

still trying to figure that one out. What do you think helps you reset when you do feel soccer's

overwhelming or there's a lot of nerves and stress around it? I'm usually pretty good at switching

off from football I wouldn't say I'm someone who lives and breathes it that much so when I normally

when I get home from training or from the game. I'm pretty much over whatever happened

like a bad game or bad performance, whatever, something quite rare that that would kind of drag on a little bit for me

But I think just switching off, I'm a big family person and just kind of hanging out, literally doing anything

besides playing or thinking about football, really. I kind of switch off from that quite quickly

You mentioned family being important. Is there anything else like off the field that you enjoy to do or any hobbies

Not particularly. I feel like I'm still trying to explore the U.S. at the moment

whether it's just going to different nice coffee shops, experiencing different parts of New York with all the different cultures that are there

I think is something I find quite exciting. I got to ask, what's your favorite pizza place in New York so far

There is one. I have no idea what it was called, but there was one down by the World Trade Center that I actually recently went to

My partner was just walking past it one day. She said, oh, it's about going in there

There was one of the more glamorous places I've been to. What's glamorous

No, no. But it was so good. I want to say it was called, like, Hank's or something like that

People could have made it up. But it was really close to the World Trade Center. That was a good one. Okay

You're high. I bet you know the name and you're just keeping it a secret, huh? Honestly, I don't

I'm sure she would have remembered. Yeah, so you've been at Gotham for how long now

Just over a year. What do you think you've learned from the environment there that shaped you

I think firstly, just to enjoy the game. I think that sometimes in Europe, I think there's so much pressure that's put on football and athletes

And I think it's like a business. You don't really get treated as much as people

And since I've been at Gotham, you're a person first, I find. And that's what they see you as

And football is like something that you really good at and they want to help you in But it not who you are So I think trying to find ways to enjoy it and celebrate all of the little wins I not really someone who gets too high or too low in either moments which has

been a blessing to help stay kind of I guess level-headed but sometimes I missed out on

celebrating some of the huge successes just because it's already been focused on it's either

an expectation or it's just I'll move on to the next one but actually winning the game is great

And those things should be celebrated as well. So I think that trying to remind myself to celebrate those successes is something that I really enjoyed at Gotham

I love that advice. I know for me, I'm always thinking about the next thing and not like just being in the moment, enjoying what you're doing at the time

So it's good to celebrate those wins for sure. I'd love to know, what about leadership

Do you feel like your style of leadership has changed over time or do you feel like you've always been the same type of leader

I think I've always been quite vocal, but I have had to learn the ways to maybe say things. I think before when I was a bit younger, I just would say it how I wanted to say it and wouldn't ever think about how that maybe how that person would take it

because I'm quite a direct person. So I don't mind if you shout at me. I just see it as you're trying to help me

But I understand now that everybody needs that information in different ways

It can be a really difficult thing to do. But I think trying to remind myself that this person might need that extra bit of encouragement

The person next to me just needs to be told exactly and direct

So I think it's been quite similar. Just maybe trying to learn that everyone needs to be spoken to a little bit differently

I think is something I'm still trying to learn now. Yeah, I always feel like if someone was super direct with me

I'd take it a little personally and get it a little bit gentler. But that's part of being a good teammate

is just learning how people want to be spoken with and what's going to be the most effective ways to communicate

I'm curious, while you have played, who have been some of the most impactful communicators to you

I think, oh God, there's been so many. I think when I was, I remember when I was kind of like 16

i remember joe potter and jade more like shouting at me really shouting at me because they are very

direct i'm going to tell you exactly how they feel and i remember at the time i loved that my

family are normally quite direct so i'm used to that and i really enjoyed that and for me that was

if they didn't care they wouldn't be giving me that direct message they wouldn't be trying to

help me but then on the other side of that i had played with magda erickson and i think that she was

someone who really tried to think about how people felt and I remember a time in training I shouted

at somebody because I felt that they weren't doing the job that they're supposed to do and she just

turned around she was like Jess that kind of came across as a little bit aggressive and I didn't

I didn't mean to be mean I was just trying to give them instructions and it was kind of one of those

moments where actually I had to then think about how I was speaking to people because what I thought

was just trying to help and give instructions on what we needed to do could have been a bit mean

And I think that having that approach as well really made me think about, I guess, how I speak to people as well

You guys also, English people, have such good banter that like sometimes we're sensitive when we don't need to be, you know

You have represented England at the Euros and the World Cup. Can you tell us about those experiences? Like how has that changed you personally and professionally

I think professionally it's just it's made me have to be more professional it's made me have to

realize that whatever standard I think I'm at I need to raise and I need to raise again in order

to continue to compete at the highest level I've always been someone who has been pushed by my

surroundings and not someone who's super hyped to push myself and I find that something really

difficult to do so being in really top environments gets the best out of me so from having to work and

watch athletes playing at the top level at the World Cup and the Euros and how they manage

themselves every day to be ready for that next game in three, four days has helped me realise

what I need to do to be ready for every moment. From a professional level, that's really helped

just on an individual personal level. I think just, I don't know, trying to figure out what

works for me, both on and off the pitch and getting that balance right. International tournaments

are so intense you're away for a very very long time I'm not someone who loves to be away much at

all so trying to figure out what makes me happy in those moments where I can't escape and go to

the theater in New York or can't go to Hank's Pizza Shop or whatever it was I think that trying

to find those moments in camp where I can find my own joy and switch off but also try to still be

involved with the team and be a good teammate is something that takes takes time to find

Well, you mentioned being a good teammate, which I think it's clear that you are

And you're such a role model to so many young players. Have you felt like there's pressure to be a role model

I wouldn't consider myself a role model, really. I'm just someone who does what I love to do

So maybe in that sense, it comes easy, because I don't think I am one, so I am doing me

Obviously, as the game's growing, it's obvious that us as athletes are becoming bigger role models

for the younger generation. even though it's not something you like well I didn't set out to be it is really nice knowing

that there is other girls and boys or people that look like me or from a background that I'm from

that maybe are inspired by me and think that they can go and live out their dream and whatever

since that might be and that is a really nice feeling to know when you were younger did you

feel like there was that representation for you to see yourself in someone that was you know doing what you doing now or was there like a complete void of that Was anyone that for you No not at all not for me growing up I didn grow up knowing that I could be a women footballer I didn know that it was a job I didn know it it could be a thing so I wish that I knew that

earliest or I could see that earlier because it took me too long for me to realize that I could

be a professional footballer and I think about maybe if I knew that a little bit earlier would

I've taken things more seriously earlier? Could I have been at another level? Obviously, the journey

I've had is incredible, but I also could I have been that little bit better if I'd have known

better and done better a little bit earlier on? Obviously, a lot of the girls come up through

academies or they knew that this was the route that they were going to go down and they learned

a lot of skills a bit earlier on. I think that would have been great to have had a bit earlier

on. Maybe if that seriousness and the intensity of it all was introduced any earlier, it might have

pulled from that your ability to like play free and to be able to go home after a game and like

shut off and turn that switch off so it's like yeah it's totally a balance of the two things but

we're at the point now where like half the people we interview grew up with like the legends to look

up to and the half the people didn't have that when they were younger so it's really cool to see

it that change and it's really cool for you to be like oh I didn't have that when I was growing up

but now you can see around how many girls and athletes do have that now to look up to which

is just a really cool way that the game has grown. And of course, the game's going to continue to keep growing

Are there any ways that you would like to see it grow or change

I think for me, it's just that everyone having the equal opportunity. I hate the fact that there's still so many players and teams

who are doing the same thing I'm doing on a daily basis, putting in the same work with a lot worse facilities, access, pay

It's really hard to be the best you can be without having all of that

having the opportunity to train at good training facilities with your white equipment

I think is really important in order to see people truly excel

Now we know that you've been open about mental health and finding balance as an athlete. Do you

have any advice for anyone that is feeling like they're going through the ups and downs of the games or they feel like they're in a rut and they're trying to get out of it? I think just

remembering that you're not by yourself, firstly, like you're never alone in any of that. And every

player that you ever see kicking a ball around has gone through probably what you're going through

at some point um I think remembering that football is not everything it's a very short period of time

and it's something that we all love to do but outside of that the other 24 hours that you 22

hours sorry that you do with your day is just as important as the two hours that you're on the pitch

so taking care of yourself is the only way that you'll be able to do what you you love on the pitch

I would love to know, what is something about you off the field that fans might be surprised to learn

I used to play rugby at quite a high level until I was 16. And then I had to choose between football and rugby because Birmingham wouldn't let me play rugby anymore

So, yeah, I had to choose between that and I chose football. How similar would you consider those sports

Very similar in the sense of you need the whole team. I think that is why playing football for me is about the togetherness, the feel that I have with my team over anything else

That's the most important thing to me. And I think the work rate that you have to put in in rugby to win is the same thing that you need in football

That mentality of winning and the work rate to win is something that you also need in football to be successful

Do you ever just want to hit someone the way that you used to be able to hit? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Like I feel like sometimes I would love that to just, yeah

Over the shoulder. Yeah. And all the players that I can't catch in the NWSR, that'd be great as well

All right. So you've had such a tremendous journey so far and there's so many things for you to be proud of

But what is the thing that you are most proud of? The ability to keep going is when there's been some really, really tough times, whether it's on the pitch or off the pitch

It's just being able to keep going and playing at the top level. I think it's really hard to do

And a lot of people really go up and down in that in their journey, which is perfectly normal

And the ability to overcome some setbacks in your personal life and your professional life

But to just keep going is honestly, I think my biggest achievement. Isn't that crazy

And people idolize the trophy and the titles and all of that

And then when it comes down to it, it can be something that doesn't have a trophy or a name to it

That is really what you're most proud of. I'm lucky enough that I managed to win a really great amount in my career

And that's incredible. That winning feeling hasn't given me the same proud feeling of being able to just keep going and show up every day

It's great. It's something that we obviously all want to do. But the real work of having to turn up every day and put in that effort is a bigger achievement than winning any trophy

When you think about your career long term, what kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind

I don't think I've ever been asked that question. And I don't know. I don't want people to say that I was a great person, a good teammate

Everyone. It's unanimous. It is 100%. That's the answer every time. And I want to scream it from the mountaintop

I did not mean to interrupt you, but I was like, she's going to say it. I know she's going to

But not everyone says it, but all are really good interviewers. Like, that is what is prioritized the most, for sure

Yeah, I'm sorry. Continue what you were saying, but I love that. You know, we play team sports

We all want to be good teammates. and we all know how important being a good teammate is

and without them, you will never be successful. A large proportion of athletes in a team sport will say that because it what we need to be every single day in order to be happy and be successful those days on the odd occasions where I had when I been an

absolute grump at training or whatever it is and I can't wait and I've got to find about that today

just because of how it might have made someone feel it doesn't make you feel good when you're

not in a good mood so yeah I think just that's really important to me and hopefully at Gotham

It's a different experience. I'm learning a lot here, but I'm hoping that, you know, my teammates will say that I've helped come in and raise the level or put a different perspective in there to maybe how things were done at Gotham or have been done from tactical to off the pitch, whatever it is

Hopefully they see that I've impacted Gotham in a really positive way

Well, I have a feeling you're well on your way with that because I think everyone we've spoken to has said like great things about you and what a great person and teammate you are

Keep it up. You're doing great. Alana anything more before we roll into rapid fire

Let's do it we just have some questions that will maybe not make you answer so fast but

some rapid fire questions. I think I know this answer now but what's one Olympic sport you would not come last in

Rugby. Yep. All right you obviously soccer has you on the road constantly what is one thing you were

absolutely taking with you on an away trip? My eye mask. Can you sleep on planes

No very rarely. Oh, so it's an average. That's a sensitive sleeper

That's hard for being away then. For real, yeah. If you could have dinner with any athlete, past or present, who would it be

Serena Williams. Have you ever met her? No, never. She took over Chelsea

Her and her husband took over Chelsea just after I left. And I saw a nice picture of them in the changing room of the players

I think that's the most jealous I've probably ever been in my entire life. We're going to manifest this for you

I have a feeling you're going to go higher. What is one food that you could eat every single day besides Hank's pizza and not get sick of

Only New York bagels. I didn't know I loved them before, but now I do

Jess, we ate a New York bagel right before we got on with you. We were shoving bagels down our throats

There is nothing better. I live in Florida, but when I come to New York, that's the first thing I want when I get off the airplane

But what is your bagel order? I think the first ever one I had in New York was some kind of steak thing

I don't even know what it was, but I had steak. because it was in a garlic bagel

And I still remember it. It was so good. That's good. I'm a New Yorker

and I don't know if I've ever mixed steak with bagels before. But I'm..

And it just told me, it said specials, and I was like, what, that's it

Okay, I'll try it. That sounds really good. What about on an off day

What's your go-to thing on an off day? I like to, I always like to go for brunch somewhere

I think that's one of my favorite things to do. drive to somewhere kind of a little bit different and and go for a nice brunch and i do love a show

don't it's not something that i do every day but yeah on a on a nice occasion that's really cool

to do like broadway or like yeah we've been lucky enough to go to a few so far so i'll be tired more

what's your favorite of the lion king oh so i've seen it three times i was gonna say i've seen it

i love the lion king so i saw a couple of times in england and once in new york and it's it's

amazing every time. So good. It's a classic. Also, you said driving. Do you drive in New York

Yeah. Wow. That's impressive. I do remember my first time I came to New Jersey and I'd visited

first and I didn't drive there. And I was like, God, these drivers are crazy here. When I moved

here, Anne was away at the Olympics and she's like, I left the keys, whatever. And I was like

I'm going to get an Uber to training. We live about 15 minutes from the training ground. She's

like you'll be fine etc i was panicking i made her stay on facetime for 15 minutes my whole way

until i got there i remember staying on like the outside lane maybe the whole way driving like 15

miles under the speed limit absolutely panicking and after i got to the train because that's

absolutely fine but people in new jersey drive crazy yeah there is there are new rules out here

in these streets you're all worse off for going slower yeah and safer well good i'm glad you i'm

glad you conquered that fear and now you're able to do it. That's great. What's a reality show you'd

most want to guest star on? Celebrity getting me out of here. Do you guys, I don't know if you guys

have that in the U.S. Do you? No, someone else mentioned that too. It's like Naked and Afraid

You ever watch that? No, I've never, never had it. Only, only America would come up with that show

They like dump you in the middle of like sub-Saharan Africa. No clothes, no oil, cold

Survive, make it to the end point. I watch this show so many times. I say I'd

to do it because i could do the eating challenge or the drinking challenge or whatever but the

moment i see a spider it's game over so i'm probably gonna last about a second in the jungle

yeah not in the it sounds like survivor i'm not into the spiders either all right and our last

question what is your biggest soccer girl problem maybe the sleep but not being able to sleep on

travel actually that would be really handy in the u.s totally that is a big soccer problem well jess

thank you so much for coming on it was great to get to know you more and we're so excited to

continue to watch you just crush it on the world stage and in our in our home state of New York

So thanks for coming on. We really appreciate you. Great. Thanks, guys. I really enjoyed that

Well, that was great. Love chatting with our new fellow New Yorker, Jess

Make sure everyone that you follow us on everything. Subscribe, like, listen

and we will see you next week. Bye