In case you didn’t catch the USA Womens football star Lorrie Fair conducting a webchat on Tuesday, following her high profile move to Chelsea in England, here is a transcript of the event.
LORRIE FAIR WEB CHAT – February 12, 2008
http://theblues.chelseafc.com/america/home.shtml
(19:09:45) Steve: Hi Lorrie. Who has been the most influential coach in your career?
(19:09:45) Lorrie: Actually, I have had the pleasure of being coached by many great coaches. One of my all time favs played for West Ham United way back in the day….his name was Clive Charles. He was beloved in the states as he influenced many players, both male and female…..on and off the field, and he will forever be loved by all those who knew him.
(19:07:43) Carefree: Now you’re here, beat those gooners! You know who they are?
(19:07:43) Lorrie: Gooners! very clever….we do the same thing with Cal vs Stanford (big university rivalry) We say, beat Stanford. I will do my best….Arsenal are a really strong side.
(19:04:38) Valky: Hi Lorrie. Did you have any initation ceremony that you had to carry out when you joined Chelsea?
(19:04:38) Lorrie: Not yet, but now that you’ve given me the heads up I’ll be on the lookout for anything strange!
(19:02:56) jennifer: hi lorrie, i’m from california – living in london for the year. welcome! don’t worry, you’ll get used to the 5 dollar coffees. my Q: what are ur impressions of attitudes here about women athletes? i found coming over a bit of a culture shock on that front. i feel silly for confessing this, but i never thought about how much title ix impacted not just campuses, but just general awareness of and support for girls and women in sports. and can you ask the nike story here in london to carry those shoes (and gear for women footballers!)?
(19:02:56) Lorrie: It’s definitely different from the US. We are very lucky as women to have had more opportunities in sport than most in the world, and it has become quite commonplace to see women athletes. And although here it is not as common, there is a very large population of youth that are involved in sport, which gives me hope that England are really not that far behind.
(18:59:38) Valky: Hi Lorrie. Do you collect Chelsea badges? Do you have any favourites? I have nearly 1,700, and it certainly impresses the ladies.
(18:59:38) Lorrie: Wow! It sounds like you are the manager of the Chelsea Megastore! I personally don’t collect badges, but I do have a couple of special autographs. One is Pele and the other is Bobby Moore. I met him at Stanford Stadium in 1994 for the World Cup. May he rest in peace.
(18:56:43) SJC: Welcome to Chelsea, Lorrie… I used to work in the States about ten to twelve years ago when Trish Ventorini was the star! As good old Brit lads a number of us watched a girl’s football game and couldn’t believe how good it was! Good luck in the UK!!
(18:56:43) Lorrie: Thanks, SJC! Tish was my teammate and one of the most amazing players of her time. She wasn’t the fastest on the field but she was incredibly creative and scored some of the most incredible goals both collegiately and internationally. So glad you got to see her play.
(18:54:00) baldfatlimey: so, if you had to be a vegetable – which of the chatters would you be?
(18:54:00) Lorrie: I’d be a brussel sprout. but I didn’t see any chatter with that name….so I guess I can’t really answer that one too well.
(18:52:46) Tidy: Who are the better fans American or English? x
(18:52:46) Lorrie: English are MUCH better at cheering for football…..with that said, if you have ever been to an Oakland Raiders game, you will agree that the Black Hole can rival any bunch of English football fans. It’s really a matter of comparing the most popular sport in that country.
(18:50:17) TheBishopOfSligo: What’s is the worst injury you ever had?
(18:50:17) Lorrie: I broke my clavicle (collar bone) in 7th grade when the boy I had a crush on caused me to fall on my shoulder. Embarrassing that it wasn’t on the pitch. really though, my worst injury was a torn soleus muscle in my leg. I was out for 6 1/2 months and I could really only swim. I HATE being injured.
(18:47:12) michael: hello lorrie and welcome to england what do you think of football over here in england Compared with back in the usa
(18:47:12) Lorrie: thanks, Michael. The level in the states is extremely high, so it is hard to say that England is equal. With that said, there are some extremely talented youth that are enthusiastic and passionate about the game. With the England team doing so well at the World Cup last year, I hope that more resources can be allocated to help these future national teammers develop and lead England to more consistent success on the international level.
(18:43:28) Lui: Hi Lorrie, big shout out from California! So how do you like London so far? How have your new teammates treated you?
(18:43:28) Lorrie: Yay! Cali question! I love London. It is slightly cold, but when I left SFO and got off the plane in London, the temp was about the same, so I guess I’m not really missing much. The only complaint I do have about London is that everything is really expensive. as far as my teammates go, everyone has been extremely welcoming and they made my nervousness disappear.
(18:40:19) Nikki Lazos: Hi from New Hampshire U.S.A. My daughter wanted me to tell you that she really looks up to you and wonders if you might return to play in the US leagues when they return?
(18:40:19) Lorrie: tell her thank you very much. I am so excited for the league to relaunch. I have to be honest, I don’t know what next year has in store for me. I am excited for all the players to have a place to play after college, but I don’t know how many years I’ve got left in me, so I’ll decide as I go along.
(18:37:01) Richard Keith: Did you follow English football growing up and did you support any particular team??
(18:37:01) Lorrie: English football was not really that readily available to watch, so I would watch any game that was on. I loved watching Keano dominate with Man U, but I also really enjoyed watching Alan Shearer. I only wish that I had the access to EPL that today’s youth have.
(18:34:44) Brett: Im 15 now and have been in and out of academies whats the best advice?
(18:34:44) Lorrie: If you love it, keep playing. I had teammates on the national team that didn’t play on any high level team until they were into their twenties. They simply loved playing. Persistance and hard work are great qualities to have in this world, and it sounds to me like you also have passion for the sport, which is key for those who really want to succeed. So good luck to you. Don’t forget to have fun along the way.
(18:30:46) dan: hi lorrie what football boots do you wear
(18:30:46) Lorrie: I have been fortunate enough to be sponsored by Nike, so I wear the women’s legend at the moment. I grew up wearing Copa Mundials and am partial to real leather as opposed to the synthetic new boots that are everywhere these days.
(18:27:54) Andy: who is the greatest player you admire most?
(18:27:54) Lorrie: I have always loved Paolo Maldini. there is something about his leadership and ability to anticipate every thing the attacker does. His tackles are perfectly timed as well, and I love a good hard tackle! I have to say that right now I am enamored with the play of Messi….no one can stay with him.
(18:24:47) Steve: Lorrie, do you or your sister have any pre-match superstitions?
(18:24:47) Lorrie: I can’t speak for Ronnie, but I actually have a superstition that I never realized I had until a teammate made an observation. It seems that I always put my left stuff on before my right. So I will first put on my left sock, then rt, then left boot, then rt, then left shinguard, then rt…..I never knew that I did it unconsciously until she brought it up.
(18:20:54) Chelsea-4-ever: good luck in the future, could i be any chance of a mascot for you?
(18:20:54) Lorrie: Thank you for your kind wishes, I don’t think I would want a personal mascot, but you could probably try your luck with the team. I’m sure that would be a huge hit with the kids.
(18:19:01) robert reid: who is your fav chelsea player ? and why ?
(18:19:01) Lorrie: I like Michael Essien. I was fortunate enough to be at Olympique Lyonnais when he was there as well and he has impressed me since then. On top of that, he is also down to earth….very humble. It’s nice to see great footballers that are good people as well.
(18:14:48) Steve: Hi Lorrie. We’re big Chelsea fans living over here in Northern California. My little girl is a massive fan of yours and she wants to know how do you mentally prepare for a game. Are you quiet and reflective or do you get pumped up with music, etc.
(18:14:48) Lorrie: Hi steve….My home is NorCal! my preparation changes depending on what I am feeling. I sometimes like to be rowdy and start dancing around the locker room, but other times I put my headphones on and listen to my own music. Other times I sit and relax and try to focus. But it’s really a personal preference and certainly a work in progress.
(18:12:16) Richard: What do you think of the training facilities at Cobham?
(18:12:16) Lorrie: the facilites at Cobham are first rate. They are some of the best I’ve seen. It would be nice to have a stadium field so that the women’s games could be held here. As our league rules state, we must have an enclosed stadium.
(18:10:13) John: what position do you play?
(18:10:13) Lorrie: I am a center midfielder but have played almost every position on the field. GK definitely not included as I am not the tallest person on the planet.
(18:08:58) chelseagirl: you seem to be passionate both on and off the field about many things. can you talk about some valuable experiences that have shaped you and talk about what fuels your drive?
(18:08:58) Lorrie: I would have to say that my family has really shaped me. My father and older brother really gave me inspiration and my twin sis and I were always competitive, so the rest was simply falling in love with the beautiful game!
(18:06:54) Daniel H: over here our womans game is getting bigger by the day would you say the same about the woman`s game in the u.s.a also on behalf of all chelsea fans we wish you luck in the future . up the blues
(18:06:54) Lorrie: thanks, Daniel…..in the US women’s football is very popular and there is a wonderful history of winnng as well. Although it is not as popular here, there is a lot of talent in the young players.
(18:03:59) gwyndaf lewis: how did you get picked for chelsea?
(18:03:59) Lorrie: when Chelsea came over to the states for the tour to LA, I did some ambassadorial work surrounding the tour. Chelsea had the idea to have me come over and play and I was honored and decided to do it.
(18:01:37) gwyndaf lewis: how do u play so good?
(18:01:37) Lorrie: practice, practice, practice!
Many thanks to Brianne Lunzmann for supplying the details.
Graham Fisher writes on Views Of A Fan.
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