It feels so great to be back in 2012. The Olympics are coming up in the summer, and I'm pumped to see the US Women's National Soccer Team fight for Gold again! That team is such a motivation and inspiration for all aspiring female soccer players across the WORLD. As a soccer player myself, I am pretty much obsessed with the National Team. I can name a random fact about every single player on the roster, and even some of the coaches.
We, as soccer players, look up to these players - these women - as well as our own coaches. We watch, mimic, and learn from every single one of their actions on and off the field. As a goalkeeper, I like to watch Hope Solo/Jill Loyden/Nicole Barnhart/Ashlyn Harris play and see what/how she reacts to certain plays. Unfortunately though, I can't hear her. Why would I need to hear her? Because goalkeepers are supposed to be LOUD and very VERBAL. We have the best views of the whole field, and it is our job to direct our players, and LEAD them from the back. Goalkeepers are leaders on the field.
But really, what is a leader? On the field, it's someone who guides the team, encourages the team, and helps the team. According to Dictionary.com, a leader is a person who rules, guides, or inspires others. Now, how many leaders do you know based off of this definition? Of those, how many of them are women? Are they all of political power? Or no? For me, when I think of a woman leader, I think of soccer players...and Queen Elizabeth. Each and every one of the soccer players that I think of as leaders are some of the most encouraging, inspiring, and funny people I know. My goalkeeper coach, for example, has been with us for three years. She has helped us develop not only as a goalkeeper, but as people too. She is someone for all of us goalkeepers to relate to (having played as a goalkeeper and playing in college), and she truly cares about every single one of us. My head coach is the same way. She has a way of making everything feel so easy-going, and I truly feel as if she's an older sister to me.
Now, these leaders aren't powerful in any way. But they ARE leaders simply by being themselves. They are leaders by example and morale. Queen Elizabeth, on the other hand, had a lot of power. She ruled over a country, the army of the country, and the people in the country. In the movie Queen Elizabeth: The Golden Age, you can really get an idea of the power she had. However, she too, as a female leader, had a certain influence on those she ruled over. It was a positive influence on her country, and was a reason that she was so greatly loved.
Many people think that men are better leaders than women. In a statistical sense, that's true. There have been far more male leaders in the world than have been women, and some people may use that as their reasoning behind why 'men are better leaders'. Men naturally seem more strict and almost (but not all) vicious when in power -- another possible reason behind the 'men are better leaders'. However, which leaders in the world have had a more positive influence on their people and those that look up to them? In my mind, it's the women. Which soccer teams inspired tens-of-thousands of young soccer players to reach for the stars in 2011? The women's national teams.
Now this is just my opinion. I may be biased due to my gender. But really, a leader shouldn't be described by their material items or the amount of land or people he/she ruled over. Instead, a good leader should be defined by their impact on those who are being led by them. Positive influence = Good leader. Simple as that.
This trailer is of Queen Elizabeth: The Golden Age. It is an excellent movie and shows the great influence the Queen Elizabeth had on her country.
These videos (one below and in link) show a little bit about the US Women's Soccer Team, and simply by listening to the comments and seeing the crowd show the influence and fans that they have.
Hi Alli,
ReplyDeleteI like this time-traveller theme you've developed in your blogs--helps to add a certain cohesive creativity to everything. It also makes them fun to read. I enjoyed your commentary on how women soccer players often embody positive aspects of leadership. I also enjoyed your connection to Queen Elizabeth. I haven't had a chance to watch Queen Elizabeth: the Golden Age, but after watching that trailer, it's on my to-see list. Nice job.