Base level vibes

In my first year of school, most of my classmates were boys. So it was crystal clear that soccer was the main game on the schoolyard. From the very first moment on I loved playing with the boys and that’s how I discovered my passion for soccer. When I was eleven years old the neighbors’ village founded the first youth team in our valley (Engadin). I didn’t think twice, I wanted to be part of it. That was the beginning of the end for me.

Love for the Challenge

I love to encounter new challenges together with my team every weekend. What happens the other weekend doesn’t count on the next one. No matter if a win or loss. You have to start fresh and deliver every time. I love the relentless fight.

Finding my breath

Previous, when I joined FC Zürich Women, I was always nervous because the quality of the players was intimidating. I learned to channel this nervousness with breathing exercises and relaxation through meditation. Nonetheless, experience is the biggest killer of nervousness, which takes time and a lot of hard work to acquire.

The grand moments

The first championship game with Zürich when I was the starting goalkeeper was a fond memory. Also my first champions league game and my first game for the Swiss national team. All those are moments I will never forget and they left their indelible mark on me.

Conquering the setbacks

As a goalkeeper, almost every goal is a minor setback and you have to learn to deal with that. That starts early on and with every session. Through frequent reflection, I have developed strategies to direct my focus to the moment instead of dwelling on the past. Dwelling interferes with the following performance within the game. I have mantras, which I repeat in situations like that. For example: “Mistakes, are okay. It’s done, move on.” My sports psychologist and I have been working on those strategies and they need to be continuously worked on. They require a lot of time and work. That being said the biggest setback I had to deal with as a footballer and as a person has been the death of my teammate Flori this summer (2019). That is a big challenge for my team and me personally. That event trumps any setbacks in my past.

Balancing act

Those experiences leave their mark on me as a person and athlete. You can take a lot from success and setbacks. With time you know what you are capable of and what you need to perform at your best. That’s something you have to learn and I don’t see myself at the end of this process yet. Since we are not professionals in Switzerland discipline and ambition are extremely important to have because most of your energy goes into soccer while balancing work-life. This is another skill that has to be learned and won’t work from the first day on.

Soccer has always been a passion for me. It has helped me to find life balance. Over the years soccer became the center of attention and it wasn’t always easy to balance football and education. Loads of discipline and willingness to compromise are needed because you have to sacrifice a lot compared to your peers. That has never bothered me cause everything that I do fulfills me.

Time is forever fleeting

Your time as a footballer is limited. Use it wisely and do everything possible to progress daily. It is an incredible feeling to help your team with good performances and all those sacrifices are totally worth it.