WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.480
<v Speaker 1>We welcome Greg Garza in for a twenty minute sprint

2
00:00:03.560 --> 00:00:07.919
<v Speaker 1>here on a Friday morning. Are you still down in

3
00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:12.039
<v Speaker 1>central South Florida of the pretty landscapes that you shot

4
00:00:12.039 --> 00:00:13.279
<v Speaker 1>from the inside of an airplane.

5
00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:18.920
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I flew back from clear Water two days ago

6
00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:23.320
<v Speaker 2>to Atlanta, and then I flew to West Palm Beach yesterday.

7
00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:26.679
<v Speaker 2>I'm currently in West Palm Beach. I go back today tonight,

8
00:00:27.559 --> 00:00:30.600
<v Speaker 2>speak to the Colorado Rapids, go back tonight and then

9
00:00:32.039 --> 00:00:36.920
<v Speaker 2>have a full camp tomorrow with the high school and

10
00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:39.200
<v Speaker 2>my boys will be involved because I haven't seen them

11
00:00:39.200 --> 00:00:46.039
<v Speaker 2>in forever. And then I travel Sunday morning to Dallas.

12
00:00:46.280 --> 00:00:51.479
<v Speaker 1>Dallas, so yeah, okay, sometimes well and it's good crazy.

13
00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:53.920
<v Speaker 1>But for those that may not know the full story

14
00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:59.280
<v Speaker 1>as to why we're catching you in hotel rooms back

15
00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:02.320
<v Speaker 1>patio was the occasional time when you get to spend

16
00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:04.280
<v Speaker 1>maybe a half a minute with your family and I

17
00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:06.519
<v Speaker 1>mean your family family and you're in their backyard with

18
00:01:06.519 --> 00:01:10.200
<v Speaker 1>a fence behind you. Let everybody know what you're doing

19
00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:13.480
<v Speaker 1>with Major League Soccer, and we'll use that as our

20
00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:16.760
<v Speaker 1>as our inroad for conversation here this week. Yeah.

21
00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:21.040
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, this is uh, it's I tell people like it's

22
00:01:21.079 --> 00:01:25.799
<v Speaker 2>it's d I work. It's essentially d I, but we

23
00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:28.079
<v Speaker 2>call it something different. We call it ICA, which is

24
00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:33.319
<v Speaker 2>inner cultural awareness, just helping helping the league understand more

25
00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:38.159
<v Speaker 2>so the players, player to player understand how to adapt

26
00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:42.560
<v Speaker 2>to different cultures, how to bond with the different cultures

27
00:01:42.599 --> 00:01:48.079
<v Speaker 2>that are around them, but ultimately fighting discrimination and all

28
00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:51.200
<v Speaker 2>the isms that kind of go around within the game,

29
00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:54.920
<v Speaker 2>or the phobias or whatever it may be, but just

30
00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:58.920
<v Speaker 2>fighting against discrimination and also helping a lot of players

31
00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:01.760
<v Speaker 2>that come from a broad or you know, across the pond,

32
00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:05.159
<v Speaker 2>or wherever they come from, below the equator, wherever they are,

33
00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:10.080
<v Speaker 2>to understand that there are rules and norms that they

34
00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:12.520
<v Speaker 2>must follow although they are in a different country. So

35
00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:16.680
<v Speaker 2>helping people see eye to eye and helping them also

36
00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:19.560
<v Speaker 2>learn about, i think, their teammates, which has been the

37
00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:22.319
<v Speaker 2>most interesting thing for me because we all come from

38
00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:26.960
<v Speaker 2>different backgrounds, different countries, different races, different colors, different beliefs, religions,

39
00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:30.319
<v Speaker 2>but the ball brings us uniquely together and at the

40
00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:33.000
<v Speaker 2>same time it can also create a lot of conflict.

41
00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:35.840
<v Speaker 2>So it's helping helping everybody meet in the middle and

42
00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:39.919
<v Speaker 2>understand that on the field, off the field, role modelship

43
00:02:40.759 --> 00:02:44.759
<v Speaker 2>and and everything that goes within is extremely important for

44
00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:47.400
<v Speaker 2>these for these young and older athletes to kind of

45
00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:53.000
<v Speaker 2>pass the torch and help them understand the responsibilities.

46
00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:57.400
<v Speaker 1>Because you have a couple of different demographics in play here.

47
00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:00.919
<v Speaker 1>You have the the young up and coming play who

48
00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:04.159
<v Speaker 1>in Major League soccer these days can be fifteen, sixteen

49
00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:05.879
<v Speaker 1>years old. You go to Philadelphia, you look at the

50
00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:08.120
<v Speaker 1>Cavin Sullivan. You know, he comes in and he's a

51
00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:10.759
<v Speaker 1>part of second team at the age of fourteen, he

52
00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:14.639
<v Speaker 1>gets first teen minutes. But then you have the veteran

53
00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:17.240
<v Speaker 1>who might be on the north end of thirty and

54
00:03:17.719 --> 00:03:21.240
<v Speaker 1>they have you know, they have experienced certain things in

55
00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:24.680
<v Speaker 1>a certain framework, and so I would imagine that for

56
00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:29.439
<v Speaker 1>you it is having to do two lanes of traffic

57
00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:31.879
<v Speaker 1>at the same time where you have to and it

58
00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:36.360
<v Speaker 1>might even be four where the inbound information from a

59
00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:40.240
<v Speaker 1>younger person that you have to sit there and orientate

60
00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:42.960
<v Speaker 1>in your head and take those lessons and have those

61
00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:46.599
<v Speaker 1>lessons go outbound from your own perspectives and understandings. And

62
00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:50.000
<v Speaker 1>then you have the older veteran players who might be

63
00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:52.960
<v Speaker 1>said in their ways, they have their own bits of understanding.

64
00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:55.919
<v Speaker 1>And then trying to bring them around so the younger

65
00:03:55.960 --> 00:03:58.439
<v Speaker 1>players can understand where the older players are coming from

66
00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:00.840
<v Speaker 1>and the veterans can understand where they are coming from.

67
00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:03.080
<v Speaker 1>That seems like a very delicate balance with four lanes

68
00:04:03.080 --> 00:04:03.840
<v Speaker 1>worth of information.

69
00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:07.280
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, that's interesting, you said, Philadelphia, because I just

70
00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:09.840
<v Speaker 2>spoke to them two days ago in clear Water. So yeah,

71
00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:11.879
<v Speaker 2>you have Cavin Sullivan who's sitting in the room, who

72
00:04:11.879 --> 00:04:15.479
<v Speaker 2>looks like a little boy still, and then you have Alejandro.

73
00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:17.720
<v Speaker 3>Bodoya that's like.

74
00:04:16.759 --> 00:04:19.399
<v Speaker 2>Like fine wine and just keeps on freaking planming and

75
00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:24.439
<v Speaker 2>doesn't give up. But you know, it's it's it's it's

76
00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:29.040
<v Speaker 2>interesting because you know, you you you try and help

77
00:04:29.079 --> 00:04:33.319
<v Speaker 2>everybody see the same page. I I from what I've

78
00:04:33.399 --> 00:04:35.279
<v Speaker 2>learned with doing all of this the past couple of

79
00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:39.800
<v Speaker 2>years is that it's really hard to change someone when

80
00:04:39.800 --> 00:04:42.079
<v Speaker 2>somebody has set you said it, When somebody is set

81
00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:45.160
<v Speaker 2>in their ways, it's really hard to change them. But

82
00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:47.920
<v Speaker 2>can you help them be a little bit more open

83
00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:50.560
<v Speaker 2>minded to their surroundings and what's around them.

84
00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:52.800
<v Speaker 3>And I think that's the that's the.

85
00:04:54.279 --> 00:04:56.519
<v Speaker 2>That's the coolest part about being involved in this is

86
00:04:56.639 --> 00:05:00.839
<v Speaker 2>just helping them understand the differences that are around them

87
00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:05.040
<v Speaker 2>and not necessarily changing their ways, but also just pointing

88
00:05:05.079 --> 00:05:09.360
<v Speaker 2>them in the right direction and kind of almost rule

89
00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:13.199
<v Speaker 2>following and just understanding the norms that that that go around.

90
00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:16.759
<v Speaker 2>There's interesting things that we learn within every team that

91
00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:20.399
<v Speaker 2>we speak to, Like you can't do thumbs up an

92
00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:23.399
<v Speaker 2>Iran right, that means something completely different.

93
00:05:24.680 --> 00:05:26.240
<v Speaker 3>You know, you can go to jail if you do that.

94
00:05:26.439 --> 00:05:27.160
<v Speaker 3>So it's like.

95
00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:34.879
<v Speaker 2>There's different things that I think, like you learn from

96
00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:39.000
<v Speaker 2>these different players from different countries and different backgrounds. And

97
00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:41.399
<v Speaker 2>I mean there was a player on Philly that's like

98
00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:48.399
<v Speaker 2>background was like Bangladesh, Hawaiian, Lebanese and like some sort

99
00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:51.360
<v Speaker 2>of Asian man. It was just like everybody was in

100
00:05:51.399 --> 00:05:55.439
<v Speaker 2>the room and was like what And so it sparks conversation, right,

101
00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:59.680
<v Speaker 2>It sparks the interest of his teammates to get to

102
00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:02.800
<v Speaker 2>know him a little bit better and and I think

103
00:06:02.839 --> 00:06:06.759
<v Speaker 2>that that creates a better bond and understanding. Uh, you know,

104
00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:10.279
<v Speaker 2>we I did I did my lap my my a

105
00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:14.079
<v Speaker 2>couple of sessions ago with Laris Mabilla, who who was

106
00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:17.399
<v Speaker 2>with Portland for a long time. We literally finished our

107
00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:21.480
<v Speaker 2>session and as the whole team was walking out, he

108
00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:24.839
<v Speaker 2>got his mat out and he started praying. And you know,

109
00:06:24.920 --> 00:06:27.439
<v Speaker 2>it's I had no idea he was Muslim, you know, uh,

110
00:06:27.639 --> 00:06:28.519
<v Speaker 2>being to.

111
00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:31.720
<v Speaker 3>To go to goo background, but it's uh, you know,

112
00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:32.519
<v Speaker 3>I think.

113
00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:35.120
<v Speaker 2>And then you had you had some of my some

114
00:06:35.160 --> 00:06:37.319
<v Speaker 2>of my we spoke to Cincinnati, and you had some

115
00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:40.279
<v Speaker 2>of the pets or the fitness guys, uh walk in

116
00:06:40.439 --> 00:06:42.680
<v Speaker 2>and be like, yeah, what the hell is he doing?

117
00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:46.240
<v Speaker 2>You know, like what will yo, Laris? Let's go, man,

118
00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:48.920
<v Speaker 2>we gotta go. And I'm like, guys, like, let's leave

119
00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:50.879
<v Speaker 2>the room. Let's give him his space. And and I

120
00:06:50.920 --> 00:06:54.759
<v Speaker 2>think that's like, that's the interesting part is just helping

121
00:06:54.800 --> 00:07:00.160
<v Speaker 2>everybody understand that everyone is different. But there's so many

122
00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:03.160
<v Speaker 2>things that also bring this together. And so just the

123
00:07:03.319 --> 00:07:05.199
<v Speaker 2>value I think we use it the word a lot,

124
00:07:05.399 --> 00:07:10.040
<v Speaker 2>is just respect. We were all here to to make

125
00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:13.480
<v Speaker 2>the world a better place, hopefully most of us. And

126
00:07:13.480 --> 00:07:15.560
<v Speaker 2>and so you know, I think when you are a

127
00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:17.920
<v Speaker 2>professional soccer player, you have you have the platform to

128
00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:20.720
<v Speaker 2>two even even more, to do so even more.

129
00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:24.439
<v Speaker 1>How and I mean and this and I mean this

130
00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:27.040
<v Speaker 1>in a in a in in a way of trying

131
00:07:27.079 --> 00:07:33.839
<v Speaker 1>to understand how difficult is it to navigate this laundry

132
00:07:33.879 --> 00:07:38.000
<v Speaker 1>list of things where you mentioned the idea of you

133
00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:39.920
<v Speaker 1>can't do a thumbs up in Iran because it means

134
00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:43.600
<v Speaker 1>something one way or the other. Uh, you can't do

135
00:07:43.639 --> 00:07:46.439
<v Speaker 1>certain things in certain countries. But here we always view

136
00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:50.639
<v Speaker 1>ourselves as as a melting pot and this this rue

137
00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:53.560
<v Speaker 1>that is put together that creates this country that we have.

138
00:07:54.600 --> 00:08:00.120
<v Speaker 1>How difficult a balance is it for your mentees and

139
00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:03.519
<v Speaker 1>for those that you touch with Major League Soccer two

140
00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:11.680
<v Speaker 1>understand other personalities, other other groups, other ethnicities, and still

141
00:08:11.720 --> 00:08:15.360
<v Speaker 1>at the same time, still be themselves, if you know

142
00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:17.519
<v Speaker 1>what I mean, Because you don't want to. You don't

143
00:08:17.560 --> 00:08:20.000
<v Speaker 1>want to change your personality. You don't want to change

144
00:08:20.040 --> 00:08:23.319
<v Speaker 1>who you are. At the same time, you want to

145
00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:26.839
<v Speaker 1>respect others and you don't want to to turn yourself

146
00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:30.199
<v Speaker 1>into a different person as you're trying to understand others,

147
00:08:30.199 --> 00:08:31.560
<v Speaker 1>trying to maintain yourself.

148
00:08:31.720 --> 00:08:33.519
<v Speaker 4>I guess is what I'm trying to get to here.

149
00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:37.799
<v Speaker 2>Uh, it's it's it's a balance, right, You have to

150
00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:41.960
<v Speaker 2>you have to look at the the whole picture of

151
00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:43.039
<v Speaker 2>everything and just.

152
00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:48.960
<v Speaker 3>Man. I I always tell people you got you gotta travel, Okay, okay,

153
00:08:49.240 --> 00:08:50.480
<v Speaker 3>you gotta travel. You have to.

154
00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:53.039
<v Speaker 2>And I think that most players sitting in a locker

155
00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:57.039
<v Speaker 2>room have probably traveled because of soccer, and they've seen the.

156
00:08:56.919 --> 00:08:58.519
<v Speaker 3>World be a different place.

157
00:08:58.759 --> 00:08:58.960
<v Speaker 4>Now.

158
00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:02.600
<v Speaker 2>You see different upbringings, you see different backgrounds, you see

159
00:09:02.600 --> 00:09:08.200
<v Speaker 2>different beliefs, and I mean, even even speaking to Atlanta United,

160
00:09:08.519 --> 00:09:15.000
<v Speaker 2>you have a Japanese player who barely speaks any English,

161
00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:19.120
<v Speaker 2>is probably scared shitless in a different country for the

162
00:09:19.159 --> 00:09:22.759
<v Speaker 2>first time, right, and you need the veterans and you

163
00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:26.240
<v Speaker 2>need some other guys to hopefully step up and and

164
00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:29.399
<v Speaker 2>help him adapt and help him acclimate to his surroundings

165
00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:32.600
<v Speaker 2>the best way possible, you know. And just the way

166
00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:36.320
<v Speaker 2>that I think that the Japanese are, they're so you

167
00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:41.519
<v Speaker 2>think of you think of this the stereotypical mindset or

168
00:09:41.559 --> 00:09:43.440
<v Speaker 2>the subconscious mindset.

169
00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:45.720
<v Speaker 3>That you have, is that they are so extremely respectful.

170
00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:49.639
<v Speaker 2>And that's something that I feel that that even showed

171
00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:54.000
<v Speaker 2>speaking speaking with with him as well. So you know,

172
00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:57.320
<v Speaker 2>it's you have to rely on a lot of the

173
00:09:57.320 --> 00:09:59.440
<v Speaker 2>guys in the locker room, especially the older guys and

174
00:09:59.480 --> 00:10:06.559
<v Speaker 2>the veterans, to really really manifest and kind of help

175
00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:09.840
<v Speaker 2>everybody understand in the room, whether it's their commitment to

176
00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:12.159
<v Speaker 2>help the locker room be a better place and also

177
00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:17.679
<v Speaker 2>stand up towards any any discrimination. You know, I believe

178
00:10:17.720 --> 00:10:21.200
<v Speaker 2>that the league does a pretty damn good job and

179
00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:26.480
<v Speaker 2>supporting every single group that is that is that needs

180
00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:30.480
<v Speaker 2>support within within the league, and so I think that

181
00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:32.320
<v Speaker 2>it's it's it's a cool way to be a part

182
00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:36.759
<v Speaker 2>of it from my end and help everybody, hopefully not

183
00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:40.360
<v Speaker 2>necessarily be on agreement with everything, because there has been

184
00:10:40.360 --> 00:10:43.039
<v Speaker 2>some pushback with with certain teams, but hopefully just me

185
00:10:43.159 --> 00:10:47.360
<v Speaker 2>eye to eye and see things see things somewhat similarly

186
00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:48.080
<v Speaker 2>at the end of the day.

187
00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:51.840
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, because I think that there's context that has to

188
00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:54.480
<v Speaker 1>be given in your conversations, and they have to understand

189
00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:56.960
<v Speaker 1>where this other person is coming from. Because if you

190
00:10:57.000 --> 00:11:01.200
<v Speaker 1>shut yourself off, then you don't want you don't grow,

191
00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:04.000
<v Speaker 1>you don't advance your personality, you don't advance to it.

192
00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:05.559
<v Speaker 1>We seem to be we're talking to I guess about

193
00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:09.519
<v Speaker 1>our inner cells today. But you don't advance mentally, you

194
00:11:09.559 --> 00:11:12.960
<v Speaker 1>don't advance emotionally, you don't advance as an individual into

195
00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:16.080
<v Speaker 1>this understanding and understand where someone else is coming from.

196
00:11:16.120 --> 00:11:16.840
<v Speaker 4>Because to your.

197
00:11:16.759 --> 00:11:21.320
<v Speaker 1>Point, I mean tol gos shissan is coming to Atlanta, United, Yeah,

198
00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:24.080
<v Speaker 1>I think he had his four years, very very early

199
00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:26.240
<v Speaker 1>in his life where he was in the United States,

200
00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:28.559
<v Speaker 1>but a lot of his time in his life has

201
00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:30.720
<v Speaker 1>been in Japan in the Far East, and that's where

202
00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:33.080
<v Speaker 1>he comes from. That's his that's his knowledge base, his

203
00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:36.120
<v Speaker 1>emotion base, his base of self. And I think that

204
00:11:36.919 --> 00:11:40.240
<v Speaker 1>these days it's just as important to understand where someone

205
00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:44.279
<v Speaker 1>else is coming from in being confident with who you are,

206
00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:48.000
<v Speaker 1>understand where someone else is confident because one plus one,

207
00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:51.399
<v Speaker 1>one confident person plus another confident persons, two confident people

208
00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:54.159
<v Speaker 1>who understand where they're coming from. I know it's basic math,

209
00:11:54.200 --> 00:11:56.480
<v Speaker 1>but sometimes that's a lot of math to get over

210
00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:59.000
<v Speaker 1>and understanding and understanding context to something.

211
00:11:59.639 --> 00:12:04.440
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I I I find it really interesting, even for

212
00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:06.519
<v Speaker 2>myself to just learn about different cultures.

213
00:12:06.519 --> 00:12:08.399
<v Speaker 1>Whenever I speak to all the players, what was what

214
00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:10.519
<v Speaker 1>was the last culture that you've learned about with your

215
00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:11.240
<v Speaker 1>time with MLS.

216
00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:13.600
<v Speaker 4>What's the newest lesson that you've learned the newest culture?

217
00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:16.399
<v Speaker 4>What was it that?

218
00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:18.879
<v Speaker 1>Was it the the Togalese mashup that we were talking

219
00:12:18.919 --> 00:12:19.919
<v Speaker 1>about just a second ago.

220
00:12:20.360 --> 00:12:24.559
<v Speaker 2>Uh No, not necessarily. I think for me it's it's

221
00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:29.799
<v Speaker 2>it's seeing just the different backgrounds. I think That's the

222
00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:34.440
<v Speaker 2>interesting part of it is I think the cultural traditions

223
00:12:34.519 --> 00:12:38.559
<v Speaker 2>that we speak about with other guys are like, there's.

224
00:12:38.360 --> 00:12:41.200
<v Speaker 3>So many similarities, so many similarities.

225
00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:44.559
<v Speaker 5>If I were to ask anybody like what their favorite

226
00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:48.919
<v Speaker 5>culture tradition is, I mean, most likely everybody's going to

227
00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:51.000
<v Speaker 5>say something to do at the end of the end

228
00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:53.919
<v Speaker 5>of the year or Christmas or Thanksgiving or it doesn't.

229
00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:57.600
<v Speaker 3>Matter what country you come from. Everybody usually focuses on

230
00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:02.320
<v Speaker 3>the same thing. And you know, I think that's really

231
00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:05.399
<v Speaker 3>that that.

232
00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:10.039
<v Speaker 2>That's a huge one because you know, everybody prioritizes family,

233
00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:13.960
<v Speaker 2>and everybody prior toies prioritizes that that time spent with

234
00:13:14.120 --> 00:13:18.000
<v Speaker 2>loved ones. And I think it's it's cool to help

235
00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:21.159
<v Speaker 2>players understand that they're probably spending more time with each

236
00:13:21.159 --> 00:13:25.840
<v Speaker 2>other rather than they're spending with their immediate family. And

237
00:13:25.879 --> 00:13:29.519
<v Speaker 2>so you know, you you have to also understand the brotherhood.

238
00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:32.399
<v Speaker 2>But within brotherhood comes there there there there can be

239
00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:35.200
<v Speaker 2>some conflict. But I think the most interesting thing for

240
00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:40.960
<v Speaker 2>me is like seeing kids and other you know, individuals

241
00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:46.320
<v Speaker 2>or younger kids within within kind of trading places and

242
00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:50.240
<v Speaker 2>the exercises that we do, uh like feel a little

243
00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:51.919
<v Speaker 2>bit more confident with them themselves.

244
00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:55.440
<v Speaker 3>I think that's the beauty of it is to like these.

245
00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:57.840
<v Speaker 2>A lot of these young kids who might be rookies

246
00:13:57.879 --> 00:14:01.080
<v Speaker 2>for the first time or fourteen, you're fifteen years old,

247
00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:03.480
<v Speaker 2>and they don't say a damn thing.

248
00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:04.519
<v Speaker 3>Right anybody.

249
00:14:04.600 --> 00:14:06.320
<v Speaker 4>They don't want to rock the boat. They're the new one.

250
00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:09.639
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, but it's it's been really cool to see them

251
00:14:09.799 --> 00:14:13.799
<v Speaker 2>kind of be more almost accepted into the group. You

252
00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:15.600
<v Speaker 2>feel like a lot of the things that we do

253
00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:18.960
<v Speaker 2>gives them an opportunity to And I think I'll always

254
00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:22.360
<v Speaker 2>think like the youth, right found of the youth of

255
00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:28.360
<v Speaker 2>just helping them become better leaders, not necessarily better people,

256
00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:30.639
<v Speaker 2>but just in terms of making good decisions. And I

257
00:14:30.679 --> 00:14:33.919
<v Speaker 2>think that that's where it stems from. And that's been

258
00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:37.159
<v Speaker 2>the coolest thing for me in terms of all of

259
00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:41.399
<v Speaker 2>this understanding of for so of cultural awareness, but just

260
00:14:42.039 --> 00:14:44.000
<v Speaker 2>helping the younger guys in.

261
00:14:43.960 --> 00:14:45.840
<v Speaker 3>The locker room really.

262
00:14:47.159 --> 00:14:51.320
<v Speaker 2>Hold themselves accountable and kind of, you know, continue to

263
00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:53.960
<v Speaker 2>build something that we are also trying.

264
00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:58.279
<v Speaker 1>To do when coming into a relationship with the mente.

265
00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:04.240
<v Speaker 1>These do your mentees have an understanding coming into the

266
00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:07.320
<v Speaker 1>time that they spend with you and Mike about different

267
00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:11.639
<v Speaker 1>cultures about where all the different perspectives or do you

268
00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:16.639
<v Speaker 1>have to teach your mentees about understanding and appreciating different

269
00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:19.639
<v Speaker 1>cultures and perspectives or is that known coming in more

270
00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:20.480
<v Speaker 1>and more these days.

271
00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:23.600
<v Speaker 2>I have implemented all of this ICA training in this

272
00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:27.120
<v Speaker 2>work and to all of my mentees everything that we do.

273
00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:32.840
<v Speaker 2>I it's so cool because I learned, you know, so

274
00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:35.360
<v Speaker 2>much about my mentees and just getting to know them

275
00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.320
<v Speaker 2>on a more personal level, I think creates a better

276
00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:40.799
<v Speaker 2>bond and relationship. Like last night, there's a girl that

277
00:15:40.840 --> 00:15:43.759
<v Speaker 2>I've now been working with for about close to a

278
00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:47.080
<v Speaker 2>year now, and you know, we were just speaking about

279
00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:50.919
<v Speaker 2>things that she was proud about last year, and you know,

280
00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:53.600
<v Speaker 2>I think one of the things that she had said

281
00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:56.159
<v Speaker 2>is that she felt so much more comfortable speaking is

282
00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:59.679
<v Speaker 2>she's getting into clutch years of speaking to colleges, and

283
00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:01.799
<v Speaker 2>the things that she was proud about herself was just

284
00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:05.759
<v Speaker 2>becoming more comfortable and making new friends and talking to

285
00:16:05.879 --> 00:16:08.840
<v Speaker 2>adults and just being in front of people because she

286
00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:13.639
<v Speaker 2>was she shied away because you know, maybe she felt,

287
00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:19.799
<v Speaker 2>you know, too shy and understanding you know, their environment

288
00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:23.440
<v Speaker 2>and the surroundings around her. But one of the main

289
00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:27.960
<v Speaker 2>things is that we I think our bond and relationship

290
00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:31.600
<v Speaker 2>helped a lot with that, and like we've gotten to

291
00:16:31.639 --> 00:16:34.080
<v Speaker 2>know each other and she knows that I'm Mexican American,

292
00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:38.039
<v Speaker 2>She's American, Colombian and Cuban, which is an awesome mix.

293
00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:41.639
<v Speaker 3>But it's like if we didn't know that about each.

294
00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:45.159
<v Speaker 2>Other, Like I'll sprinkle in some like Spanish in there

295
00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:47.279
<v Speaker 2>every once in a while in our sessions and I'll like,

296
00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:51.200
<v Speaker 2>you know, you know, make her giggle or something like

297
00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:52.759
<v Speaker 2>that with with something.

298
00:16:52.440 --> 00:16:54.919
<v Speaker 3>That's very cultural to her.

299
00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:59.639
<v Speaker 2>Right, Because I think my benefit of playing all over

300
00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:01.759
<v Speaker 2>the world and knowing so many people and playing with

301
00:17:01.799 --> 00:17:04.440
<v Speaker 2>so many different teammates from all over you you grab

302
00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:07.039
<v Speaker 2>a little piece from all of those different guys and

303
00:17:07.079 --> 00:17:11.279
<v Speaker 2>it allows you to build connection and relationships and like

304
00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:14.440
<v Speaker 2>that that I think has really allowed this young woman

305
00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:17.039
<v Speaker 2>to open up. And I think that's what I wanted

306
00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:20.640
<v Speaker 2>to get from it and just feel more comfortable around

307
00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:23.359
<v Speaker 2>people because I think of our conversations, but I think

308
00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:27.640
<v Speaker 2>without us understanding each other's culture and having that kind

309
00:17:27.640 --> 00:17:32.759
<v Speaker 2>of ice breaker, she probably would still be maybe extremely quiet, right,

310
00:17:32.920 --> 00:17:36.279
<v Speaker 2>So like that's that's the cool thing that I'm I

311
00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:39.440
<v Speaker 2>think I'm able to take away from what we do

312
00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:44.240
<v Speaker 2>in in my Minties conversation of just using some of

313
00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:47.519
<v Speaker 2>the exercises that we do uh to to help them

314
00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:52.000
<v Speaker 2>kind of feel more comfortable and speaking engagement.

315
00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:56.599
<v Speaker 1>As well, because in those environments where your your paths

316
00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:59.799
<v Speaker 1>and your ethnicities may mix, your experience may cross over,

317
00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:03.279
<v Speaker 1>you can use a word or a phrase, or like

318
00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:05.519
<v Speaker 1>you said, you can use you can use a Spanish

319
00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:08.720
<v Speaker 1>expression that might be a little bit more impactful or

320
00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:12.440
<v Speaker 1>more direct, something that they can understand, or more familial

321
00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:15.480
<v Speaker 1>that if you say it in say English, it might

322
00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:17.359
<v Speaker 1>just kind of be a word that's glossed over. But

323
00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:19.640
<v Speaker 1>if you have that little extra op fund, that little

324
00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:22.759
<v Speaker 1>extra history behind it because of your experience, it means

325
00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:24.480
<v Speaker 1>that much more and can impact that much.

326
00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:26.039
<v Speaker 3>More exactly right.

327
00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:29.359
<v Speaker 2>And I think it just allows like a lot of

328
00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:32.279
<v Speaker 2>these kids that they might look at me and be like, oh,

329
00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:34.680
<v Speaker 2>this guy just speaks you know this, you know he

330
00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:38.640
<v Speaker 2>just he's one one lane traffic. But once they see

331
00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:41.000
<v Speaker 2>that we have so many different branches within our career,

332
00:18:41.079 --> 00:18:44.720
<v Speaker 2>and and and we we know a lot about culture.

333
00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:48.240
<v Speaker 2>And I'm always so interested to learn about different cultures

334
00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:52.319
<v Speaker 2>to see what their upbringing is like, Uh, that's that's

335
00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:55.039
<v Speaker 2>that's the that's the beauty of that's the beauty of

336
00:18:56.039 --> 00:19:00.400
<v Speaker 2>you know, I think soccer. Uh, you know, someone like

337
00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:03.839
<v Speaker 2>Ozzie Alonzo who has so much to tell and so

338
00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:07.160
<v Speaker 2>many stories to give, uh and who was also a

339
00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:11.640
<v Speaker 2>Cuban and and someone who can give back to the game.

340
00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:14.119
<v Speaker 2>And he's a new facilitator this year, and it's great

341
00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:17.799
<v Speaker 2>to have him nice, but it's it's you know, helping

342
00:19:17.880 --> 00:19:22.799
<v Speaker 2>him also spread his story to new players coming in

343
00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:25.680
<v Speaker 2>to help them understand, hey, this is his story. We

344
00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:27.440
<v Speaker 2>all get to kind of give our own little piece

345
00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:29.960
<v Speaker 2>when we give these trainings, and I think that's that's

346
00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:32.680
<v Speaker 2>the coolest thing about it, is that they give us

347
00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:36.319
<v Speaker 2>that freedom to kind of use our own experience to

348
00:19:36.359 --> 00:19:39.680
<v Speaker 2>speak to all these players. So I've really enjoyed it.

349
00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:41.680
<v Speaker 2>It's it's been it's been a lot of traveling, a

350
00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:45.880
<v Speaker 2>lot of freaking work, but but it's it's been awesome

351
00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:47.960
<v Speaker 2>to be a part of and and and however long

352
00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:50.039
<v Speaker 2>they need me, I would love to.

353
00:19:49.960 --> 00:19:51.039
<v Speaker 3>Be a part of something like this.

354
00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:56.079
<v Speaker 1>Okay, I cannot let you go before we discuss your

355
00:19:56.079 --> 00:20:00.240
<v Speaker 1>photo shoot, uh, where you got to model some things.

356
00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:02.079
<v Speaker 4>And it was.

357
00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:08.119
<v Speaker 1>It was you and Maddie and Sophia. Yes, the two

358
00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:11.440
<v Speaker 1>four seven connection, which I thought was hilarious. It's like

359
00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:14.039
<v Speaker 1>they loved it and it's like, wait a second, and

360
00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:16.160
<v Speaker 1>I didn't know if that was intentional or not.

361
00:20:16.400 --> 00:20:18.240
<v Speaker 2>They didn't even mean it, and then they were like,

362
00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:22.039
<v Speaker 2>huh two four seven. I was like, guys, SDH twenty

363
00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:23.400
<v Speaker 2>four to seven, and they.

364
00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:26.880
<v Speaker 3>Were like, oh yeah. I was like, oh my goodness.

365
00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:29.240
<v Speaker 2>I mean, I was like, I was like, these young

366
00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:32.599
<v Speaker 2>these youngsters, Oh my goodness, we got what a great

367
00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:34.680
<v Speaker 2>idea SDA twenty four to seven.

368
00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:36.440
<v Speaker 3>I was like, that better be the freaking caption of

369
00:20:36.440 --> 00:20:37.279
<v Speaker 3>what you guys post.

370
00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:40.079
<v Speaker 1>Oh my god, I mean, and I'm going to tell

371
00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:42.079
<v Speaker 1>them that it has to be the friggin caption, not

372
00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:44.160
<v Speaker 1>just the option, but the friggin caption. But yeah, you

373
00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:46.160
<v Speaker 1>got to you got to model the jersey. What you

374
00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:47.839
<v Speaker 1>what'd you think of the SDAH?

375
00:20:47.880 --> 00:20:48.400
<v Speaker 3>I loved it.

376
00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:52.160
<v Speaker 2>I loved it and such, I mean, such good people

377
00:20:53.559 --> 00:20:56.480
<v Speaker 2>to be around. All you guys are amazing people. Everybody

378
00:20:56.519 --> 00:21:00.200
<v Speaker 2>who's involved with SDH. So you guys just keep bringing

379
00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:07.039
<v Speaker 2>in younger and younger people, so watch out, Yeah, brother, Yeah,

380
00:21:07.079 --> 00:21:12.319
<v Speaker 2>we're getting old, but no, just fantastic, fantastic to be around,

381
00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:14.359
<v Speaker 2>and getting to know them a little bit better is

382
00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:16.119
<v Speaker 2>the first time I met both of them in person.

383
00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:21.279
<v Speaker 2>But yeah, awesome, awesome young women who are also changing

384
00:21:21.319 --> 00:21:25.440
<v Speaker 2>the game and providing different opportunities in that sense, and

385
00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:30.000
<v Speaker 2>equality and opportunity is massive. So I'm glad that there

386
00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:32.599
<v Speaker 2>are so many women out there that are pushing for

387
00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:36.599
<v Speaker 2>great leadership roles and and and hustling because that's what

388
00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:37.279
<v Speaker 2>it's all about.

389
00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:39.880
<v Speaker 1>They are kicking ass and they're kicking our asses on

390
00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:44.119
<v Speaker 1>a daily basis. Fashion model for SDH, Greg Garza modeling

391
00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:47.680
<v Speaker 1>our Olive and York guys are permanente Beyond Goals first

392
00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:50.960
<v Speaker 1>ever SDH Jersey, what's going on with beyond goals?

393
00:21:51.160 --> 00:21:53.200
<v Speaker 4>When you come back into this part of the planet.

394
00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:54.240
<v Speaker 3>Same old, same old.

395
00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:57.519
<v Speaker 2>The beauty about being away is that I still get

396
00:21:57.519 --> 00:21:59.000
<v Speaker 2>to hop on sessions.

397
00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:01.119
<v Speaker 3>I literally have one that starts right now.

398
00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:07.640
<v Speaker 2>So yeah, I'll see you guys later, man, take care

399
00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:08.440
<v Speaker 2>and thanks for having me.