Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden is the definition of mental toughness, maintaining her composure after her team’s two recalled goals and playing the entire match with a simple Hello Kitty bandaid protecting a serious eye wound. The team captain of Angel City is also a superstar in the entire league, just recently being named to the NWSL Top 11. We caught up with Gorden after the Angel City vs Seattle Reign match, where she let us know the secret to all her success: Taking care of her mental health.
Rare Vulnerability with Mental Health
While Gorden has established herself as one of the best defenders in the NWSL, she admits that the anxiety was holding her back from the player she wanted to be for many years. “It was so easy to correlate my anxiety with being on the field, but I realized that it was something that I’ve been carrying for a long time in my life and I didn’t even know,” Gorden says.
Now, eight years since her introduction into the NWSL, Gorden feels like she has a handle on her anxiety. But she reminds us that “it’s something that's always changing” and that she’s “always trying to find new ways to deal with it.” Gorden’s openness and vulnerability about her struggles shows us how even the most high-level athletes need to keep their mental health in check.
“Meditation helped me be all around to be more present, more mindful, to be a better mom and a better soccer player.”
Journey with Meditation
Gorden has learned many ways to cope with her anxiety, but the method that quite literally changed the game for her was meditation. “When I could sit with my anxiety or whatever feeling was there, then I could be present with it on the field and in my daily life. Meditation helped me be all around to be more present, more mindful, to be a better mom and a better soccer player,” Gorden says.
Meditation takes practice, but Gorden says that “it's okay if you have a lot of thoughts, it's very normal – I still have a lot of thoughts when I’m meditating.” If you want to try meditating but don’t know where to start, Gorden suggests using an app like Headspace or simply looking up guided meditations on Spotify.
Translating Mindfulness into Power on the Field
Angel City FC had a tough loss to Seattle Reign FC on Friday, with two video-reviewed and recalled goals that would have led the team to victory if counted. Despite the frustrating circumstances, Gorden remained composed and determined, setting an example for her teammates in the second half. “I’m proud to fight until the end despite the end result,” Gorden said in the post-game press conference. Her increased tenacity in the difficult game reflects an athlete who has learned to turn challenges into action rather than anxiety.
Angel City FC’s New Era
Regardless of the somewhat unexpected loss for Angel City FC, Friday’s match was monumental for the team. Just a day prior, Angel City FC was bought for $250 million, making it officially the most valuable women's sports team in the world. “I’m honored to be here and honored to play here,” Gorden says about what it meant to play for such an influential team.
After the game, Angel City currently sits one place away from playoff qualification. But Gorden’s quiet leadership and composure under pressure will surely help the team rise in the ranking for the later half of the season.
