MELFORD, N.J. (AP) - Carli Lloyd is setting out to master something new. Her couch.
A captain on the United States Women’s National Team since 2016, Lloyd has become famous for being one of the world’s fittest, most hard-working soccer players. Now, like the rest of the sports world, the 37-year-old Delran High School graduate has been sidelined for reasons way beyond her control.
“I have a great gym in our basement with a treadmill and all the body weight equipment I need to work out with,” Lloyd said. “I also have some grass around our house to be able to do some running and ball work. At the moment, I have been going to empty fields to run and get my workouts in.”
Lloyd last played on March 11 in the finale of the SheBelieves Cup against Japan in Frisco, Texas. While that game was winding to a conclusion, the sports world was changing. The USWNT closed out the night by winning the tournament.
“After we finished our game against Japan in Dallas it was like everything came tumbling down in the sports world,” Lloyd said. “I got word from several of our staff members when we were getting ready to receive our medals that a few of the NBA players had COVID-19 and that the NBA shut down and soon everyone else followed. If we had played a day or two later, I don’t think we would have played in front of fans or even at all. It became surreal once our game ended.”
Changes had already begun by the time the USWNT played its final game. Access to the players was restricted for the media when the team played its previous game against Spain in Harrison on March 8. Interaction with the fans was banned altogether.
One of the most accessible teams in the world was suddenly nearly off limits.
“At this point, we knew this was something we had to take seriously, and it was a bit bizarre to not shake hands or interact much with the fans but we obviously had to be smart about this,” Lloyd said. “For several years now, I have always been someone who fist bumps at training sessions with my teammates as much as I can for this very reason.”
U.S. Soccer canceled its games and training camps for men and women at all age levels through the end of April a day after the SheBelieves Cup ended. Lloyd and her teammates were set to face Australia and Brazil in April as tuneups for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Japan.
On Monday, IOC Member Dick Pound told USA Today that the 2020 Games would likely be postponed.
“Of course every single athlete was looking forward to competing in the 2020 Olympic Games this summer,” Lloyd said Monday. “As the world has dealt with an unprecedented virus that continues to escalate, postponement seemed inevitable. I do believe this is the right thing to do to ensure the health of spectators, workers, healthcare systems and athletes around the world.
“It is incredibly sad to see what has happened to our country and other countries around the world, but what I do know is that we are all in this fight together. I am looking forward to continuing my preparation for the Olympics and excited to get back with the national team and Sky Blue FC when things are back to normal.”
For a player who scripts her long-term preparations down to the minute, these recent days have been unprecedented. Lloyd has adapted. She has also found a way to reach out to fans. She participated with other players from around the world to record a message produced by the World Health Organization and FIFA, the sports world-wide governing body.
“Everywhere you turn, someone is affected deeply,” Lloyd said. “It is going to take a while to come back from all of this, but our country is strong, and we need to do this together. The only thing we can control is to have good hygiene and to social distance ourselves to try to stop the spread.”
The National Women’s Soccer League was set to begin next month as well. Those plans have also been put on hold.
“I was looking forward to preseason training with Sky Blue and competing for the title this year,” Lloyd said. “The only thing I can do now is train on my own and keep getting better every single day.”
As usual, Lloyd is making the most of her opportunity to fine tune her skills. She’s even found a way to take advantage of her unusual circumstances.
Unofficially, she is closing in on a record for the longest consecutive stretch she’s spent together with husband Brian Hollins in their Medford home.
“Being home has been so nice,” Lloyd said. “I think it is hard for people to understand our lives. We are away for majority of the time during the year. We come and go and it is very challenging to spend quality time together.
“Like everyone in the world, my life has been put on pause. I have nothing to worry about, nothing to do but workout and train and it is really nice to have my mind clear and being able to connect with Brian.
“I can’t remember the last time we were able to do this. I was counting on retirement to be able to get this quality time in together. We are taking full advantage!”
Retirement thoughts have been put on hold along with everything else. In 2019, she led the USWNT in scoring. Lloyd is playing the best soccer of her career.
Lloyd has played more games for the USWNT than all but two players in the team’s history. She’s fourth in career goals with 123. No one has ever scored more goals after their 30th birthday than Lloyd.
And she’s just getting started.
After mastering the couch, her eyes are firmly set on playing in her fourth Olympic Games, whenever that may be.
“My obsession to keep improving drives me,” Lloyd said. “I feel like there is still a lot more room for improvement and walking into retirement I want to hold my head up high knowing I did everything I can to be the best me possible.”
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