In the second grade, I was the girl who tried to go for a header during P.E. and ended up falling over backward after the soccer ball hit me in the face. (I may be able to run half-marathons now, but I'm still not exactly what you'd call coordinated.)
So when Adidas Women invited me to go to Vancouver, Canada, to watch the U.S. play Nigeria in the FIFA Women's World Cup with 14 other women in the health and fitness world, two thoughts immediately crossed my mind: (1) This sounds amazing. (2) I hope we won't have to actually play any soccer ourselves. Luckily for me, the itinerary was packed with plenty of activities that didn't involve heading a soccer ball.
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The trip was all about celebrating everyday active women (even soccer-challenged me), along with the athletes we all know and love (we're looking at you, Becky Sauerbrunn). First up was a bike tour of Vancouver that took us along the beautiful Sea Wall and to sites like Chinatown (the city has the second-largest one in North America!) and BC Place, where we would later see the U.S. women's soccer team play.
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After stopping for a sushi lunch, we made our way to Stanley Park for a yoga session with a view.
During the bike tour, one of our guides had mentioned that Grouse Mountain is a must-see if you're into hiking (locals call it "the Grouse Grind" or "God's Stairmaster" because there are 2,830 steps to the top). So while eating a dinner of beet salad and spring pea risotto at Edible Canada, a few of us begged the reps from Adidas to wake up before 6 a.m. with us the following day and do the 90-minute hike before the official activities were scheduled to start.
The trail was basically straight up, but it was so worth it—is there any better feeling than reaching the peak of a mountain after a long hike? Here's the view from the top:
For lunch, we kayaked along the Indian Arm River to a small island, where our guides grilled salmon for us (so delicious!). Then, it was time for the culmination of our trip: the WWC game!
You could feel the energy and excitement the second you stepped into the stadium. There were 52,193 people in attendance, and almost all of them were U.S.A. fans who knew what was at stake: A win or a tie would clinch America a spot in the next round of the tournament, while a loss could put its chances of moving on in jeopardy—or put it up against some of the toughest competitors right away.
The Adidas suite we had the privilege of watching the game from had fun perks like complimentary food and drinks, but it was hard to focus on any of that while the game was going on in front of us. I kept thinking about how the players only have the chance to compete in the WWC once every four years—and how amazing it was that so many people were there cheering them on. (There are noticeably more women's soccer fans so far this year than when the WWC last took place in 2011, says Adidas head of soccer Ernesto Bruce.)
After a U.S. goal that was ruled off-sides (heartbreaking!), Abby Wambach scored at the end of the second half—and every U.S.A. fan in the stadium was instantly on their feet. In that moment, as Americans turned to hug each other and Abby jumped into the air in glee, every person there was part of something bigger than themselves. (In case you weren't watching, the U.S. went on to win the game 1-0.)
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A funny thing happens when you're wearing all red, white, and blue Adidas gear and you're with a group of about a dozen other fit ladies doing the same thing: People assume you're the U.S. women's soccer team. As we left the stadium, a man with a big American flag cheered and took a picture with us (that would be the main photo above). Later, while we enjoyed a drink at a nearby hotel, multiple people walked up to us to congratulate us on our win. We decided just to go with it (it was more fun for everyone involved). And just like that, I wasn't the kid flunking P.E.—I was part of the U.S. women's soccer team (if only for a night).
That's the great thing about sports: Whether you're crossing the finish line at a race, reaching the top of a mountain, cheering on your country's team as they compete at the highest level possible, or even being mistaken for a pro athlete, it's a high you can't get anywhere else.
The U.S. faces off against Columbia in Edmonton, Canada, tonight at 8 p.m. EST. You can watch on Fox Sports 1 or NBC Universo.
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