BLUES BLOG: A day in the life of an FCKC player

By Kathleen Gier

Updated: June 14, 2024

9:05 Leave for training. We live roughly 6 1/2 minutes from the field complex where we train and often carpool, depending on if any of us need to go early for treatment. Once we get to the complex, everyone is getting treatment done, foam rolling, and/or doing various activation exercises.

10:00 Training starts. We always begin with 5v2. It’s all fun and games until someone is in the middle for 15 or more passes and has to stay again. 5v2 epitomizes so many important elements of the game, especially for our style at FCKC. It’s a relaxed and light-hearted environment, in which it’s vital to be composed and free to try crazy moves to escape pressure. But at the same time it’s intense and we take pride in trying to keep the ball.

11:45 Most days players are strewn across the field after training getting in some extra, position-specific work. My go-to is practicing free kicks.

12:00 Back home where job No. 2 takes over. Typically, before I even shower (I know, don’t judge me) I open my computer and reference my to-do list and email inbox. I’m working to launch a business called Techne, which is a technical training system. There is a TON to be done. I spend a great deal of time planning out the training system, editing video demos, and conferring with my business partners to develop the app that we will launch later this summer. And this is all in addition to my weekly videos on my YFutbol YouTube channel, and scheduling camps, clinics, and speaking appearances to interact with players around the country in person.

2:00 Time to get swole! Twice a week we have a second training session at Soccer FIT, the FCKC strength and conditioning partner. Shon Jones and Scott Moody take us through a weekly program of strength, mobility, and explosive work. I’m currently in a bit of a chin-up competition with Heather O’Reilly. I can’t disclose our numbers publicly at the moment, but maybe we’ll post a video soon 🙂

5:00 Channeling my inner Vlatko. 2-3 evenings a week I work with youth players in individual or small-group settings. We do all technical work. My aim is to show them things they can take home and continue to practice outside of their team environment. I’m really passionate about empowering players to be able to take their game as far as they want to.

7:00 Dinner time. I eat most of my meals at home. If I’m lucky, I’ll come back in the evening to a home-cooked meal by my roommates (hint hint guys…if you’re reading this).

10:00 Mandatory shut-down time. If you can’t tell, my days are jam packed. I have a new personal rule that at 10pm my computer gets closed and I stop work for the day. Now I’ll let you in on the secret ingredient in my life: African Red Bush Tea. It’s become a nightly ritual in our house. We sip tea, relax, and sometimes throw in a bit of improv. Yes, you read that right…improv. Tiffany Weimer has been living with us and is taking a comedy writing class so she got us going on some fun skits. We’ve done everything from word play games to a full-blown beauty pageant. We have videos but they are highly confidential.

11:30 Bed time. As an athlete, you can do ice baths, foam rolling, and all kinds of other crazy recovery methods (believe me, I do them all). But the most vital part of our lives and feeling good to do what we do each day is SLEEP. I need a solid 9 hours a night to leave me refreshed and ready for another fun-filled day of life with FCKC!

That’s a typical day in my life, but here are a few other regular activities that get sprinkled in there:

– mani/pedis…duh!

– weekly or bi-weekly massages = heaven

– coffee shops on coffee shops on coffee shops (especially when our wifi is slow)

– packing and unpacking after away trips = 4 minutes. I basically leave the bag packed.

– RECYCLING center…our apartment complex doesn’t have recycling so yeah…

– watching games, especially now that the “Summer of Soccer” has started