Dear LAFC Chelsea Families,
First and foremost I would like to say how thrilled I am to have the opportunity to work with LAFC Chelsea. While the beautiful game has taken me to dozens of countries on six continents and given me so many priceless experiences, I have always remembered how it all started. My love for soccer started at age five, and with an older brother and a twin sister I always had people to kick…and kick the ball with (smile). But soccer was more than a game to me. It was my release, my place of Zen; and it helped get me through the toughest times in my life.
Dozens of goals and broken windows after the first fateful kick, I found myself at 15 years of age playing on the Under 20 National Team, and then battling with the likes of Michelle Akers, Carin Gabarra, and Mia Hamm two years later as a high school senior. I hardly knew how it happened, but in retrospect I can positively say that the values my parents instilled in me were paramount to every goal I have ever set for myself. Education was first and foremost. Soccer never took precedence over school, and no matter how hard we tried, that was non-negotiable.
As a great athlete you can earn a scholarship to a few universities, but as an athlete with straight ‘A’s…well, let’s just say the world is your oyster. I had my choice of almost any university I wanted, and with only my mother trying to put three kids through college, it was important that I got a full scholarship to a great academic institution. In the end, Anson Dorrance and the University of North Carolina won out as I spent the next four years of my life in the wonderful competitive cauldron of Tarheel country. And from there life took off on an amazing adventure. But I digress…
I have been fortunate to see the positive influence of sport in some of the world’s dire environments. Through refugee camps, impoverished communities, toxic waste dumps, war torn countries, and every unknown corner of the planet there is always a love for football and the social development that comes with it. Our sport is a catalyst for positive change both locally and globally, and one of the things that make LAFC Chelsea unique is the commitment to that cause. I am both eager and excited to help move the club forward in that respect. And from a coaching standpoint, I am looking forward to working with your kids and their coaches to help them achieve their full potential as players.
I came here to help make this great organization the best youth club in the country for boys and girls both on and off the field. To all the parents, thank you for your tireless support of your kids and their love of soccer. To all of the players, you’ve got the passion for the beautiful game. Now let’s see how far we can take it.
I’ll be visiting the fields over the next couple of weeks so please don’t be shy. I’m far from anti-social. I look forward to meeting all of you.
Sincerely,
Lorrie
