Devala Gorrick

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Fun little skit that I wrote and directed and was able to convince Danny Obrien and Anton Mckenzie to join me. We had loads of fun doing it!

The idea came to me to have a campaign that highlights the good relationships and respect between the Fury, Redblacks, and 67's. Athletes always have loads of respect for other sports and I want to show this. Enjoy!

Sunday, September 14, 2014

"I am strong because I've been weak, I am fearless because I've been afraid, I am wise because I've been foolish."

Pattaya Thailand, 2009. I was a new signee for Pattaya United F.C, a top team competing in the Thai Premier League. I was second choice to a Thai national team selected goalie and impatiently awaiting my premier game. I envisioned it as a game I would start from the beginning, walk out from the tunnel, and go out and have a solid 90 minutes. It wasn't the case.

It was a home game vs Police United, a huge rivalry for Pattaya and we were up 1-0. Our goalie went down with an injury just before halftime and I was ordered to warm up. The crowd of 10-20 thousand people cheered when I entered the field and I finished off the half with some big saves and good moments. The second half began. I played brilliant until the 80th minute, when a ball was played back to me slowly. With one striker approaching me quickly, I nonchalantly did a nice move to go around him and I felt great, until another striker stripped the ball off me from behind and went in for the tying goal. My debut game had my biggest career mistake ever.

My mistake gave me lots to think about. Did I just end my career as it started? Or did I learn one of the toughest lessons of all? Since I was a kid I had a natural ability to not be fearful. I have always loved to try new things as sort of a dare to myself. I never minded failing as long as I felt that I tried and tried my best.

Failure to learn, is learning to fail.

No on is perfect. The people who act or say they are perfect are fools. The way a gemologist knows a real stone from a fake is easy. Fake stones are perfect, real gems are flawed. And I know this in debt from my research when buying my wife’s engagement ring.

After a failure follows such an adventure. Once you let go of the failure you begin to rebuild stronger and more resilient. When you lift weights you have to literally tear your muscles first in order for them to rebuild and then eventually, grow bigger. But some people prefer not to be bigger, not to be better, and not to take risks. These people are missing out on a great feeling.

Last december I was traveling with my wife to North India near the himalayas. I had been in sort of a rut and feeling a lack of excitement and thrill. We ventured high in the mountains to a city called Gantok, about 11,000 feet above sea level. And since I was a kid I have always had a case of vertigo, so any heights make me dizzy and give me a feeling of fear and un settled. I hated this feeling. I saw some people paragliding and decided it was the right time to overcome this fear once and for all. I went up to 12,000 ft to the edge of a cliff, strapped to the instructor, he then said “Ok, just run and jump off.” It was the craziest thing I had heard, but once I did it I felt invigorated. We flew 30 miles an hour for a 1,500 drop. My fear of heights was eliminated. And in fact, when I landed the first thing I said to my wife was, “I am now an adrenaline junky, lets do sky-diving and free base jumping next”. She wasn't too fond of these ideas.

My advice, go forth and make huge mistakes. Your lack of fear will turn into your lack of hesitation on a soccer field, or in any work situation where you need to be bold and want to excel beyond the average person.

****Read this book. It will help any athlete, or any person trying to become stronger mentally.

Monday, September 01, 2014

Fact - Athletes train hard and need lots of protein.

Myth - Vegetarians lack protein and energy.

I am a man who loves a good football training session and love to go in the gym for a good weight lifting set. I love the feeling of putting my headphones on and getting into a beast mode in the gym; even if I am not lifting beast amounts of weights. I also love the feeling of sore muscles the 2nd day after a good lifting. Its a feeling of accomplishment and advancement.

I am also someone who loves good food. In my travels I acquired tastes for all types of ethnic foods and i sometimes feel I have a real addiction to food. Its something that probably started when I was a kid and got even worse when I married my wife.

I remember dinner parties at my house. My mom could cook any food type and knew how to season her food to please even the greatest of culinary connoisseurs. Her meals would be 5-6 courses with each one as delicate as the other. Lasagne, ornate salads, enchiladas, indian veg and curries, cakes and sweets, fried; cooked ; marinated; everything you could imagine.

The best part of all of it was It was all 100% vegetarian. It was also blessed food offered to God called Prasadam in my religion. This was very important to my family was to make sure things we enjoyed as a family was first given as an offering to God ( Krishna ) firstly before we could enjoy it. This was sometimes extremely hard if there was a pie or cake sitting on the counter waiting to cool down. I occasionally had to sneak a taste with my finger and quickly hide the evidence.

One of the most common questions I am asked is, “Where do you get your protein?”. My first response is usually, “Look at me, Im 6’3, 195 lbs and I eat whatever I want.” Im also asked if I need supplements and vitamins to sustain. Ive never needed either and only take protein powder when I have a day with extra weights or endurance.

Over the last 5 years or so my wife has also taught me a lot about diet and she's helped me greatly to perfect my diet. A very rice and beans and vegetables based diet that allows me to get all the nutrients and proteins from my meals so I don't ever have to have protein powders or anything else. I also cut back on sugars, glutens and dairy’s, things that I think most vegetarians and myself would over consume.

My diet was not always easy to maintain while living in countries like Thailand. There they have 2 types of vegetarians. One eats ONLY vegetables which is not nearly enough to fill my stomach and offer me variety. The other doesn't eat meat but will eat fish and eggs, both of which I also do not eat. So you can imagine my frustration. I would have to order in Thai with fine detail of what I could eat and what I could not. More times than not they would botch the order; either due to my poor language or because they thought my diet was weird. Once while my wife ordered a fried rice without egg; the most common thing they would add, he server told her, “No no no, it wont be good without egg”, and refused to take her order.

I never try to convert people to be vegetarian because everyone grows up and develops tastes for foods their families prepare. However I try to inform people who eat meat of the advantages of being a veggie just in case they are interested in trying it or even cutting back on meat slightly. Flexitarians its called when you eat veggie on weekends or occasionally.

When you research eating a plant based diet its amazing to see an astounding amount of athletes who follow, especially long distance runners and boxers. I sometimes think even If i was born in a family that ate meat and I did also, I would probably try to pursue a veggie diet strictly for health and medical reasons.

Heres a list of common meals I eat to give you an example of my ability to eat anything.

If your interested in recipes or meal plans please ask, my wife would gladly send all.

Ricotta & pinto bean Enchiladas
Gluten-free Pesto pasta with tofu and mushrooms
Kale salad w/ walnuts strawberries
Rice noodle soup with tofu, lettuce, tomatoes.
Avocado pesto mozzarella sandwich.
Stir fry vegetables with brown rice.
From scratch Pizza w/ olives, mushrooms, goat cheese, mozzarella.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Fans. More than spectators, more than cheers and jeers. Men and women, young girls and boys, start off as people in the crowd and soon grow to be an integral piece of the drama that is a soccer game. The suspense is heightened by the gasps of thousands in unison. The judgements by the referee are speculated and adversed through chatter and boos. Forty-five minutes at a time. Each minute filled with an emotion. Whether that be a disappointment or an intoxicating moment of joy, the experience and interaction between fans and the actions on the field are one and the same.

As an athlete I am a fan of many other sports merely because I respect their handwork and dedication. But there are a few players and teams in the world that I have huge adoration for.

I remember when I was around 19 I went to Italy and went to see my childhood team Ac Milan play in the San Siro. For me it was a dream come true. I had magazine clippings of Paolo Maldini hanging in my room. I used to yell the name Dida when I made a save. Me and my friends would yell Insaghi when we scored and celebrated in his honor.

For me to be a fan is the same as being a player. During the moments of the game everyone is involved in the same task, to win and win well. All surrounding blur together and you forget where you are. You begin to think your on the field playing and where you will pass the ball next. Its sort of like playing the video game FIFA. Its an experience that is unlike any other and can be an addiction in its own way.

As a goalkeeper the fans impact me profoundly. I spend a lot of my time alone in the back, most of the time talking to myself to stay focused. But when the fans are yelling my name in support and encouragement I no longer need to find ways to stay focused. They provide the musical background to my mini drama. They heighten my sense of awareness and as well boost my confidence for what will happen next.

The opposing fans boos and jeers invoke even more feelings within. They enthuse me to prove them wrong with their cries of misery and hatred. The louder their jeers the more ramped up I feel to go into the moment of battle with arrogance and distaste for the enemy and their entourage.

Like in a tv show or movie, when the uplifting music gets louder you just know that whatever happens next will be good.

J. B. Priestley
To say that these men paid their shillings to watch twenty-two hirelings kick a ball is merely to say that a violin is wood and catgut, that Hamlet is so much paper and ink.

The 3 things every player needs to do well I soccer is Luck, Hardwork, and Prayer. There are 265 million registered soccer players in the world and not nearly enough teams to fill. Many players make the cut and break in at an early age and their life is only to maintain their skills and stay in form. Then there are many players who due to location of birth, financial difficulties, politics, or for many other reasons are left grasping at smaller chances and or any situation in order to get another year to play the sport they love.

For myself I have always came so close to getting where I want to be that it leaves a taste and desire in my gut that will only be quenched once I attain my goal. Its like being given a really nice thing, like being allowed to fly first class on a top airline or given a ferrari to drive for one day. Once that thing has left your hands you are left with a feeling that will do anything possible and spend as much time of your life working to gain that thing back.

I remember being in Leverkussen academy in Germany at the age of 14 and my training had been going really well. I was getting strong feedback from the coaches and staff, and the man that was taking care of me and housing me said he looked forward to me living there and getting to know me. The next thing that happened was Mark the the man who got me there called me and said pack up, I was going to Austria Vienna. I didn't think much about it being a kid, I was just taking whatever came my way and found it all very exciting. I ended up returning after some time and not being able to stay in Europe, the place I had fallen deeply in love with.

Years later I spoke to Mark on the phone and he said, “Leverkussen was very keen to keep you, we should've stayed longer the timing and planning was a mess”. As you can imagine my mind flashed into a day dream of what my life would've turned out to be had that had worked out. But thats the thing, In this business you cant have regrets because these things happen almost every week. Timing will sometimes work in your favor, sometimes it will work strongly against you. This is where prayer comes in for me as I am a strong believer in faith and more importantly, Karma.

My first pro contract I was in Puerto Rico with Bayamon Fc. Our team had been doing well and had advanced to the playoffs and It was set to be the semi finals. Just that week the coach told me our parent team the Islanders were sending down their backup goalkeeper to play the next few games, even though I had played the last 10 and had had some brilliant moments. Justin Myers who I later became good friends with played the first semi final and had done well. The following weekend I knew I would not play and me and the other reserve players decided to play video games all night till early morning. I was awoke early the next morning by a missed call from the coach. “Devala your playing today, Justin’s paperwork didn't go through so hes out.” With my heart pounding and the weight of the whole teams success or failure on my shoulders, I went out and played. Played well at that.

We went on to play the final and won the league, a huge moment in my early career. I was able to use the platform for god and to inspire others to do the same.

Long story short, this moment taught me two vital lessons. Timing and Karma can take a huge U-turn sometimes and hit you when your not ready, so always be ready and take whatever comes your way with grace; and confidence that you are prepared.

“Luck is not chance-
It’s Toil-
Fortune’s expensive smile
Is earned-“
— Emily Dickinson

Tuesday, August 05, 2014

I was recently in conversation with a player for the Ottawa Redblacks, Carleton Mitchell. We discussed instability, an issue that is commonly faced by professional athletes. He has recently suffered from a concussion keeping him out of the starting lineup for several weeks and preventing him from playing the sport he loves; unfortunately this is not uncommon. One day you will be at top performance, mentally and physically strong and the next day you could be injured, sidelined, or out of a contract entirely. It was great to speak to someone in a similar situation and gain perspective. It is difficult to be sidelined because ultimately I want to see my team succeed and I want to help them do that.

Since I began playing soccer I have played in several European countries as well as across Asia and North America. In my diverse experience I have dealt with opposition in every form. Injury, missed opportunities, bad timing, and inexperience have all contributed to my unique experience. I have been dropped from the roster, been without contract questioning my future, and faced irreconcilable contract negotiations. Throughout all these obstacles I have struggled with my choice in profession, questioning my abilities as well as the decisions that lead me to each bump in the road.

I recently read a book called Graduation by Richard Lee, a goalkeeper who played in England for many years and struggled with the ups and downs of his position. He goes as far as to say he developed serious mental issues from the sport and how often he even hated or feared playing a game.

What I learned from Richards plight as well as my personal experiences is this:

In soccer and in life, no matter how big of a setback hits you there is always an amazing opportunity to bounce back and reinvent oneself. It can be such a strong emotional feeling to be in a situation where you are doubted or criticized. Most of the time it allows you the freedom to work harder than usual with the no-holds-barred attitude that you’ve got nothing to lose, but everything to gain. I find those situations the best for my personal development.

I think complacency can kill a persons identity, but constant self development will always build courage and fulfillment.

Here is a quote that I have always adored and I read it before every game to remind myself that life is bigger than just todays efforts.

“Its not the critic that counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strive valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. “

-Theodore Roosevelt

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

I was invited to be a guest coach with Gloucester Hornets girls 9-10yrs old. It was such a great reception and amazing outcome. One of my favorite things to do as a professional football player is teach and inspire young kids. I still remember when I was their age.

Growing up in Gainesville FL where soccer is a sport played for fun so the parents have something the kids can spend their weekends doing. For me and my parents it somehow became more than that. Since their were no travel team in my area my mother would drive me 2 hours each way to Orlando in order to be apart of a competitive league. From around the time I was 13 till 16 my mother sacrificed many days in order to drive me the 2 hours to Orlando as I slept across the back seats of our minivan. I still remember many times we had been at a tournament all day and the last game finished near 9 or 10 pm and she was exhausted from running me around. So by the age of 15 I would have to drive part of the way while she was able to rest a little bit also.

Somehow I had a soccer gene in my body that wouldn't go away no matter how many people told me it was difficult or how strange I may have seemed to most of my friends. While many of my friends pursued many different outlets in life; some even drugs and crime; I had no interest in most things in life except one thing, playing soccer.

All 4 of my brothers and even my sister use to play soccer also. When I was maybe 8 or 9 years old my brother and I had the task to rake up all the leaves in our front yard. We conjured a plan to rake them all into a little soccer field and play a game. It took over 1 hour to rake all the sidelines, 18 yard box, and center circle to perfect. We then spent the afternoon playing a game against each other and diving through all those perfect lines. It got a little late and my parents were not happy we had never completed our chore and in fact made a bigger mess, we then began to clean up the whole mess.

In every house we lived in my father would build a goal in the backyard for us and over the years as we grew we would eventually grow into a full field and full size goal. He also took us to our first professional soccer game in Orlando to watch the two MLS teams the Columbus Crew take on the Tampa Bay Mutiny. What an experience that was! Here I was watching players play that I had only seen on trading cards that I bought at the local card shop. Very rarely was soccer shown on TV so we didn't see much of soccer. But the stadium was full, and the field had players like Valderama, Brad Friedel, Brian Mcbride, and more. After the game we heard inside info that the players go a local bar after the game. Our family waited patiently and eventually were able to meet some players face to face.

While I was showing the Hornets girls some tips and signing a few autographs I noticed the same reactions and faces that I had when I first came in contact with professional soccer players. If only I can inspire a few kids to follow their dreams the same way I did, then my career is complete.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Pushing through obstacles together!

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Mistakes are Armour, not shackles.

Monday, September 01, 2014

Train Hard & Eat your Veggies.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Fans, Supporters, Opposers

Luck, Hardwork, Prayer.

Tuesday, August 05, 2014

No effort without error

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Teaching, Coaching, Helping.

Social Media

Get Free Email Upadtes

Blog Archive

Popular Posts

Labels

Labels

Popular Posts

Recent Comments