Why isnt natasha kai on the national team

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Health Strike at Kaiser Permanente averted with tentative labor agreement reached. Public Safety One dead, one wounded in shooting outside Chula Vista bar. Public Safety Pedestrian killed in hit-and-run crash in East Village. Phenomenal women Almanac Festival of books Latino life. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options. Natasha Kai, 35, scored 24 goals and assisted on 13 with the U. By Drake Hills. The crowds were huge at the Olympics. But at some of our Sky Blue games, there are only people watching.

It sucks not having people in the stands. We're doing our part as best we can, and we just need our fans to stick it out with us. Soccer is a growing sport. It's not as big as we hope it is, not like in Europe, but I think slowly it's getting there. I wish every game were like that. The issue I think people really should be paying attention to is the psychological strain elite athletes are under. Everyone just wants to see the good side and the glory side of being an athlete.

But in reality we deal with more than just kicking a ball, or catching a ball, or stopping a ball. It's a roller-coaster ride. Some days are good; some days are great. Some days are just a disaster. Soccer is a brutally competitive sport. Your place on the national team is always precarious; it's like every day is a new tryout. You're constantly competing for the roster — some days you're not on the roster, some days you are.

When I was playing in the previous league, I tried to get professional help. Every week I would go in and talk with a professional and discuss what I was struggling with, and she went behind my back and told everyone else. Nothing I said was confidential. I feel really grateful to have a totally new perspective on soccer after being gone for five years.

I feel so much less stress and pressure than I used to. Natasha led the team to victory at the Olympics when she scored the winning goal in a quarterfinal match against Canada, and the team went on to win a gold medal. Natasha returned to the sport in as a forward for Sky Blue.