Check out this new link!

Another article of mine got published to the CAC website! Check it out http://coachesacrosscontinents.org/heart-is-everything/

Heart is Everything

7/6/15

My trip to the beautiful country of Brazil has finally come to an end. As I finally get time to relax in the comfort of my home in Los Angeles, I can’t help but to reflect on the two weeks I spent in Sao Paulo. It wasn’t easy; in fact it was probably one of the toughest times I’ve ever experienced. I became homesick and worried that I wouldn’t be able to finish my last two weeks with the program.  I felt uncomfortable and vulnerable in the big city, more than I have ever felt in my entire life. However, I finished my two weeks feeling accomplished and I learned so many valuable lessons about strength, heart, and how much a little game of soccer can unify an entire community.

As our bus from Rio finally reached its destination to Sao Paolo, it became immediately evident that it was unlike the past two gorgeous cities. The buildings surrounded our bus in almost every direction, giving the appearance of an endless skyline. Graffiti was painted across every home and building and stray dogs dug into the trash piled up outside. The skies were darkened with smog and the outside smell made me sick; it was going to be a very long two weeks. We stayed in the small town of “Diadema” (Fun fact David Luiz was born and raised there) at the volunteer house of a program called ACER Brasil. Although we would only be working with Acer the second week, they were kind enough to provide us housing with them regardless. The housing was quite distant from notable places of interest in Sao Paolo, which made me very nervous as we arrived there the first day. I couldn’t imagine myself staying there for two weeks, I couldn’t. Besides a small park and a couple grocery stores, I was in the middle of nowhere.  I daydreamed about the beaches of Cocacabaña.

The first week of Sao Paulo was spent with the program Futbol Social, the same program we have been partnering with in both Rio and Brasilia. We practiced in the early morning over an hour away and thankfully the energy of the group kept us awake. We worked with adults in the community teaching them coaching techniques as well as the same social messages with both male and female role models. To our surprise we also had over 20 little boys under the age of 10 to coach as well. The best part about being able to work with the children was that I was able to get their insight on social problems first hand. We spoke to the children about gender equality and although I was there first female coach, we were spoken to with respect and kindness. In our discussion, the children spoke to us that they believe women are capable of all the jobs that men have (Arianna and I were living proof of it). They included us in every game they played and really made us feel as if we were part of their community. If the generation we coached continues to pass down our message and keep their loving hearts, our world will truly be a better place. Their acceptance was one of a kind and it really made waking up at 5:45 am worth it. The rain never stopped the Brazilians from coming to our sessions and the week really flew by. Our last day I was once again given two more gifts: A bottle of freshly made grape juice and yet another Brazilian jersey.

My last week in Sao Paolo was spent working with the program ACER, as mentioned before. Acer works specifically in Diadema and is a lot like a YMCA in terms of its programs. They provide the children safe places and facilities where they can participate in music classes, cooking classes, art classes, and any sport imaginable. They also have programs where teens are able to help lead the children in different activities giving them both opportunities to set examples for those around them and giving them a sense of accomplishment for the good they have done in the community. This week was most important because all of our games, although soccer related, could be used in any one of their classes in one way or another. Our sessions took place at one of their facilities just steps away from our home and it instantly became one of my favorite weeks. The people who participated all had something so lively and happy about their personalities, which made the smiles contagious. The games were highly completive, yet at the end everyone would hug and high five despite the score. It was incredible how much the community was really unified by soccer. Our social messages really stuck out to the group and it was heartbreaking to hear what some of our participants have gone through. Staying in the same community as those we were working with really put a lot into perspective. The week flew by and I couldn’t believe I was packing up ready to head back.

Sao Paolo grew on me, it really did. I’ll miss the two-hour long adventures into the city and the pickup games with the girls every night. I’ll miss the family lunches with the ACER staff and the constant buzzing of the city through all hours of night. My dad has always told me to play with heart and wow, do Brazilians play with it. Coaches Across Continents have taken it a step further and by taking the power of heart in soccer and putting it into everything we do. Heart is everything.  I am so thankful to have been given an opportunity to travel to one of the most beautiful countries in the world to do what I love most. Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible. This trip really has inspired me more than I could ever put into words.

Enjoy these pictures!

-Niki Herdegen

Check out this link!

http://coachesacrosscontinents.org/beauty-inside-and-out/

Here is the link as promised, enjoy!

Rio in review

6\19\2015

I can't believe it's been over a week since my last post! As my time with coaches across Continents comes to an end, I am given certain responsibilities to carry out each week. I was given the incredible opportunity to write a blog post for the website on my experience in Rio and also take on the job as "photographer" for the Facebook page. My blog should be posted on their website by tomorrow and I will be sure to include the link on my next post. Please check it out!

My last post talked a lot about the social issues that I experienced first hand in Rio. Unfortunately, I experienced one more which helped shape the way we designed our course for the rest of the week. The experience had to do with the 24 hour cop that sat on the street outside our hotel. We noticed the cop the first night, but it wasn't until we realized he didn't move day after day that there was a problem we weren't seeing. The lights of the cop car made my room light up like an endless disco ball, what were they scared of? Finally my curiosity got the best of me and we asked why there were always cops patrolling our small street. The answer surprised me. Just above our beautiful place on the beach up a small driveway was one of the most notorious fevellas. The crimes carried out in the community contained lots of violence, child trafficking, and drug abuse. The cops sat there endlessly as a warning for those coming down that they weren't welcome. I still have trouble understanding the disconnect between the city. Sure i felt safe knowing cops were always on the look out but what about the innocent people living in the community above? What about them was so different that they weren't given the same protection that I was?  In the backyard of my hotel was a whole new community that needed help and instead of sending cops to protect them, they trap them in. We talked with our group about the problems with fevellas and how we can implement change to destroy the negative stigma that comes with living in a slum. We also took that time to show them games that educate children on how to prevent drug abuse and violence in communities. A lot of the coaches we worked with this week work first hand in communities like the one above our hotel and it was nice to know that our message will be spread to the ones directly impacted by those problems.

Off the field, I had a wonderful time crossing things off my dad's bucket list for him. My days were spent on the beautiful beach watching surfers ride endless waves under the warm rays of the Cocacabana sun. I also was given the opportunity to travel to the top of Christ the Redeemer at sunset. We took multiple buses up windy roads to get to the masterpiece. No picture could ever capture the view from the top, It was breathtaking. On our way down we made friends with a family of wild monkeys who followed us everywhere we walked. It felt as if I was living in a dream. Sadly my time In rio had to come to an end and we embarked on a six hour bus ride through the jungle to sao Paulo. I was nervous for an even bigger city but up for the challenge. Rio taught me a lot about myself and I came into sao paulo confident with my abilities despite having to start over once again.

The end of the week was truly incredible. I was inspired by the female leaders of Rio and was taught so much about unconditional love through the people working first hand in fevellas. I was so terrified of the city when I first got there but it had finally grew on me. Rio is so beautiful inside and out, its something you can only experience yourself to really understand.

As mentioned before I am currently in sao Paulo. I will post tomorrow about my last weeks adventure In this cold city.

Sinceramente,

Niki Herdegen

Beachin'

6/9/15

It is my third day in Rio and I am finally getting accustomed to this busy city. I didn't realize how hard it would be to start back at zero again. I miss the familiarity of Brasilia and more importantly all my incredible new friends. Rio is intimidating, but like any new experience it takes time to adjust and become comfortable. I've learned to find comfort in the natural beauty of the beaches and forests, they help balance the chaos of the city. We have a new coach in this week named Ariana. Ariana is a recent college graduate and thankfully speaks fluent Portuguese. Due to Ariana's help we have seen the best, tasted the best, and are getting the best deals! (Every girls dream) Ariana fits in perfectly with Savannah and I and we have already created a great friendship that is going to make the next three weeks incredible.

Our group is fortunate enough to stay a short 30 second walk from the world famous, cocacabana beach! Our days have consisted of training In the morning, and then long afternoons on the beach. As gorgeous as the our apartment on the beach is, it feels wrong. Some of the people we train come from poor communities, also known as fevellas, and you can't help but feel overwhelming sorrow. The opportunities for a lot of them are very limited and as this week proceeds, I can't stop asking "why". Why aren't there more programs to get them out of slums? Why isn't anyone doing anything immediately about it? Why aren't the opportunities the same? Despite the unfair predicament a lot of my students fall in, I haven't heard a single complaint out of their smiling faces.

Being in a bigger city, a lot of the social issues we teach about can be seen first hand walking on the street. While Savannah and I were buying groceries at the local market we noticed a man and a woman in a verbal altercation. His voice overpowered her and his tone put a chill down my spine. The fight got violent fast, as he shoved her by her backpack to the ground and walked away. No one was there to help her, she was alone. Although it killed me inside not being able to do anything, I know the work I'm doing with CAC can hopefully prevent future incidents from happening. If we can educate a player or a coach about how to prevent violence against women our job is done. It is such an evident problem in Brazil and I know it has so much potential to change. I love going to work every morning knowing I can impact people and create a chain reaction of change.

Like last week our main focuses are child abuse, gender equality, and drug/alcohol awareness. Although we don't have nearly as much participants this week, it makes for more intense and in depth conversations. To be able to personally hear the stories of Brazilian women and the discrimination they live for really puts everything in perspective. Opportunities for women to play sport back home are everywhere, and to learn about the struggle and fight they go through to receive the same treatment is really hard to hear. It makes me thankful for everything and has taught me to never take this beautiful sport for granted.

I'm excited for the last half of this week and cant wait to see where the rest of my wild adventure takes me. Rio is beautiful, and the people are truly inspiring.

Sinceramente,

Niki Herdegen

Howling at the moon

6/6/15

Unfortunately due to technical difficulties with the WiFi, I have not been able to post as frequently as I would like. At this very moment I'm patiently waiting to board a plane taking off to Rio in less than half an hour. Although I'm excited for the new adventures of Rio, I already miss the quiet city of Brasilia. I have made friends there that I will cherish for a lifetime and the city will always remain close to my heart.

The last three days of training were filled with lots of laughs, great skill work, powerful messages, and big hugs. Our group of 90+ coaches and players created a strong bond that helped us move through exercises quickly and efficiency, all while having endless amounts of fun. We continued our female empowerment theme and introduced Abby wambach as one of our inspirational players for the day. Her ability in the air helped us design a handful of high intensity drills and her endless fight for female equality opened up conversation about gender discrimination in Brazil. The next two days didn't have inspirational figures but instead focused on Aids prevention, alcohol awareness, and children's rights. Although our games were fun and exciting, the symbolic undertones really hit home for a lot of the players. They shared stories about they're own experiences that showed how evident the social problems were in Brazil. It was heartbreaking to hear the stories of people, a few years younger than me, going through problems that no one should ever have to experience. Our program hopes that these people take the drills and skills we taught them and teach others, to create a generation of healthy and happy children. By the final day, I couldn't keep count of the amount of hugs and kisses I received. The people were so thankful; our program really impacted their lives. Our final day coaching ended with a mini cookout and a certificate ceremony for all who participated. Many players and coaches found the their voices on the pitch and their newly found confidence made them glow with happiness. As I left the field for one last time I received two gifts from a couple of my favorite players: chocolate cookies and a Brazilian soccer jersey.

Outside of the field I had three experiences that are going to be very hard to top in Rio. The first took place on Wednesday night, the night of the full moon. Karina, our driver, decided to take Savannah and I out on an adventure after a late night dinner. Karina hardly speaks any English and could only promise us "the most beautiful view of the moon". It was almost 9 pm and pitch black as Karina drove us to an empty parking lot. She grabbed ahold of both Savannah and I, and with just a single flash light she led us through a blackened field. I could hear water ahead and could only assume we were going to look at the moon from the empty lake shore. As we got closer I realized there was a small boat of people waiting for Savannah and I to hop on. The boat looked like two attached kayaks and fit about 15 people. Karina threw us out into the water and we were given a quick 30 second lesson on how to keep the rhythm with the strong men paddling with us. The warm water soaked our clothes as the moon lit up the sky. Downtown Brasilia glowed and gave an appearance as if we were in a snow globe. After about 20 minutes of intense rowing we stopped In the middle of the lake to take in the beauty of the bright moon. Everyone let out a howl like wolves, you couldn't help but smile.

The next incredible experience took place all of Friday morning and afternoon. I befriended a boy around my age named William, who also helps out with coaching during the week. He is a Brazilian native but speaks fluent English due to a study abroad program in Canada. He invited Savannah and I on his uncle's boat before training, we were delighted to accompany him. After spending a short time on the lake before on Wednesday night, we prepared our best lake attire and got ready for an hour or two of rowing. As we got to the marina we quickly realized  that wouldn't be the case (Brazilians tend to leave out big details). William's uncle owns three marinas in Brasilia, one of which is next to the luxurious house of the president. The boat also wasn't a small paddle boat, but instead, was what looked like a small yacht. We were treated like queens as we traveled on the lake passing under the beautiful JK bridge with the surrounding city as our backdrop. We dove into the warm waters and swam for hours, it really did feel like a dream. The boat allowed us to take in yet another breathtaking view as the sun made our skin glow. The ride made me appreciate just how thankful I am to travel to a city as gorgeous as Brasilia.

The last experience happened just hours before I arrived at the airport. Our CAC team was invited to a party to watch the Champions league final game. This party took place at the house house of a man who works at the US embassy here in Brasilia. We met the security of embassy and many  other important men and women working all kinds of different jobs there. We played with their children, ate great food, listened to good music, and watched a great game. It was a treat to be invited to a party like that.

As I get ready to go to Rio, i wish i could thank the people of Brasilia one last time. Their hospitality made being thousands of miles away feel like home. I will be back.

Sinceramente,
Niki herdegen

Girl power

6/2/15

As exhausting as my day is working on the field,  I wouldn't have it any other way. The long days give me a feeling of purpose and the positive attitudes from the players and coaches give me encouragement to keep moving on. The energy and constant smiles from the Brazilians are truly contagious.

I will start today's post with an experience I enjoyed off the field. I am a proud lover of the Brazilian super fruit, acai. As Savannah and I walked around the city before training, we came across an authentic acai Booth. They chopped fresh bananas, coconut, and oats and sprinkled it over the top of our fruit bowls. I have never tasted anything more delicious in my life. It was amazing to eat the fruit the Brazilians are most fond of in the country where it comes from. I know my dad is reading this post and cringing in jealousy (you should it was delicious).

For our training session, we once again started with circle of friends and you could tell the group was getting more comfortable with each other. Instead of leading the training session with a specific role model we decided to stick with an overall theme of gender equity and female empowerment. There were various games and group led discussions about gender discrimination in Brazil and what can we do as a community to stop it. The game that really made the the biggest impact on the players was "end violence tag". The 60 participants split into 4 groups. In each group there were 4 taggers which represented verbal violence, physical violence, psychological violence, and sexual violence against women. If you were tagged by any form of violence you were frozen and couldn't be freed.  Within two minutes of play, everyone was frozen and violence won. We brought everyone back together and majority were very frustrated with the outcome. We asked the players how it felt and many said hopeless. We then asked how the violence can be stopped and together we came up with four answers: education, police,  the help of social media, and community. The next round we then allowed other players to help their frozen teammates by crawling under their legs and stating one of the four ways to end violence. After about 15 minutes of fun we brought everyone back  together and asked them what they thought. Someone mentioned that even when he was tagged, there was a feeling of hope that someone was out there ready to help him. This game helped us really talk about social issues and think more in depth about violence and how to end it.

After one more final scrimmage it was time to head back. Christina drove us back through the darkened city, letting us take pictures of various tourist attractions all while playing her favorite American playlist (lots of Beyonce and black eyed peas). We stopped at the famous cathedral and she insisted that we go inside. The church was empty, yet a loud noise echoed the halls. To our amazement an orchestra was playing dead center. We found out that the orchestra consisted of students my age who were sponsored due to amazing talent in both school and music. What made them so special was that all of the orchestra players came from favellas or slums of Brazil, and music gave them opportunities for a better life. The music was magical. Those students were a true inspiration.

My day ended with Savannah in the market place where we ate freshly made chicken kabobs in front of an outdoor band. It all still feels so surreal, I love this city.

Sinceramente,

Niki herdegen