As the US women’s national team is preparing to take on the Republic of Ireland this week, Julie Ertz took the time to talk to the media about her return to the team post pregnancy.
Ertz stressed that she is not satisfied with coming back and being the player that she used to be – she wants to be better: “I’ve learned that pressure is a privilege. There’s always been pressure in any position, any time of my career. My career, I feel like hasn’t been just normal and smooth every single time because it’s about just getting better each year and I want to come back and be—I don’t even wanna go back and be the player that I was because I want to be better.”
Ertz stated that she was in communications with a few teams, and should be finalizing a NWSL contract soon, however she decided not to comment when asked which of the 12 teams she was in contact with. She said that she was, “trying to stay focused on the games coming up, but also knowing that I need a club team.”
In regards to the decision to rejoin the national team, Ertz said: “I think clearly the love for the game is hard to step away from. Obviously coming back from pregnancy changes things, obviously your body. So I just wanted to make sure when I was coming back that I felt like I was strong enough to be able to feel like I could be myself.”
“I know the first few months, like I would just stare at him and be like, ‘oh my gosh, how do people come to work?” Ertz said of the decision to come back to the national team post maternity leave. “I think the emotions of that and after having a baby and all your hormones and everything. So yes, of course it’s not easy.” She attributed the ability to come back to her amazing support system, and how her family and husband, Zach, have been “unbelievably supportive.”
“I’ve been so grateful to really actually enjoy this challenge because it was like I wanted to get back to myself and comfortable and be a great mom. So obviously that was my focus first and foremost.” With Zach Ertz being in a competitive environment and going to his NFL games, Ertz added, “In the back of your head, it’s hard to not have that itch, when you’re just so used to being so competitive and especially having a professional athlete as a husband.”
As to how close she is to game shape, Ertz responded: “I feel really good. I have been training and making sure that my body feels physically where it needs to be. Being in this environment, I kind of know where my body was before. So I do feel really good. And obviously getting played in is part of that as well, but I feel great.”
When probed further on the mental side of the game, Ertz explained “I’m in a good head space to just understand, to give myself a little bit of grace. But overall, I feel like being in this environment, the game and really the mental side has always been the hardest section, especially being with such elite players day in, day out. That almost was the one that I wanted to really focus on coming in here. Coming back, pregnant or not, five years ago you have good days and bad days, and it’s just making sure that you can control what you can control. The technical side is what you can control. The mental side I wanted to make sure that I was focused on as well.”
Although Ertz hasn’t been on the roster in a while, she hasn’t been out of contact with the coaching staff. “I’ve been in really good conversations with Vlatko, kind of what they’ve been looking at, what they’ve been trying to do, about each game. I know that they’ve tried a few different things in previous games and it’s been a little bit different from game to game. So, it’s been fun listening to what he sees and allowing me to ask questions. And, it’s been a fun – I wouldn’t say a challenge – it’s just a different way obviously of approach. But at the same time [it’s] the same because when it comes to a World Cup time, it’s all about details.”
Of Ertz’s goal to come back a better player she said, “I’m proud of the player that I have been able to be, but at the same time, it’s just hard to just be complacent, I guess. It’s just not in this team’s DNA to do that and it trickles off to every individual here.”
US women’s national team head coach Vlatko Andonocski spoke last week of Ertz’s call-up: “We’re excited to have Julie back. We know the quality of the player that she’s at and that if she comes anywhere near her best, that she will certainly help us win a World Cup.” Of her potentially making the World Cup roster, Andonovski continued by saying, “she needs to come in, she needs to prove herself. We are gonna be a little bit patient, as we can afford to be at this moment, to give her a chance to get back, to give her a chance to acclimate herself and we’ll give her a chance to acclimate herself in the new market once she signs a professional contract.”
Ertz spent a solid amount of time thanking the mothers on the team that went before her and both inspired her to do it as well as paved the path to allow for the resources that the players currently have. “I feel like I have to shout out Cheyna Matthews – she’s with the Red Stars now – who has three boys and she is just been tremendous and walking through what she’s learned through her process and what an incredible mom she is, [and is on] the Jamaican national team. And also Kealia Watt, we’ve been training together and it’s nice to be able to have somebody there that also understands, but also pushes you and knows where you kind of want to be.”
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