The headlines have been singing Tarp’s praises all year, and with good reason. Lindsay Tarpley is in the finest form of her career. She earned the Top Scorer award at the Four Nations Tournament, she's the leading scorer for the WNT in 2008 with six goals and her stellar play is a big reason the US just secured the Algarve Cup.
But underneath all the accolades, lies an even more impressive story. What we see on the pitch is only part of the picture. It’s what Tarp does off the field that makes her on-field performances sparkle with such brilliance.
Her work ethic in training is second to none. Her commitment to improving her fitness is unrivaled. So whether she’s on her own or with the team, Tarp puts in the blood, sweat and tears to earn all the big cheers.
Case in point, she is featured in a brand new SPARQ Training video that highlights her astounding dedication to improving her game each and every day.
As part of our on-going series with the US WNT, we sat down with Lindsay to find out why she was drawn to soccer and what the secret is to her unrelenting training schedule.
How did you decide soccer was the sport for you?
As a kid my mom tied bells on my shoes, because I had so much energy. And, when I was silent that’s when she worried. So as long as she heard the bells and knew I was moving then I was OK. So I think that kind of pinpointed me into my soccer career.
How do you motivate yourself to train so hard?
For me, I’m the most confident when I’m the most prepared. So if I’m stepping onto the field and I know I’ve taken care of all the elements of my game that gives me the confidence I need. It’s just a matter of getting on the field and being confident to be who I am.
Can you talk about your training and how many hours you spend on it?
I don’t necessarily think it’s two hours in the gym, two hours on the field or things like that. For me personally, I used to over-train, because that’s what gave me confidence on the field. But now I train smarter and know what I need to do to be sharp, quick, agile, fast and strong.
During a day, we’ll probably train about two hours. We’ll lift two to three days a week for about an hour. But by the time you get taped, get treatment, get whatever you need and maybe even watch film, the day’s gone pretty quickly.
What’s the best part of being such an elite female athlete?
I think the best part about being a female athlete is you can be tough on the field, sweaty, gross, and then you have the opportunity to be a woman, a powerful woman, dress how you want to dress. And, for me, I love dresses, I love skirts. All of the feminine stuff, I love it. I think the best part is that I can be a tough soccer player and I can also be who I am as a woman.
Do you have any messages for your fans, especially the up-and-coming girls out there?
I think the biggest message would be to work hard and believe in yourself. You have to have that belief and the confidence in what you’ve done to know that you’re ready to be on the field and be in the game. If young girls can learn that and develop that at a younger age, they’re going to be that much stronger when they get older.
