Sandra, what exactly is your history as a soccer player and what was your experience with teams, team play, and cooperation in a time during that time?

I started playing soccer when I was seven years old – back then with the boys, that was somewhat of an adventure. After about seven years, I was selected for the Under-17 teams. When I was about 15 years old, I was contacted by FC Zurich and Grasshoppers – members of the Swiss National League A – and then I joined them. I was able to practice with many international players there already. I also completed a Swiss Olympic training in Zug, which is called Vinto, a commercial training for top athletes. That's actually very exciting, because there were not only soccer players, but also ice hockey players, water skiers, triathletes, etc. – so, athletes all across the sports world.

After completing this training, I decided to go to the U.S., from where I had three offers, and went to Tennessee. I played there for two years and we won the NAIA national title, which is a pretty big accomplishment because you have to win the Regionals first. We become number one in the USA – an experience you won't forget soon. A hard road, but nevertheless – as is probably the case in professional life – the best moments are when you achieve what you might not even have dreamed of.

In the second year, I was awarded MVP, Most Valuable Player. A great honor to take this title back to Switzerland. You have already got to know me a little bit in the meantime: My goals were achieved, and in my opinion I could not achieve much more apart from improving my English. After that I returned to Switzerland, played in the second highest league for a year, because I was running out of air a little bit, became the leading scorer there and was then hired by FC Basel. That's the sports career. In addition, I was still working during all this time, at least at 50/60 percent.

Thank you very much for this introduction! Now, the complete focus in soccer is on teamwork. What distinguishes good team play for you?

In my opinion, there are many factors involved. The difficult thing - probably also in working life - is that anyone who makes it that far has a certain egoistic background. And then bringing that down to a common denominator is not so easy. For me, team play does not mean being best friends off the field, but knowing that you need each other to achieve success.

So, there is this tension between ego and team, between the “I” and the “we.” How does this tension play out in the game?

I think that you may not always agree with the decision, for example, how the head coach decides who will be in the starting 11. And yet, there is still one overriding goal that always stands out above all else in competitive sports – no matter what happens. I think that's a big difference, maybe also compared to working life: You know that success is not possible if we try to outdo each other. One is dependent on the abilities of others to achieve one's own egoistic goals. One rather tries to conceal the weaknesses of others so that the gaps are closed instead of causing them. If that makes sense.

That does make sense indeed. I think there are in fact differences to professional life. There is this tension between the ego and the team, which sometimes leads to the urge to outdo each other. But you don't do it, for the purpose of the whole and the team goal. How do you feel about that?

Yes, that’s correct. I am not the kind of person who in general likes to outdo someone. But I am sure there are personalities who feel this way. It's just that simple: you need different personalities that function completely differently in order to reach a goal at the end. I think you can tell with time. Even if "birds of a feather flock together," it doesn't really help with any goals, whether they are in sports, professional or private goals. It is not necessarily an advantage when everyone functions the same way. 

So, high diversity in a team is viewed as an advantage, also in soccer?

Absolutely! Diversity gives a boost – provided that everyone has the same goal. If one person is interested in spending time with friends and the other one has specific goals in sports, then it is more of an impediment. But when all have the same goal, diversity is a key to success, most definitely.

In your opinion, what are some of the other keys to success – on the field or in preparation?

High concentration, knowing what you want and believing at all times that you are on the right track. In the end, the mental part makes the difference. For us, trust in each other, knowing that we are good and that we are on the right track to achieve something completely different with the same team has always been very important.

Trust in each other or trust in the goal and one's own abilities? 

Both. I believe that trust in the goal is the most important thing in the beginning, because first of all you have to define the goal together in such a way that it suits everyone as much as possible, so that everyone can stand behind it. On the other hand, of course, there is also trust in each other, the knowledge that no matter who stands next to me or in front of me, we can create something together. I believe that this is even more important in women's sports than in men's sports, that everyone feels the trust of others and knows: everyone is supportive of each other. At least on the field. Top athletes are not always best friends off the field, because there are also groups that will form. That's the same as in your job. And you can argue like crazy, but on the field it has to work. You should also know your own strengths and weaknesses. Not hiding them, but stand by them, which might not be so easy to do. I can give an example of my own: I am not really right-footed. My whole team knew that, and that is exactly the reason why they passed the ball to my left foot. I think it's very, very important that the other team members also know: What are my strengths and my weaknesses in order to be able to achieve the best for the team, the goal and how we can handle this as positively as possible? How can we strengthen that?

Read the second part of the interview in my next blog to find out what all of this has to do with authenticity and self-knowledge and what the topic of setting limits has to do with good teamwork.