Notre attaquante américaine, Chelsea Domond, se confie dans la chambre 154 sur son arrivée à Marseille, son intégration dans le groupe, la barrière de la langue...
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00:00Okay, how are you getting on in Marseille? What people were you able to rely on? Wow, that's a good question. I think I'm getting along pretty well in Marseille. I've gotten used to the environment, you know, my teammates have been great with helping me around and stuff like that.
00:27So, honestly, I love it and I have great people to rely on. Like, I have Jenny, Roxanne, Lucia, someone that just left Katia was a great help when it came to like navigating Marseille. So, those people, the best.
00:47Okay, how did you cope mentally with the start of the season given you were injured? Okay, so for that one, I would say it was definitely a learning curve for me.
01:06Because this was the first time that I've been injured for so long. The first time that I've had back-to-back injuries.
01:15So, it was very difficult for me because playing football is a positive outlet for me. It's something that brings me happiness and it's the reason why I'm here.
01:30So, to not have that and, you know, to kind of sit back and watch everyone play while I had to sit on the sideline was very, very difficult.
01:41But, I would say my teammates were a great help. They were always super encouraging and they always wanted the best for me.
01:49So, they were awesome. But, mainly, like, my parents and my sister were extremely helpful for me to push through.
02:02Spoke with them a lot and they did everything that they can to try to make me feel better when I was down.
02:09So, definitely my family, talking with them, making sure, you know, I'm calling every day, every other day, FaceTimes. Huge help for me.
02:21How do you feel about the atmosphere in the group?
02:25There's a language barrier, an obstacle to your full development.
02:29So, that's a great question. I think this is a great group of girls.
02:32I think that there are a lot of very inviting, welcoming people on this team.
02:39which has been super duper helpful.
02:41I mean, from the moment I got here, not knowing as much French as I know now,
02:46they were just always helpful and asking me how I am.
02:51Always keeping up with my, you know, injuries because I just kept getting injured. I couldn't stop.
02:56So, it was very, very nice to have a group of girls that show that they care about you and your development.
03:03Is a language barrier an obstacle to your full development?
03:06I'll say definitely it is.
03:07Because, you know, not only do I have to really lock in in practice because, you know, my coach is speaking in a different language,
03:17I also have to, you know, try to understand what he's saying and then understand the rules of the game,
03:24which is extremely difficult.
03:25Like, the girls that are French sometimes, most times, don't get what's going on sometimes.
03:32Sometimes, like, don't get what's going on, like, on the field or when we're doing certain drills,
03:37or we're having a certain, you know, play-by-play, sometimes with tactics.
03:41So, just imagine someone that's from the U.S. that has little French trying to understand the French aspect plus aspects and rules of a game.
03:53It's very difficult.
03:54But, over time, obviously, it gets better.
03:58Like, in the beginning, I was definitely, like, okay, this is a little bit of a struggle.
04:03Like, I tried to mainly watch and then replicate.
04:08But even then, like, the rules of the game change.
04:10So, you can't really just watch and replicate.
04:12You have to kind of fully hear what the rules are before you, you know, try to play.
04:18So, it's definitely been a barrier, for sure.
04:23But, over time, as my French is getting better, on the field, it's getting better.
04:29So, I'm very happy for that.
04:31Like, I could see the changes within myself on the field.
04:33I'm more confident.
04:35And it's not as difficult to understand what's going on as it was when I first got here.
04:40But that's normal.
04:41I'm glad I got over that hump.
04:42But there's definitely a lot of room for improvement still.
04:45So, I have great teammates that help me, that are always trying to clarify.
04:50Like, even the ones that don't really speak English well, they still come over to me and try to help me with what's going on.
04:58Like, try to tell me and give me as much assistance as they can.
05:02So, I'm very happy that I have this group of girls because they're just gems.
05:07Very, very helpful.
05:09And, yeah.
05:11I can't ask for a better group.
05:14Okay.
05:15Tell us about the players you're closest to.
05:21What do they mean to you?
05:22Wow.
05:23That's a good question.
05:25Okay.
05:26So, I'm definitely closest with Lucia.
05:28She's also an international player.
05:32She's from Ireland.
05:34She's great.
05:37She has just been super helpful.
05:39We do things together.
05:41You know, we'll go to dinner.
05:42We'll go to brunch.
05:43It's just nice to have someone that speaks the same language as you, that you could relate to and talk about, you know, random stuff with.
05:51So, she's been a great bestie here.
05:55But, in addition, a lot of the girls that are, have been on this team have been amazing.
06:02And, I think I'm really close to, I'm really close to Roxanne.
06:06She's super awesome.
06:07We talk to each other, like, it's like a French-English combination, but we get it done.
06:15You know, it's, it's a great conversation every time we talk.
06:18So, she's great.
06:20She's a super fun, nice, very, very nice person.
06:23Jenny is also super duper nice.
06:28Rose, really, really close.
06:34I'm close to, yeah, I would say that's my group.
06:38I'd say Mama, Awa, oh my god.
06:41Wait, let me redo that one because I didn't even mention the Haitian girls and they should be on the top.
06:45But, obviously, I have my Haitian national team girls here, too.
06:50I have three of them.
06:51And, they're also super nice.
06:54I understand Crayole a little more than I do French.
06:58So, you know, sometimes I'll pop in to, you know, kind of hear what they have to say.
07:04And, we'll talk a little bit.
07:06So, it's definitely, I definitely have a few people that, like, I'm comfortable with talking to and stuff like that.
07:12So, yeah.
07:17I think those are the people that are closest to me.
07:20And then, what do they mean to me?
07:23They're great.
07:25Like, they help me feel at ease here.
07:29You know, I'm really in a different environment, as are they.
07:32Because, you know, they're also internationals.
07:34A lot of the people that I mentioned are also international.
07:36So, it's just good to have people to talk to, you know, bounce ideas off of.
07:42And, yeah.
07:44That's pretty much it.
07:46If we asked those closest to you to describe you, what would they say about you?
07:51They would say,
07:52I'm funny.
07:57They'd say I'm spontaneous.
08:00Just lighthearted.
08:02Like, I don't take things too seriously.
08:05But, when they're serious, I do lock in.
08:08Obviously.
08:09But, yeah.
08:11I would think, I think they would say that I'm funny.
08:13I think they'd say that I'm funny, spontaneous.
08:17And, yeah.
08:18Lighthearted.
08:19Free spirit.
08:20You chose to play for Haiti.
08:22What is your relationship with the country?
08:24And, what does it mean to you?
08:24Wow, that's deep.
08:26Okay.
08:27I chose to play for Haiti because that is where my parents are from.
08:33That is where I have built a lot of culture in my household from.
08:38Like, from the food we eat.
08:40From the language my parents speak.
08:42Like, Independence Day.
08:45Yeah.
08:46I just feel like that's a part of me.
08:48That's who I am.
08:49That's where my parents are from.
08:52And, it's important for me to represent that.
08:55Yike.
08:56I definitely, yike.
09:00Born and raised in the U.S.
09:01Like, I haven't been to Haiti before.
09:04But, still, that's a part of who I am.
09:06And, a part of my blood.
09:07So, it's important for me to, you know, to represent that.
09:12So, that's exactly why I chose to play for Haiti.
09:14Do you see your family?
09:16Do they live far from Marseille?
09:17If so, how do you feel about it?
09:19So, I see my family every six months about.
09:22Um, in the summer, I'm home for about two to three months training just on my own.
09:30And then, you know, I came to Marseille in August.
09:33And then, I saw them this Christmas.
09:35And then, I won't see them again until May.
09:38So, it's definitely tough not seeing my family as often as I'm used to.
09:46Because, you know, in college, there's, I think there's, in college, there's more breaks.
09:50Or, I see them every four months.
09:53So, it's definitely hard not seeing them as much.
09:56You know, they're a huge, uh, foundation in my life.
10:01So, it's definitely hard.
10:02But, I am always FaceTiming them.
10:05So, it's not like they're far.
10:06They're very in tune with everything I have going on.
10:10I keep them updated.
10:12So, I like that.
10:15But, it's definitely hard not having them physically there.
10:17Especially when, like, you know, the past few months, it was really difficult for me here.
10:23Being injured constantly.
10:24So, that was definitely tough.
10:27But, going home for Christmas was like a reset.
10:30Like, it just reset my whole mentality.
10:33Like, I really just needed to go home and just see my parents in person.
10:38See my family.
10:39See my friends.
10:39To, like, get back on the right foot.
10:42So, I was happy that I was able to do that.
10:46What decision are you most proud of?
10:49The decision that I'm most proud of is probably, um, my decision to continue playing football.
10:55Even when people were like, this may not work.
10:59So, for me, I had a long string of school before I decided to play pro.
11:05I did four years.
11:07Then, I did another two years at a different school.
11:09So, in the four years, everything was great.
11:13You know, I was a student athlete.
11:14So, every college, everyone within the college, guidance counselors, teachers were very helpful.
11:21But then, when it came around time for my master's, it became more of a struggle to continue playing while getting my master's.
11:31And, um, people that were in my program weren't too fond of sports.
11:39Um, so, they were kind of confused as to why I kept playing while in such a hard program.
11:47Um, and they were kind of showing that they were not very happy with that decision.
11:55But I didn't let it get to me.
11:57I just kept playing, um, because I knew it's what I wanted to do.
12:01And I'm happy that I did, because if I didn't, I wouldn't be here.
12:04And, yeah, this is a great opportunity for me to grow as a player.
12:07So, I'm happy that those, you know, obstacles happened so that I could get to where I am now at Marseille.
12:16What obstacles have you come up against the course of your career?
12:20I think the obvious one is just injuries.
12:23Um, I think the last four years of my life has been the most I've had, like, extensive,
12:31injuries.
12:31Three years ago, I tore my meniscus.
12:35And that was tough because I was out for the season.
12:37It was the first time that I had a large injury.
12:41Um, when I was younger, I would have injuries, like, with my ankles.
12:45Like, just weak ankles.
12:46But over time, they, you know, improved until recent.
12:50But, um, that first injury, the meniscus tear three years ago, um, that's definitely an obstacle for me.
12:59That was because it was the first time that I wasn't able to play my, um, college season.
13:05It was hard to get through, but I got through.
13:07Yeah, I just pushed through, kept working, and got to the point of normalcy again, which is great.
13:12Anyone that deals with injuries knows that it's 100% all mental.
13:17It's definitely just a mental battle because, you know, obviously you work hard and rehab and trying to get your body to gain that strength back.
13:27But the mental piece is a big piece.
13:31So, um, it's just something that it's important to be aware of.
13:35So, once you're aware that it's just a mental battle, then you can start putting yourself together appropriately, piecing things together, so that you're, you know, in the right mindset when you come back to play.
13:49So, that was definitely the biggest obstacles I've dealt with.
13:53Do you have any pillars that you rely on in your daily life?
13:56Obviously, you know, my family is big for me.
13:59Um, and then religion is huge for me, too.
14:02Yeah, I'll say, yeah, religion is huge for me, too.
14:07Um, I'm Christian, so huge, uh, huge aspect of my life.
14:13I grew up in the church.
14:15Um, another big piece to, like, my mental improvement, you know, with this, with the hard times that I've dealt with things and obstacles.
14:26So, yeah, I'll definitely say that that's a huge piece of my life.
14:29It's something that I always carry with me.
14:31Um, and that's helped me through a lot.
14:34So, yeah.
14:36Um, what is your greatest dream, the one you'd like to achieve in your life?
14:41Hmm.
14:41Oh, I think my greatest dream is making a living doing what I love.
14:49Right now, I'm playing football, and I love that, and I want to continue that for as long as possible, but I know it doesn't last forever.
14:55I really, really want to do something in my life that, obviously, I can make a living with, because, like, you know, obviously you need to make a living, but I want to make a living doing something that I actually love doing.
15:08So, whatever that is, I do speech pathology.
15:11Obviously, that's something that brings me happiness and something that I enjoy bringing other people happiness with.
15:17So, I think that's a great path, but yeah, I just want to make sure that what I do every single day isn't a drag.
15:27Like, I just want to fully enjoy getting up and going to work and doing what I have to do to make a living.
15:34So, that's probably my greatest dream, because I think that that's where some people lack, and I don't want to be that.
15:43Like, I don't want to hate going to work or hate what I do, basically.
15:52But playing football, like, that's the best thing I could ask for.
15:56So, I'm very happy where I'm at.
16:01Are you fully happy in your life at present?
16:04If so, why?
16:05If not, what are you missing?
16:06That is, okay.
16:11Yeah, I mean, am I fully happy?
16:14I think I'm very happy, yes, but I think there's always room for improvement.
16:20Like, if someone just dropped, you know, a trillion dollars in front of me, I'd be extremely happy.
16:28But I'm super happy where I'm at right now.
16:31My family's healthy.
16:32I'm healthy.
16:35I'm in Italy.
16:37I, like, you know, I'm here.
16:39I'm playing for Marseille.
16:43Yeah, I think I'm pretty happy.
16:46And you shouldn't, I feel like you shouldn't really measure it, too, because you can find happiness in everything, like, in any situation.
16:53So, yeah, I think I'm pretty, very happy where I am right now in life.
16:57What would make me happier is if my parents and family and friends moved where I am.
17:06That would make me happier, but I'm pretty happy right now.
17:09Okay, and then the last question is, what question would you like to ask your future self in 2030?
17:16Ooh, I would like to ask myself what I'm doing.
17:21Like, that is far, but not far, because only five years away, like, my mindset will be totally different at that point.
17:28Yeah, I would ask myself, what am I doing?
17:30And I hope I'm making myself happy at that point in time.
17:36That's a scary number to look at.
17:40A scary year, like 2030 is crazy.
17:43That is my interview.
17:46Thank you.
17:47I don't know how to end it off, but that's my interview.
17:55Ouch.
17:56Cramps.
17:57Cramps.