In honor of the Olympics, for this Spotlight we'd like to introduce you to Laura Brock, Australian native, 2x Olympian, retired soccer player, surfer, and mother of two.
Laura shares how she balanced her love of surfing with her professional soccer career and how surfing has not only made her a better athlete but also a better mum.
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Q. What got you into surfing, and where’s your favorite spot to go?
Laura - I first started surfing when I was a teenager. My family has a beach house on the Sunshine Coast and we spent most holidays there. My older brother first got into it and, like most things, whatever my brothers did I wanted to do too! My absolute favourite spot is Duranbah in Queensland, Australia. It’s a punchy beach break that I love to get to whenever I’m home.
Q. What does community mean to you and how has surfing and the ocean shaped your community?
Laura - Community has been a huge part of my life. I've spent a lot of years on the road, living in different countries and being away from my family so finding community wherever I am has really helped me feel at home and not so lonely. The communities I often find myself in is my church community and my surf community. It’s where I spend most my time and am naturally drawn to those types of people.
Q. Growing up in Australia and now living in the US, how would you compare the surf communities in both places?
Laura - If I’m honest, at first I would have said that the general surf vibe in Australia is much friendlier, HOWEVER, having been here a few years now and getting to know some of the locals I’m learning that people are generally open to have a chat and are actually very friendly and kind here too… it just took some work of putting in the hours and surfing the same spot consistently to get to know the familiar faces. Now 9 times out of 10 I will bump into someone I know and thoroughly enjoy my time out there.
Q. What got you into soccer, and what was the journey like to play professionally and compete in the World Cup and the Olympics for Team Australia?
Laura - I first started playing in primary school every lunch time with my best friend and the boys in my year. I always loved it and thrived on the competition. I never dreamed that one day I would represent Australia. I was never the most skillful or fastest but I loved training and pushing myself to get better. It was the love of the game that kept me going and things slowly started falling into place for me. I’ve been fortunate enough to play in the Australian, English, American, and French professional leagues. At 21 I went to my first World Cup and couldn’t believe the magnitude of the event. It was beyond my wildest dreams. I went on to get selected for 2 more (one I was ruled out through injury on the eve of the Cup) and 2 Olympics…it’s crazy to reflect on to be honest. Lots of good memories with amazing people.
Q. During your career as a professional soccer player, how did you manage to fit surfing into your schedule?
Laura - Haha I love this question. Surfing for me has always been my outlet. It's where I can relax, be one with nature and totally reset. It has also often been a time for me to pray with no screens or distractions and simply enjoying Gods creation. With that in mind, it has often also been my priority over soccer (though I’d never admit that to my coaches haha). Some weekends if the surf was good I would sneak out for a session before my game (another piece of top secret information haha). On regular training days I would typically do both, just like anyone who surfs and maintains a 9-5 job. If anything, I had more time to surf since my work schedule typically only consisted of 3-5 hours a day. Basically I would surf 2hrs and train 5hrs and sleep REALLY well haha.
Q. What lessons from your soccer career have you applied to your surfing or vice versa?
Laura - If you ever surf with me you’ll probably notice that I’ve maintained that competitiveness and drive to be better. I’m always pushing myself whether that be from a fitness standpoint or wanting to critique my waves… though that is typically loudest in my internal dialogue haha. The way my surfing improved my soccer was that it taught me to be present and relax. I always played better when I was relaxed, in the present and keeping a positive mindset.
Q. How does surfing and the ocean affect your mood and mindset?
Laura - Haha I guess I skipped to this question a little early without knowing it! I have found that going surfing, exercising, and being in nature, MOST of the time puts me in a good mood and better mindset. Before it was to take on a tough training day or competitor and now it makes me a better Mum. I’m learning that filling up my personal cup allows me to give more to my husband and kids. It feels selfish at times but everyone ends up benefiting when I am in a better mood haha.
Q. As a mother of two, how do you hope to share your passion for soccer and surfing with your children?
Laura - If I’m honest I really don’t mind if they play soccer, but I definitely want them to surf haha. I feel like that’s something we can do together for hopefully the rest of my life! We have been taking my 2 year old “surfing” (aka riding the waves on our backs) a lot lately and to hear him say “I want to go to the beach” gives me so much joy. I’m excited for the day he wants to ride the waves and stand up on his own… our daughter too. Though she is only 6 months old so we have a while to wait! It’s such a great opportunity as a family to be away from screens and just play together. It’s the highlight of my week!
