Arnold leading the way
Star GC goalie’s bold trial
Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold is trialling wearing hearing aids on the field, less than 99 days out from the Paris Olympics.
The 29-year-old (right), who was diagnosed with hearing loss last year, has been getting used to them off field but is now incorporating them into her onfield routine.
“I have started training with them for a little bit now, for a couple days throughout the week, just to see how it is and to try and get used to them,” she said. “I feel like I probably struggle more without them now when I don’t have them in than I did before. It’s a completely new world to be honest. It’s definitely been a big adjustment but one that I’m grateful for.”
Meanwhile, Arnold revealed Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson had called on players to take more risks and be “brave”.
“We’ve really tried to emphasise lately just to be a bit more brave on the ball,” she said.
“In the past, not that we haven’t been brave, but we haven’t really tried things that we wouldn’t be, you know, maybe a higher risk of playing.
“So I think we’re trying to work towards that – a bit of a new style of play. But we’re just really trying to hone down on the confidence and the belief in ourselves.”
The soccer star, who is based in the UK, is training most days with her West Ham United team, which is sitting 11th in the Women’s Super League.
“We’re training Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and then we play on the weekend,” she said.
Both Arnold and her partner, fellow West Ham player Kirsty Smith, are currently on the same training schedule which has made it easier to be on the same diet.
But on those late nights after a game, they sometimes “cheat” with a Subway sandwich.
“I’m a sucker for Subway, don’t ask me why,” Arnold said, laughing. “I can’t help myself.”
Most of the time though, the soccer star eats Youfoodz, which are delivered, ready made meals. She has recently been appointed the company’s very first ‘Chief Goal Keeper’, to help Aussies set and keep their lifestyle goals.
“Research shows that twothirds of Aussies are giving up on their goals about one month after setting them. To hear that stat was pretty alarming in itself,” she said.
“So I wanted to jump on board and sort of try and help Aussies keep on track and try and relate to them in the way I did when I was growing up.”
While soccer keeps her busy, Arnold has still found time to write two children’s books – Finders Keepers and Caught in the Middle – which will be released on July 2. The books are about Arnold as a child in Year 6 and features a character who wears hearing aids like her.
“It’s just been basically a way that I was able to relate to children. It’s got little bits in there about how I grew up or where I grew up and my values in becoming a goalkeeper,” she said. “It’s been really fun. I’ve been really enjoying it.”