2,521…2,522…2,523
That’s how many juggles our guest, soccer player Jazzy Iljana, counted one day. If you think that’s impressive wait until you hear where she’s headed to play in college next year.
This young lady was experiencing quite a successful soccer career until an ACL and meniscus tear took her down. The team at Children’s Health Andrews Institute brought her back up. Well, surgery, plus nine months of intense physical therapy and conditioning training and mental resilience brought her back up to speed.
She’s back on the field now and is headed to Maryland to the US Naval Academy. We have no doubt Jazzy will accomplish whatever she sets her mind to, whether it’s on the soccer field, in the Navy, or helping people as a doctor herself.
Enjoy episode #59 with Jazzy Iljana. And, listen to more episodes from the Hustle & Pro archives.
Show Notes
- [00:28] Quick Hits
- [02:37] Soccer at age 4
- [04:10] High School and FC Dallas Club
- [04:40] Torn ACL and Meniscus
- [07:00] Physical Therapy, Mental Toughness
- [11:35] Naval Academy
- [19:00] Goals & helping others
Resources within this episode:
- Children’s Health Andrews Institute
- Jazzy Iljana: Twitter: @jazzyiljana7
- FC Dallas Development Academy
- United States Naval Academy
- Kelly Walker: Instagram @kelly_walkertexas | Twitter: @kelly_walker_TX
Connect with Lifestyle Frisco:
Transcript: (machine-generated)
Welcome to Hustle and Pro season two talking sports and Frisco from youth to pro. Now here’s your host, Kelly Walker.
Welcome to this episode of Hustle and Pro. I’m excited to talk to Jazzy Iljana today. Jazzy has a cool soccer story, some ups and downs. And so we’re going to hear all about it. Welcome to the Hustle and Pro Jazzy.
I thank you for having me. Great to be on this episode.
Okay, so we’re going to start off with a few quick hits, some icebreakers to kind of get to know you a little better. So who would you say is your favorite athlete of all time?
[inaudible] favorite athlete like in any sport?
Sure.
I’d probably say Kobe Bryant or Messi. Like both in between. They’re kind of.
Yes. All my soccer guests have to say Messi at some point, right?
Yeah. Well it’s not like a I and his going with it cause he like he’s the best or whatever. But it’s like, cause he’s started like really everyone was really negative with him cause he was very short and you know, so he basically just proved them all wrong. So that’s why it’s like I feel I could do something like that.
Yeah. You like his story? I do too. What about sports movies? Are you into watching any soccer movies or any other sports movies that you can think of that you like?
Um, I used to love watching movie Goal and go to [inaudible] and those are probably my favorite ones.
Those are good ones. What about superstitions? Do you have any game day superstitions that you, that you have to do on game day?
Um, on game day I always have to go on the field with my shin guards on and my socks above my knees. Like while I’m walking in. I don’t know, it’s just something I always do and then I changed my cleats like right before we started warming up. But my socks always have to be able to have my knees and my shin guards in.
Okay. It’s like you gotta it has to make, is that what makes you feel right and ready to go?
Yeah, I just feel like I’m ready to get going.
One more quick hit. What’s the farthest you’ve ever traveled to play sports or to watch sports?
[inaudible] travel a lot about your travel. Lots for tournaments and play.
Have you ever traveled internationally for sports?
No. Never. No. Never been anywhere internationally. Um, seven, uh, Kansas, Florida. I’m trying to think. It’s so many steps and yeah, we usually go like Houston, Oklahoma, which aren’t as far, but I’ve been to Missouri also. That’s probably the furthest.
Okay.
Yeah, probably.
Okay. All right. So tell me about your story growing up. Um, obviously you’re a soccer player now, but did you play other sports when you were younger?
Yeah, so I was, well mom always said I was very energetic when I was little. So she put me in multiple sports to like try to get me to put all my energies somewhere instead of running around the house all the time. So she tried putting me in gymnastics. Um, I think volleyball, a little bit of basketball, but not really. And then she put me in soccer and I was just like constantly running everywhere. So she thought it was perfect. So around four years old, I was put on my first soccer team and then I went to six years old and that’s when I started playing, playing competitively. And ever since then. Yeah. Yes ma’am.
So that’s [inaudible], I was going to ask you, sorry I interrupted you. Um, so I was going to ask you, did you drop your other sports? At what point? Like middle school is, is kind of um, you know, a common thing, but were you focused on soccer earlier than that?
Yeah. So in elementary school, like basically the rest ever since I started playing competitively it’s the only been soccer. Of course in middle school I played like ball volleyball and basketball, but it’s just like for fun, like if I didn’t have practices or games that day, then yeah, I would go. But if it had interfere with soccer, I would always choose soccer players.
Priority over soccer was your first priority, but then you fit in some of the fun stuff at school. Okay. So you played, um, with FCD, when did you start playing with the FC Dallas club?
Hmm, I think 2016 my freshman year. I know for sure. So I think it was 2016.
And you were also playing for your high school at the same time?
Yes.
You played for your high school for all through high school?
Well, I played my freshman and sophomore year and then I played a little bit my junior year, but then that’s when I tore my ACL and my meniscus.
Yes. So yeah, we mean to skip right over that. So that’s, um, that’s like the big, um, talking point and your journey as of today. Right. So you tore your ACL in March of 2019 so a full year ago. And, um, so where did you have your, your surgery done?
Uh, Children’s Andrews Sports Institute in Plano.
Okay. So after you had the surgery at Children’s Health Andrews, um, I heard, I read that you then had like nine months of really intense physical therapy and training and conditioning to, it took you that long, right. To get cleared to play again almost a whole year later that you were cleared February of this year of 2020. Is that right?
Yes. So I actually tore my ACL and my meniscus and I had my surgery that March. And so I was good and going hard at it. Physical therapy. And then again in September I had a scope surgery to go back into my meniscus cause I was bothering me. So then that put me like another month or two back. So I would have gotten cleared sooner. But then that was really bothering me. So I had to get a scope where they took out the stitching and my meniscus cause I guess that’s what was bothering me. And so then I got back into therapy again and then I finally got cleared like a month or two later than I was originally going to get cleared. But it was still like on the doll kind of.
So the meniscus tear it. Did these two things happen at the same time? Like was this a, was this a one move or injury a one moment that this all happened or was this something with some of that built up over time?
No, it happened during one of my games, actually a showcase in Arizona. I mean in Houston, sorry, it was in Houston and it was our first game of the tournament into 20 minutes in, I was sprinting and I planted my foot and I tried to change directions, but I guess my foot like locked in so my knee ended up like twisting the other way and I just fell right down.
So it wasn’t contact with another player or, any.
No it was just change the direction.
Wow. With your foot planted?
Yes. Yeah.
And so that’s, that was the meniscus also you say or?
Yes, that was my ACL and my meniscus at the same time. Yes ma’am.
Wow. Okay. So then tell me in your words, I want to hear what the, what the PT was like and the conditioning. I mean going from somebody who’s used to, obviously you’ve been conditioning, playing soccer for years and years. What, what was the difference in your eyes and you know, harder, easier? What was harder about it or easier about it? The conditioning when you were.
Yeah, so I usually, like I had never had an injury like that, so I always been in shape, like always. And then when I had to be a month on crutches, Oh my gosh, I already knew like it was, this whole process would be so hard like mentally and especially physically. So whenever I finally started like running again, Oh my gosh, I would get tired so easily and then it was like the worst thing ever. Cause I know that I’ve never been like that. So then I try so hard to just get back in shape and like I get back in shape pretty easily. So it took me about a week and a half, maybe, maybe a week. We can have to get like fully back in the shape that I was running. Like Oh yeah it was, it was hard though. I forgotten what that felt like.
I bet. Cause you’re always being healthy, especially if you said this when you were always healthy. How many times were you headed over to children’s health to do the PT work? Like a week? Were you there every day? A couple times a week. Once [inaudible].
Um, for the first, I think three months, I went three times a week and then after that it became two times a week. And then I had advanced to the EXOS program is like what was the bridge group, but it’s like slash excellence. So it’s a bridge group where they try to get us back into the shape and the strength that we need to get playing again. And then once I would increase from there I would go onto the EXOS program where it’s just like full back at it, like full strength, full speed, everything like no holding back. So I, I had been going to play no every day ever since. Um, about July, July 20, 19, they’re out every day.
That’s a long time. Lot of FaceTime with Rose. They’re doctors, right? You probably got to know the people at children’s pretty well.
Oh yeah, they’re my homies now.
When you were going through that, I’m sure there was some, you mentioned mental and physical or you might’ve used the word emotional. Did you find yourself down at times when you just were considering coming back to soccer? Or was it always something you were always a hundred percent knew you were going to be back to normal?
Yeah, well I know I was going to be able to play again, but I was always worried that I wouldn’t be able to play the same or like that it would always hurt. So I would get really worried at times, especially at the beginning, I would just like, I cried a lot cause I was like really mad and sad and everything cause like you never expected [inaudible] right. So then it happened and then you just like, like your mind like plays tricks on you kind of. And so then you’re worried about, Oh my gosh, what if I don’t play? What if I can’t play the same? Like what’s going to happen? But then like once you start getting back into it, like with your strength conditioning, like starting to move the ball back again, you gain more confidence and that’s what happened to me. So I started worrying less and I just let my body heal like in just see where it went. I try to be patient with it.
Oh, that’s hard for some people. That’s hard. That would be hard for me. Yeah. Patience is hard. And like you said, the doubt, doubting yourself, it’s hard to, to not for that, not to happen, but like you said, once you set your mind to that, you’re going to, you’re going to be okay and you just kind of had some patience then you’ll get there. Okay. So then let’s talk about that. So, um, you were cleared to play February of this year, so you’re getting back out there. Um, and then you had a little bit of a setback as far as timing. Right. You’re probably not allowed to play right now because as we record this, we’re still isolated and not able to get out there and train with our games. Um, but did that change anything as far as your course in your decision to what’s next after your senior year of high school?
No, everything’s about, so the same, just as set by like, I won’t have practices, so I just have to practice on my own, you know, so no, it’s, everything’s pretty much the same. Same goal. Same plan.
So tell me about that plan. So I, I read or I’m going to let you tell me, so where are you going to be playing next year?
I’m planning to play at the United States Naval Academy.
So how did that Maryland in Maryland? Yes, in Annapolis. So I’m reading through all the lists of um, all the kiddos who the seniors who got to participate in the FC Dallas chase signing night a month or two ago, it seems like forever ago now. Um, and I didn’t see many Naval Academy names listed, so I want to know why that, how did you come up with that decision?
Well, uh, well my club team for FC Dallas, we had a showcase in Arizona I think in 2017. It was my, it was towards the end of my freshman year. And after we went to, after our first game, my manager comes up to my coach and I end, he tells us how the coach of the us and the United States Naval Academy wanted to talk to my coach and then also like, who is that or whatever. And then he told us how it was like a really major school, whatever. And they only accept eight students a year for soccer. For soccer. Yeah. So I was one of them that they were looking at and then he had told my coach that he wanted to see more of me. So he kept attending our games and our showcases and a few months later by now it’s 2018 of like January and he has sent another like his assistant coach to come watch me and I didn’t know it was without me knowing. So it was just like out of the blue and they had then come up to me after the game. Well not up to me cause I couldn’t get up to my coach and they like, we had a contact through my coach because of NCAA rules and so we would all communicate like through emails and stuff. And he told me how he wanted you seeing any play and that he was very interested in that. He’s like what he’s seeing. And then about a month later after that they came to another showcase that we had in Florida. And then after that they made me, they gave me an offer once I got home from that showcase. So they called me up and they asked if I would be interested and they said I had a year to think about it. And I was like, can I just say yes now? And they’re like, yeah, sure. And so then I said yes. And then ever since then like I’ve been committed. So that was my sophomore year.
Oh wow. You’ve known that long that you were going there. So when you knew they were kind of looking at you, something you were talking to your family about in the background. So is that why when you got the offer you were ready to go ahead and say yes.
Yeah, cause I, once we realized that they’re looking at me, we obviously did like some research on the school, so we knew that I would have to obviously like uh, serve some time after I graduate. So, but like we took all of that into notice. So we said we basically started with everything and I was just, we were all good with it then we thought it was be a good idea. And so yeah, we didn’t hesitate.
Yeah, that’s a pretty amazing place to be. Have you been to, been able to see campus yet?
Yes, actually went on a visit last year in October.
It’s a, it’s a pretty unique place. I can’t.
Very beautiful.
So you were talking about when one of those, um, the coach sent an assistant coach to watch you at a game or a showcase, but you didn’t know. So I’m curious, do you think it’s better to not know when there’s somebody scouting you recruiting you? So that you just do your thing and you’re not nervous or do you think it’s better to know so that you can like step it up even more?
Um, I felt well personally. Um, I think I play the same, like, yeah, I’ll get nervous for a little bit. But then like once you’re in the game, you don’t really think about anybody that’s there. So I guess it doesn’t really matter, but I don’t, I don’t know. It’s a good heads up, but then again it doesn’t matter. That’s just me personally though.
That’s good. Yeah. For you personally.
I guess I was lucky that I had a good game that day.
Right. But even coaches, I mean I think you know good coaches and good people that are recruiting. They can tell, especially in the game of soccer, you can tell a lot by a player, even if they have not the best game ever, you can still tell a lot by how somebody works out there on the field. So. Well it sounds like you did have a good game though. So that didn’t, didn’t even matter. Were you able to go to that? I’m signing night that I was talking about with FC Dallas.
Yes, I was actually there. Got a, I got a platform and everything.
Oh neat.
Oh it’s right there in the back.
Cool. So are you on the DA team or you said your club team? Are those two different things?
Yeah, well it’s my club team, but it’s different leagues. It’s a FC Dallas program, but it’s a differently cause I wanted to play high school, so I still get you see [inaudible] my freshman and sophomore year and then we turned into DPL this year. So, but we had always been ECNO my freshman, sophomore and junior year, so I played the [inaudible] FC Dallas club.
Okay. Very good. All right, so any, um, a couple of little easy questions. First of all, I’ve heard, I’ve heard you have a good, um, juggling amount that you can juggle. So how much can you juggle?
Well, this was a few years ago. Like about three. We’re actually kept checking. The most I counted was 2,523.
No.
Yeah, exactly.
2,523?
Yes.
That’s insane. I don’t know anybody who can do that much. I didn’t even know that people do that many.
Wow.
Yeah. I feel like keeping check that day. So I was just like going and going.
It’s only about 20 minutes.
It never like it never hit the ground.
No, my legs got tired and that’s how I stopped.
That’s crazy. That’s awesome. Wow. I thought you were going to say like a hundred or something. That’s [inaudible]. You must have really good control for the ball, but you’re a forward, right?
Yes, I’m a forward and a attacking midfielder.
Okay. Forward and attacking midfielder. Um, and then you play your Jersey number is number seven. Is there any significance to that number for you or is it just kind of a number you’ve always worn or.
Well actually yeah, so when I was little I used to be number six because of the amount of family members we had. But then my sister in law had a, had a baby, so then it got such a seven cause I was younger. So basically it just like represents our family members and it’s always been my lucky number. So it was just like my favorite movie.
Yeah, lucky number seven. That’s cool. Well good. Number seven. Well I’m excited to watch your journey. So I’ve had a lot of high school athletes that I’ve talked to over the last like year and a half and I love following them. So if you see a follow on Twitter from me, that’s why I like to follow you and see what you’re doing. Um, playing in college and, and if you ever come back and want to talk to us again, let me know. But good luck in your journey. Oh, I do have one last question I meant to ask you earlier when you mentioned some goals you have, do you have any more specific goals for soccer? I mean you’re attaining one as you go off in the fall to play for the Naval Academy, but do you have anything beyond that that you want to,to do?
Well, I feel like every girl, like they want to play professionally one day. Obviously that’s still my dream, but you never know. So we’ll just see what happens. Keep doing what I do and it happens it happens.
Right. So if you’re not playing soccer, what do you want to do professionally then?
Well, I want to work in the medical field. I want to be able to help people the way that I was hoping.
Oh wow. Had you, would you have said that before all of this injury happened or is that something that really, you know, had a light bulb moment for you that you wanted to do that with your life?
Yeah. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. Not always, but I’ve thought about it in high school. So around sophomore year I knew that I wanted to be somewhere in the medical field. And then, especially now, like now that I’ve been worked on, like I know how it is, so I really want to do it now, especially.
Yeah. And you know how important it is for those people that take care of their patients and kind of get their life put back together as they knew it before they were hurt. Right.
Yeah.
Well, fantastic. Thank you for taking the time and getting on our web podcast interview. Um, so good luck at the Naval Academy as you head off next year, and we’ll be rooting for ya.
Thank you so much.