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Yael Averbuch, founder of Techne Futbol app

Yael Averbuch, founder of Techne Futbol app

60-Yael Averbuch, on the process of mastery

April 22, 2020 by Kendall Johnson in Podcast


In today’s podcast, I interview the technical soccer goddess, Yael Averbuch. 

I first knew of Yael from afar, as I watched her YouTube videos that she posted of her dribbling and juggling drills. And I was like ‘damnnnn this girl is a hard ass worker and she’s got silky smooth touches that make me feel things.’ 

We recently got to know each other through a mutual friend and we bonded over the fact that we are both, what I like to call, “semi psycho obsessive human beings.” Or fully psycho, depending on who you’re talking to. People who are obsessive about their dreams are my kind of people. 

If you’re one of those people, I know this episode will resonate. Come join the club. 

Yael won two NCAA college cups with the North Carolina Tarheels. She has won three championships during her pro career with Sky Blue FC, Western New York flash, and FC Kansas City. She’s also played overseas in Russia, Sweden, and Cyprus. 

Yael has played for US at at every level of the youth national teams and represented the full team from 2007 to 2013.

In 2018, Yael was forced to step away from playing due to ulcerative colitis. Despite not currently being on the pitch, she is still heavily involved in the game. She is the executive director of the NWSL Players Association.  She is also the founder of Techne Futbol, a soccer training app that provides personal training for soccer players. I highly recommend checking the app out…like I said her touches make me feel things.

In our conversation, Yael talks about: 

  • her addiction to being productive 

  • how positive things done in excess, can go to far

  • why she enjoys not being good at things 

  • her process of mastery 

  • the one thing she would do differently, if she could go back and redo her national team career again 

  • the intimate details of her battle with ulcerative colitis and what this illness has taught her about herself

And more. 

Enjoy this episode with the insightful, master seeking, tech goddess Yael Averbuch. 


Listen on iTunes HERE 

Resources

Yael's instagram

Techen Futbol's instagram 

1 on 1 Mentoring w/ Kendall Johnson

A list of the 11 books that have had the biggest impact on my life as an athlete HERE


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April 22, 2020 /Kendall Johnson
Yael Averbuch, Womens soccer, mastery, techne futbol, nwsl, soccer, us national team
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Praise

“There isn’t anything Kendall does without pouring everything she has to offer into it. She cares enough to not be scared to say what you might not always want to hear. She’s already been a great mentor. She is someone I admire so much. She doesn’t make excuses and will achieve what she is after.”
— Allie Long, USWNT World Cup Champion
“Few people have positively impacted me on or off the field as much as Kendall. She has a unique ability to help elevate all of the lives she comes in contact with. Through her own pursuits, triumphs, and trials, she has accumulated a wealth of different approaches to professional and personal growth. It is impossible to spend time with her and not walk away as a better version of yourself.”
— Michelle Betos, NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year
“In the world of professional athletes, you are surrounded by self-motivated people who are all working to a varying degree of “obsessive” to push themselves as hard and far as they can physically, mentally, and psychologically go. This doesn’t even begin to describe Kendall’s approach to all aspects of life. She lets nothing slip through the cracks and has a natural ability to put her passion to practice. Anyone who sits down in a conversation with Kendall will leave smarter, challenged, and with their perspective on life considerably altered.”
— Emily Menges, NWSL Champion
“I met Kendall at a challenging time in my life, and from the start, I felt comfortable sharing those challenges with her. After I first opened up to her about it, it was easy from then on out because she always helped me see my feelings are valid; my experiences and my story are my own, and I can make them to be what I want. She helped me find the beauty in times of struggle and she somehow managed to respond to my life hurdles, and her own, with an open mind and a good laugh. She has helped me to believe life works for us, not against us, and my life has become better for that. She is an amazing teacher.”
— EJ Proctor, Duke goalkeeper
“I have played soccer almost my entire life, and something that I have always struggled with is my mindset and confidence. As someone who strives to train, play, and perform at the highest level all of the time, it is very frustrating to be set back by my tendency to let my mind get in the way of my play. My goal is to play soccer at the highest level possible–to be recognized as a top player at Kentucky, play professionally, and compete on the national team. I have tried many mental techniques surrounding my game in order to help maintain a steady mindset throughout my seasons, but I have struggled to find strategies that are the best fit for me. 

I have calls with Kendall very consistently and she always creates a space that makes me feel completely at ease and comfortable to share whatever is on my mind. Something that I really appreciate about talking with her is that she really wants to know and learn about me as a person, and we never immediately get into the soccer portion of the call. It is really comforting to know that I always have someone as knowledgeable and thoughtful as Kendall to talk to about the highlights and setbacks of my life and soccer journey, and I feel really confident in my future plans after talking with her. Not only do I feel like I am doing everything I possibly can to accomplish my goals as a result of the training schedule that we often work on together, but we also discuss and build upon different approaches to improve my mindset, such as journaling, visualization, mental plans and steps going into training, and morning routines.

I have learned so much from Kendall and have felt such a big difference in my confidence not only as a player, but also as a person. I have grown to trust my own voice and opinion on another level, as well as increasing my confidence in my knowledge and preparation. I have seen such a big difference in my mental and physical space as a whole and I always look forward to our next call. Thank you so much Kendall, I cannot express how much I appreciate all of the time, effort, support, and thoughtfulness you put into and bring to every one of our calls!”
— Elle, University of Kentucky commit

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