Back at Lehigh, Gina Lewandowski '07 Talks Coaching, Pro Career, USWNT Pay Equity

After a 15-year professional career—12 of which was spent internationally between FFC Frankfurt and FC Bayern Munich—Gina Lewandowski ’07 retired from NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in July 2022 and returned to Lehigh as an associate head coach of the women’s soccer team. Lewandowski, who played in a friendly with the U.S. Women’s National Team in 2015, is the leader in career game-winning goals (15) at Lehigh, second in goals (36) and points (80), was the 2003 Patriot League Rookie of the Year and won back-to-back Patriot League Player of the Year honors in 2004 and 2005.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RETURN TO LEHIGH?

Lehigh was very influential in my career and personal development, both on the field and off the field. It set me up for my success and I had a lot of pride in Lehigh, the program and the community that Lehigh provided me throughout my four years. I was connected with Lauren Calabrese, the head coach, because we grew up together and played soccer together. And I always knew I wanted to coach. I didn't know what level or where that would be, but then Lauren assumed the head coaching position last spring and reached out. … [I’m excited] to have an opportunity back at my school, and hopefully share what I have taken from the school and my career and give back to the next generation and maybe inspire some other athletes. But most importantly, help them grow and develop as human beings.

DESCRIBE THE TRANSITION FROM PLAYER TO COACH.

Mapping transitions are always difficult. It can be challenging. I've coached now and again during my career, but this is a full-time position where I completely went from playing to coaching and being more of a leader next to the field versus on the field. It's been a period of excitement, of mixed emotions, growing as an individual, realizing that I can't really perform on the field in a way that I used to, but now I'm trying to collaborate with a coaching staff and lead the girls in a different way. It's been a humbling experience, a challenging experience, but it’s been exciting to work alongside the staff at the women's soccer program.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Gina Lewandowski, B.S., Licensed UEFA/USSF B (@gll088)

DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCE OF PLAYING FOR THE U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM ON ITS 2015 WORLD CUP VICTORY TOUR IN A FRIENDLY AGAINST BRAZIL.

It was an extreme honor to get called up to camp in 2015. It was one of my best years I've had at a club level. I was hitting my prime at that age, I was 30 years old. … Being able to experience what it was like at the highest level in your country, and to compete against the top players in your country, it's an experience you can't fully describe. There's a lot of emotions around it, but you're also extremely nervous when you get into camp. There's high tension getting into a game like that, performing against a top country, being on TV for the first time in your home country and performing in front of that many people in that stadium [Orlando Citrus Bowl].

LAST YEAR THE U.S. SOCCER FEDERATION ANNOUNCED A DEAL IN WHICH THE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAMS ARE PAID EQUALLY. ARE YOU SURPRISED IT TOOK THIS LONG?

Yes and no. The battle for equality is always going to be a tough fight for us women, but as far as equal pay, I'm surprised it took that long just based on the interest, the ticket sales and the revenue they were producing. The women were bringing in so much, the game had grown so much over the last few years. But at the club level, we're still fighting a fight where we can get to a level where we're not equal pay with the men, but also equal resources. I don't think there will ever be such a thing as equal pay [at the club level], but equal play would be a little bit more realistic in the sense of providing the women with the same opportunity and resources as the men have.

WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE?

Pushing the game a little bit more through the TV rights, different media outlets, getting more exposure of the game in different avenues and providing more sponsorships and partnerships on the women's side. Creating more awareness and exposure to the women’s game because we have been so successful the last decade or so. Obviously, women started playing a lot later than men did, but we've grown exponentially just through our revenue and ticket sales and TV ratings.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE PLAYING INTERNATIONALLY FOR MORE THAN A DECADE?

When I went overseas in 2007 it was an extreme change of environment. The language barrier, the culture, the mentality was different. I had to get out of my comfort zone I had here in the U.S. I had my ups and downs the first year, two years, even three, four years, but it was an exciting process because I didn't have an opportunity to play anywhere else. There was no pro league here in the U.S. in 2007. The first two years it was like, ‘Well, if I want to play, I have to kind of dig it out and make it work.’

Fortunately, I had the support of some relatives over there. I didn't find a community with good friends until probably two years later. But it was an amazing opportunity to expand my own perspectives and horizons and see that there's another world out there and experience a different style of play, more possession-based. It wasn't as direct like the college game was or the American style is. The speed of play was a lot quicker, taking one touch [versus] two touch. You didn't have a lot of time on the ball. You had less space, more pressure. I didn't know what the girls were saying [because of the language difference] so I had to do a lot of things by watching and modeling what they did. Sometimes they didn't do the right thing and I would do what they did and get yelled at. I was like, ‘I'm just doing what they're doing.’ But it took me probably about two years to know the language and speak comfortably. I also had to learn a whole new position, which I don't think was very hard because I went from a center mid in college to a center defender in Frankfurt, so it's just a line back.

 

 

 

 

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YOU WERE CHOSEN AS ONE OF THE PATRIOT LEAGUE'S TRAILBLAZERS OF DISTINCTION, WHICH RECOGNIZED THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF SOME OF THEIR MOST IMPACTFUL WOMEN LEADERS DURING THE TITLE IX ERA. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?

I'm extremely honored for that distinction and kind of surprised to be part of those amazing women trailblazers. Without them and Title XI, we wouldn't be here. It gave me and [others] the opportunity to compete in something that we love. I truly believe we've all been given a gift or a talent when we were born, and sports was my way of expressing myself, finding joy in life. Being able to live that out and make it a career, I'm extremely grateful for it. I want to be able to use that experience and give back to the next generation and share that I'm here and who I am because of [the women before me]. I'm grateful that they provided that opportunity for me to do what I love and have the same experiences as men.

YOU'VE ALSO STARTED YOUR OWN BUSINESS MENTORING YOUNG ATHLETES. TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

I started that last summer when I was thinking about what I want to do. I've always had a vision of giving back to the next generation and didn't know how or what that would look like. I enjoy working individually with younger athletes—hearing their story, being able to support them, mentor them in their journey and give them perspective and some guidance to love the game.

… I never had a mentor growing up, a female role model. I know what it's like being in that area where you're stuck, you're not sure. ‘Should I be doing this? Should I be doing that? What shouldn't I be doing?’ [I want to] help them own their own development in the sense of, it doesn't matter who you have around you or what resources you have, what can you do with what you have?

WHAT FAMILY DO YOU HAVE IN GERMANY?

My aunt lives there with her husband. She had visited her brother, my uncle, who was in the military and ended up marrying a German woman and staying there. My aunt went over to visit him and then met my uncle’s boss at the time on a blind date and they ended up hitting it off and six months later, got married. She's been over there for about 30 years and all [her husband’s] kids are grown up, so cousins that are my age. Then I have adopted grandparents, friends of my aunt, and friends through an international English-speaking church.

YOU RETIRED ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH NJ/NY GOTHAM FC'S SEASON LAST YEAR. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RETIRE WHEN YOU DID?

That's a question I get a lot, actually. It's not typical to retire halfway through a season. It was not an easy decision. Lauren had pitched the idea [to help coach at Lehigh] to me earlier that year and I told her I had a contract until the end of 2022. It was hard for me to get out of that. I told her I'd consider it. Reflecting on my entire career and where I was at currently in my life, I knew it was right for me at that time.

Yes, I was part of a team and trying to work for something, but the team was a very large team. I had gotten injured and coming back I was not playing as much as I wanted to, but I also was ready to move on mentally. I didn't have that drive, that desire to continue, pushing my body day in and day out on the professional level. My passion started to change. I reflected and realized, ‘OK, I've achieved a lot in my career and I'm happy and content with where it went and what I achieved.’ I knew it was the right time to shift gears, to transition to a new role and close that chapter of my life. The opportunity at Lehigh was perfect because it allowed me to jump into something right away.