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Jordan Morris Opens Up About Club World Cup Ambition and T1D - Ep. 78
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Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris joins Noah for this special episode to talk about his work off the field with the Jordan Morris Foundation and his mission to support and inspire kids living with Type 1 diabetes. Then we chat about the 2024 season, the emergence of a new persona, and his 2025 ambitions with the Sounders set to participate in the Club World Cup.
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Lobbing Scorchers is a Seattle Sounders and MLS focused show brought to you by Sounder at Heart. Hosted by Major League Soccer's Ari Liljenwall and Producer Noah Riffe. Join us as we lob our scorching takes on the American soccer landscape, Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer, USMNT and more.
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Transcript
Anticipation for the PSG Match
00:00:00
Speaker
You know, a lot was made about my decision, obviously. And, you know, I always maintain that I'm i'm so happy and and thankful for for the career that that I've had. I mean, all of our group games are are exciting. I think if I had to choose one, I think, I mean, PSG is going to be, that's going to be
Introduction of Jordan Morris
00:00:15
Speaker
incredible. we We feel like we've seen a new Jordan. We called it Angry Jordan. I agree with that. I'm like, yeah, I feel like I have a different kind of energy on the field oh ba with a bit of anger on field has also helped me get you know a little bit
Reflections on Season End and Offseason
00:00:28
Speaker
better so that that might be a new thing moving forward What's going on everybody, we are joined here today with the one the only Jordan Morris, our number 9, the number 9 that we've always wanted here at Lobbing Scorchers. Jordan, thank you so much for joining us today. We're going to chat a lot more about um some kind of off the field stuff today and then maybe dive in a little bit into some on the field stuff. But starting off, how are you doing? How have the past few weeks of offseason been treating you? Yeah, pretty good. um Obviously, disappointing end of the year. um It's always hard to be you know that close to hosting a final and
00:01:07
Speaker
Um, you know, all the effort you put in all year to to come up short like that. So bittersweet for sure. Um, you know, it's good to spend some time with, with the family and and rest the body a bit. But I know, you know, all the guys were, we're super disappointed after that game and and watching the final wishing we were, we were playing in it. So, um, it was a tough end of the year, but I'm i'm proud of the the group for what we, we did accomplish this year.
00:01:31
Speaker
Yeah, we were out there in L.A. as well. And we were we were honestly really proud of of that game as well. Thought that, you know, came down to one one but you know little thing. And sometimes that's how soccer goes and totally understand that being disappointing. But let's jump into some of the off the field stuff.
Living with Type 1 Diabetes - Management and Challenges
00:01:50
Speaker
um Starting with, ah we're here to talk about type 1 diabetes and Dexcom is helping us connect here. so Why don't you start for those who may not be familiar with type 1 diabetes, kind of share just a little bit about it and a little bit how you manage that in your regular life. Yeah, for sure. i mean and Before I was diagnosed, I didn't know what what type 1 was. I was diagnosed when I was nine years old, my you know there's no family history, nothing nothing in my family. So it it definitely was a ah shock to to me and um kind of had to learn and kind of still learning as I go. But um yeah, like I said, I was diagnosed at nine, um you know completely changed my life, um you know have to make sure every day that that my blood sugar is in the right spot, have to count
00:02:41
Speaker
The carbs that I'm eating in my food and get myself the right amount of insulin to make sure that my blood glucose and my levels stay in the right range. so it's um I always say the hardest part about type one is um it's a 24-7 job. it It never stops. I'm waking up in them in the middle of the night to my blood sugar being high and low. My my wife, you know here's the the alarms in the middle of the night as well. so it's ah It's a family affair, it's a 24-7 job, but um i'm I'm lucky and grateful to be working with a ah company like like Dexcom. um you know When I was growing up, I would have to do fingerpokes all the time to to check what my my blood you know b bloodke glucose level was. I would probably do 10 to 15
00:03:26
Speaker
finger poke today Now I wear a Dexcom G7. It's a continuous glucose monitor. It all reads directly to my my phone, which is awesome. And you know it helps me on and off the field to to perform it at my best and and be you know the best dad, the best partner that that I can be because um you know I'm able to look at my phone every every five or so minutes and and make make small adjustments and um you know keep my blood glucose in the right spot. So the the technology that's out there today It is awesome, but it still definitely provides ah its challenges living with living with type one. I'm sure it's a little easier when you're probably still up ah in the middle of the night right now with with
Fatherhood's Impact on Career
00:04:05
Speaker
a newborn. Do you want to talk a little bit about your newborn Theo and ah maybe how that played into the season this year? Yeah, you know I think I mentioned it on another podcast. um Luckily, he's sleeping through the night right now, which is great. We're very lucky with that because those days were were rough. but um
00:04:22
Speaker
you know My last two seasons, ah he was born um last October. um He's about 15 months now. so but but you know My last two seasons, I think were, in my opinion, my maybe my best seasons as ah as a professional. and and i I said this on another podcast. I don't think that's a coincidence. you know i played with a lot more freedom since becoming a dad. I you know really realized what's truly important in in life and that's him. and And for me, that's being the best dad that I can be, um raising him and in the right way. And and I come home from a tough game. I came home from that loss in LA and he ran up to me and
00:05:03
Speaker
smiled and gave me a big hug and and you know just thought of me as dad rather than been ah been a sounders player, than a soccer player, and um didn't care whether we we won or lost. So coming home to that, understanding, again, like I said, kind of what's really, really important in life, it's helped me play with a different freedom on the field. And I think you know that's that's part of the reason why I've had the you know the the success I've had over the last couple of years. So I'm so grateful for him. He's been such a blessing in my wife and I's life.
00:05:30
Speaker
Yeah, it's we talked briefly about it on the podcast this season. we We feel like we've seen a new Jordan. We called it angry Jordan. Uh, maybe that's not the perfect description for it, but more driven, different attitude on the field. And I'm sure that you're getting that Papa bear energy. I don't know. I feel that for sure. I feel that, um,
00:05:49
Speaker
It's so random. I think I saw that clip today of you guys talking about that. I hadn't seen it before. i'm I'm pretty off social media, but I saw that. That's a good thing. No, and I agreed with it. I'm like, yeah, I feel like I have a different kind of energy on the field. um But another reason, you know obviously on the field, I want to keep my blood glucose in the right spot. If it's off a little bit, I'm not playing well. But in in my life at home,
00:06:15
Speaker
you know, when when when it's off a little bit, um you can kind of have these irritable moments or or these moments if it's too low where you're just not feeling yourself. And so for me, having a Dexcom, wearing that every day, being able to keep my blood glucose in the right spot, for me, it's the most important aspect of it is helping me be a ah good dad. So I realized how important this this technology is, you know, on the field, of course, but but off the field for me as well.
00:06:40
Speaker
Yeah, angry Jordan on the pitch and ah happy Jordan. I'm happy. Yeah, exactly. thanks exactly i like playing with a bit of Anger on the field is also. help me get, you know, play a little bit better.
Family Support in Diabetes Management and Career
00:06:50
Speaker
So that, that might be anything moving forward. I love that angry Jordan, put it on the back of the Jersey there. Um, your dad, obviously a doctor, uh, very well known to the sounders family. yeah And, um, you know, that process when you're younger, I'm sure that it could be a scary thing for any kind of family. Uh, maybe talk about what that was like when you were younger and then just kind of, as you, as you moved through your life, you know, that support from your family, how important that was.
00:07:17
Speaker
Yeah, I've said it before, I wouldn't be here without the support of of my family, without the supported my wife. I think you know it was new for all of us when I was diagnosed. um Like I said, there was no family history, but yeah having my dad you know be a doctor, my mom is a nurse. And so the the support and knowledge that they had to help me kind of get through those those early moments. And even still, you know my dad retired ah last year. He wasn't on the sideline with us this year. But when I was in the locker room, when he was when he was a still the team doc, he would come up with me before the game when I was checking my my numbers ah ah you know with my Dexcom and he would be you know giving me advice still when I was 25, 26 years old. I think having that support system is is so important with with type one. When I was growing up, I kind of made little games of it with my friends, whoever could you know guess closest to my levels, I'd give them some fruit snacks or something like that. So I try to bring people in, having that support system is is so important. and
00:08:15
Speaker
you know i part of the reason that um yeah I started this this foundation for for ah for kids living with with type one is just to let them know that it's not going to hold them back from accomplishing their goals and realizing that with the right support, with the right technology, that they can absolutely go out there and accomplish anything that that they want to accomplish. So I'm super blessed to have had the family that, you know, still have the family that I have and the support system that I have because it it it is challenging at times. And I don't think I would have, you know, would would be where I am without without my family. So I'm i'm grateful for all their support.
00:08:52
Speaker
Yeah, it's you know it's a unique situation, but also also not super unique. you know there's There's plenty of people who are going through the same thing as you. And I think that it's one of my favorite things, at least, when I'm on the sidelines. I do a lot of photo stuff. So I see all these little interactions. But post-game, bringing kids off, ah talking with them after the games, talking with people. I mean, you can talk more about you know the Jordan Morris Foundation and and how that all plays into it. but How important are those you know little post-game moments for you? Because it seems like even after a tough loss, I see you out there you you know spending the time with people and making sure that they feel seen and heard and and understood that like this this is something that I experienced and it doesn't have to be super scary.
00:09:36
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, that's one of the programs that we have through the foundation.
Empowering Kids with Type 1 Diabetes
00:09:41
Speaker
It's called the the Playmaker program. It's been awesome. We started off just at after home games meeting with the T1D kids and their families, and we extended it to away games um over the last couple of years, which has been so cool to meet kids from ah ah you know across the country. And um what it really came down to was obviously giving them ah an awesome day at the at the you know having ah a fun day at the game and and giving them a jersey after the game. But when I was growing up, I had these athletes that I looked up to. I always knew I wanted to be a professional athlete. So I had these diabetic athletes that I'd look up to um and kind of say, you know if they can do it, why can't I? But I was never able to ask them questions or or hear their story or or just kind of learn from them. And so when I started this foundation, there's so many bigger, better you know organizations out there that are trying to find cures or things like that. Our whole purpose is just trying to help these kids
00:10:32
Speaker
what we say is educate, inspire, and support kids living with with type 1 diabetes. And it's really just outreach to these kids, you know answering their questions, um you know hearing their stories, telling my story, and letting them know that it's not going to hold them back from accomplishing what what they want to accomplish. Because I know, as a kid, how important that would have been for me to be able to actually speak and and talk to someone with type 1, instead of just kind of looking um out there in the world and and and finding someone to gain inspiration like that, which helped me a ton. but i know being able to actually speak with someone and and and you know have my questions answered would have been would have been awesome. So we've been able to do that for for for kids for a few years now, and it's been it's been so much fun.
00:11:13
Speaker
Yeah. Well, let's, let's jump into those three core tenants. I think that that could be fun to to talk about, you know, educate, like you could educate us, you know, a little bit on one with the foundation does, but like what, what people like me who who don't have any experience with this first time should know to be helpful with supporting this and, uh, you know, to look for. Yeah. So for, for me, a lot of the, I feel like a lot of the education side of the foundation is.
00:11:43
Speaker
Just, you know, everyone's a little bit different with type one and I would say this, but it stems around, it a lot of the questions that I get is around like my game day routine and um how my glucose levels are affected when I'm when i'm out playing. And so a lot of the education that you know I try to give to to kids is kind of how I approach my my game days and how I approach my hard training days and um kind of the little tips and tricks that I that i give or that I use to to to help me go out there and and perform it at my best. and And so much of it stems around Dexcom, honestly. I mean, it's um it's a little bit tough as a diabetic. Your whole pregame routine, obviously you just want to be focusing on the game and what you have to
00:12:28
Speaker
go out there and do it to be the best player that you can be. But for me, really the main focus going into a game is making sure my my levels are in the rights in the right spot. Because if they're not, you know you're not going to be able to go out there and perform at your best and and help your teammates. And so by having the Dexcom, having the peace of mind of knowing exactly what your blood glucose levels are going into the game has been an absolute game changer for for me. and and And so I always recommend the Dexcom to to the kids that I speak to, um the G7. And I just try to give them little tips and tricks of how to approach these these these game days and and hopefully something that I say resonates with them and and they're able to to take that into their own lives. So that's kind of the education aspect of ah the foundation.
00:13:10
Speaker
Yeah. So inspire, you know, you're, you're talking to a nine year old, Jordan Morris, who's seen so much now. Um, what do you, what do you tell him? What do you tell him that young Jordan Morris? The main message is just, and I always say this is type one's not going to hold you back from accomplishing what you want to accomplish when, when you're newly diagnosed, it's so overwhelming and and so much is going through your head and.
00:13:36
Speaker
um There were times in my head where I doubted whether or not I'd be able to to get to so where I am. I always told myself, you know i you know, I wasn't going to let it hold me back from getting there, but there were moments where doubt would creep in. and There's days that are that are really, really challenging. um And even still today, I mean, before the ah Galaxy game, my blood sugar, you know, my blood.
00:13:58
Speaker
like glucose levels were were completely out of, out of sync. And I wasn't feeling great in warmups first 10 minutes. I wasn't feeling great. So there's still some challenges that, that the type one provides, but, you know, with, with the technology that we have with the, you know, the Dexcom out there with, um,
00:14:16
Speaker
a lot of hard work and and managing your your your your levels. I just tell these kids and hopefully it resonates with them that it's not going to hold you back from accomplishing what you accomplish what you want to accomplish if you if you really work hard. So that's my main goal with the inspiration aspect is it doesn't have to be a professional athlete. Whatever they want to do ah in their lives, that they can accomplish it.
00:14:37
Speaker
That rocks. Yeah. And you know, I think we jump into outreach. Clearly what you're doing right now is talking about your lived experience and talking about the Dexcom and how like simple that has made your, your daily routine. But, you know, what other initiatives are, are you working on to, to do more outreach?
Soccer Camp for Kids with Diabetes
00:14:56
Speaker
The, the other big, um,
00:14:59
Speaker
The other big one that we do is we do a big soccer camp every summer, which is, which is awesome. Dexcom is a sponsor of that so and we we work closely together and then my childhood club ah grew up playing at Eastside they um they host the camp out at out at Preston. So it's pretty cool, pretty full circle moment for for me to have my my childhood club hosting my first coach at Eastside um Chance Fry. He's out there um helping to so put the camp on. um And so we have this big camp every year. It's usually 100 to 150 kids between maybe seven and 15 come out. And um we have a full day of of soccer, but what's pretty cool
00:15:45
Speaker
for me is I was always the only diabetic on my teams. I would have to back when I was you know checking my blood glucose the old fashioned way and poking my finger. I would have to go take a break by myself, run off to the sideline, poke my finger, and then come back in. But at this camp, I remember the first time um we hosted it during the break, there were 110, 115 kids all ran over, checked their blood sugar, just seeing that other kids are going through the same thing as you, having that sense of community that it builds, making friends but with type one, um that's the point of of that camp. It's not really a soccer camp. You don't have to play soccer. It's more about building that community and and just knowing that other people are going through the same thing as you. So um I would say that and the Playmaker program are the two big, big initiatives that we have.
00:16:31
Speaker
That rocks. I mean, you know, Eastside was, was a rival of mine back in my youth soccer days, but we love it. Where did you play? I played for cascade FC very, very, yeah. Very, uh, not super well-known, but you know what? We see where we are. I got the mic. You got the ball. So oh the rivalies those run deep slow, man. They run deep. So yeah We love it. And we, you know, we love having you here in Seattle. Um, I mean, I don't know if you get asked this enough, but you, you chose Seattle to be your home because of plenty of different reasons. But we talk about a lot on the podcast, how easy it is to love the sounders just because of how many local homegrown players are from here. And like, you can feel the culture of the city and this community through this club.
00:17:20
Speaker
I don't know if you've talked about it much, but you know not necessarily the decision, but like over the long term, how how much have you been like, wow, I'm so glad that like this is where I'm at? you know A lot was made about my decision, obviously, and um ah you know I always maintain that that i'm I'm so happy and and thankful for for the career that that I've had. I have absolutely no regrets. you know some unfortunate moments where yeah you know I tried to end up going overseas and tear my ACL in one of the first couple of games, like things like that. you know It's just part of the part of the deal that things like that happen. But but overall, yeah i'm I'm so, so happy with with and thankful for for the career that I've had and the decisions that I've made growing up. in
00:18:08
Speaker
Seattle playing for the Academy, you know, watching watching all these games and um being a fan first, I think makes playing for the club so and incredibly
Connection with Seattle and the Sounders
00:18:19
Speaker
special. You know, I was a ball boy for games. My dad was the team doctor when they were in the U.S.L. So I remember going to maybe was it 2006 when they won the U.S.L. Championship at Starfire. I remember being at that game.
00:18:31
Speaker
um I've just been a fan for for so long and I remember sitting in the stands at that first game um when when they came up to MLS and playing against the Red Bulls and just knowing that I wanted to to be on that field someday. and Now to have have been on the field and won some trophies and some big trophies and to be a part of some some special teams and it's it's still a dream come true. I never take it for granted every time I walk on the field and in front of our fans. and get a play in front of my friends and family, get a play in front of my my son now. um you know it's Everything happens for a reason. And if I chose a different path, I wouldn't you know ah had my you know be married to my wife. I wouldn't have Theo. There's there's so many things in my life that that wouldn't be there if I had chosen a different path. So I just you know wake up every day grateful for
00:19:20
Speaker
the The path that I did choose, and it's been ah an awesome ride so far and more to accomplish for for sure in Seattle. we we Like I said, guys, we're hungry after losing that last game. We know we we could have accomplished more. So heading into these next few years, I know that the team and and myself, a lot ah more still on the table to accomplish, which is exciting.
00:19:41
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, speaking of going into the future and next things to accomplish, obviously you saw the club World Cup draw. You've seen what people are saying about it.
Club World Cup Excitement and PSG Match
00:19:51
Speaker
I kind of want to know how excited you and the rest of the guys are to play in this, these massive matches. yeah um And in you earned this spot. You earned the the spot to play against these teams. Yeah, for sure. I mean, guys are so excited. um I, uh, yeah, when the draw happened, you know, I was, I was with Christian actually, we were on a little golf trip recently. So we were able to, to kind of look, look at it together. And it's, it's pretty exciting. Like you mentioned, we, we earned it. Um, we earned this opportunity to be in another club world cup and.
00:20:28
Speaker
I mean, how many players in their career can say they played in in two club, you know, one though club world cup, let alone two club world cups. It's a pretty incredible um accomplishment for for this group and this team. and um But you know to be able to host these three games for for for us as players, I think is is exciting. um To be able to play against teams of of that caliber is incredibly exciting. But for the city and for the fans to be able to see their team in competitive, you know they'd have friendlies against teams and like this in the past. But to to see their team in competitive matches against teams like this, I think is going to be so exciting for for the city and and for the for the fan base in Seattle. so
00:21:09
Speaker
guys are really looking forward to it. I can tell you that we got, ah you know, some games to play but before that comes up, but I think that'll be in the back of the mind, you know, back of all of our minds heading to the season is how, how much we're looking forward to. Yeah, no, absolutely. Yeah. Do you have a specific match that you're, you're super stoked for or a potential opponent that you're like, I would love a crack at them. I think, I mean, PSG is going to be, that's going to be incredible. That's,
00:21:37
Speaker
what what a matchup that'll be. um I think just going back to to the last Club World Cup, everyone was excited to get you know try to get through that game and play against Madrid. So if that if that happened, that'd be cool. But I mean, all of our group games are are exciting. I think if I had to choose one, the PSG game will be will be a pretty insane. So we're we're yeah we're excited.
00:21:58
Speaker
Yeah, no, I mean, I think, I think everyone's excited. Just soccer in general, you get six amazing matches in Seattle. And then next year we've got the world cup here. I mean, it's like, what more could you want? Um, yeah, I mean, well, and, and right now also we've got the, the champions league draw is about to happen. And who knows it's CONCACAF who knows when they're going to actually do it, but ah supposedly happening right now, which is exciting.
00:22:22
Speaker
It's going to be a lot of games. Um, and I think that we can kind of tie this into, to both topics here is like managing that many games. That's probably pretty challenging, you know, um, and making sure that you, you stay on it with your glucose and and eating healthy and things like that. you You know, what are, what are some of your strategies with that? Yeah, for sure. I mean, for the whole group coming off a long year this year, heading into next year, we were talking about it. Yeah. Just.
00:22:49
Speaker
without advancing in any of these tournaments how many games we had. And then hopefully we we play well in advancing these tournaments and and get the opportunity to play and in even more games. But it's going to be ah pretty incredible next year how many games we have. So um you know we've always been fortunate. And in Seattle, the depth that we have as as a team, were we're confident that whoever we put on the field can can step up and obviously fill in and do their part. So um you know we're going to need everyone going in into next year. And and it's exciting. you know We all talk about it. You don't want to be training. You want to be playing in games. So to have, to have more games, to have those opportunities is going to be really fun. But yeah, just to manage that, um, again, with wearing my Dexcom and, and during travel days, um, so much of what's important as, as an athlete is, um, how you recover and all my little guys walking up to the door. So hi buddy. Um, so much of.
00:23:46
Speaker
kind of being an athlete and is, Oh my goodness. One second. I'm so sorry. Good. Take your time. and for me hi
00:23:59
Speaker
um Yeah. So much of being athlete is, is how you recover and and with, with the kind of amount of travel that we're going to have and potentially the, the ah small amount of time between games, it's just even more important for for the whole group, but for me, especially ah as a diabetic, really leaning on on you know the technology I have, the Dexcom to to to dial in and and make sure that my my glucose is in the right spot because as important as that is going into a game, it's it's just as important after a game, making sure my levels are good to to be able to to recover it and sleep you know at the optimal at the opimal level to to be able to to get ready for for next game. So just really leaning on that. um Like I mentioned before, leaning on the support group that I have to
00:24:43
Speaker
to to make sure i'm I'm in the best shape that that I can be going and going into next year and going into this fixture congestion. But for the most part, we're all really excited about it because they're they're really cool opportunities. And to be in Champions League again, to have that opportunity to try and win that trophy again would be you know would be really special. So we're excited. Well, we're excited to ride along with you, Jordan. Thank you so much. Is there anything else you would like to plug or that you want to share before we head out?
00:25:11
Speaker
ah No, man, i think I think all good. Just excited for a little time off and ready to get it going again again next year. so How much golf are you going to play? That's the question. A a lot, hopefully. A lot. Yeah, that's that's man, that's the addiction right now is golf. So I need to get better, that's for sure. Well, there you go. what so There we go. we need You know what we need? We need a round with Jordan Morris. Someone someone on the Sounders team put that together. That would be a fun. We should do a little like... you know There's a few golfers on the team. We would get pretty competitive. We should do a behind the scenes thing like that. I love that. Yeah. Well, I'll talk to some people. We'll get it done. All right. Thank you so much. Jordan Morris, everyone. We'll see you soon. All right. Thanks, dude.