Jun 29, 20204 min read

The Iso Journal: Kim Krinke

With the cancellation of the WNFC 2020 season, our players have had to adjust not only to missing an entire season of football, but also to practicing safe distancing due to a global pandemic. We want to hear about it.

Inspired by The Players’ Tribune, The WNFC is excited to introduce a new blog series, "The Iso Journal", where we catch up with our superstars to find out how they've spent their time in isolation, what they are doing to prepare for the 2021 pre-season, and how they are remaining #WNFCproud off the field.

Past challenging times have proven I am stronger and more capable than I think. The experience during this pandemic has been no different. I have been presented with scenarios I never would have expected and would have assumed I couldn't handle. As our family adjusted to being home together without outside interaction, my husband was placed on furlough. We went seven weeks without a paycheck. This has been a very difficult time for us.

Raising eight children is a full-time job and the pandemic has felt like months at a dead sprint. We have never been busier. I also attend BYU Provo and our campus responded quickly to switch to virtual courses. It was an immediate challenge for all nine members in our household to be online daily for work and school. We needed access to enough devices, time to supervise screens and content, and enough bandwidth to allow for multiple live videos.

The learning curve was steep. We have more than one child with special needs and services. As parents, it felt like we were expected overnight to become speech therapists, occupational therapists, special education teachers, and mainstream classroom teachers.

As a stay-at-home mom, I wear many hats. I carefully plan our routines and schedules as we flourish with structure. Simultaneously throwing on every hat in the closet was never in the plan. Yet, here we are, thriving together.

Here within the walls of our home, we find meaning, love, support, and fulfillment. With everything else removed from our lives, our family unit remains paramount.

In the early hours of the morning, while the children sleep and the house is still, I listen to motivational speeches while folding laundry. I follow this with Scripture study, journaling, and reading. I usually read football, school, and spiritually based books. On days I am overwhelmed or things feel particularly challenging, I escape and treat myself to a hot shower or bath. I have held tightly to these self-care habits through the transition and challenges.

Cooking for a large household can be a monumental task, but I find it extremely rewarding. I had to question my nutrition plan when the announcement was made to cancel football in 2020. Plant-based eating originally began as a new experiment for this season. The initial plan was to transition back to a meat-based diet after games were complete to compare results and decide if I wanted to remain strictly vegan.

With everything else in my life changing, I didn't want to let go of how good I felt on this diet. My husband and I decided to stick with our plant-based eating. I can't wait to see what a year of plant-based training will do for my personal game.

Training at home is our family therapy and brings a much needed positive vibe to our day. I am a youth football coach and I have four sons who play tackle. We are extremely active and were already working out together before the pandemic. The kids enthusiastically welcomed football specific workouts at home. We have done calisthenics, lifted weights, practiced running and tackling drills, and watched film together. I have an abundance of support.

The final determination about the 2020 season was a tough blow. We had been through a lot at that point. The hope of competition, even delayed or abbreviated, was one of the last things I felt I had to hang on to. I was not surprised by the decision, but the news came at a difficult moment and took a few days to process. I am looking forward to the return of football. I cannot wait to get back to a place of growth and structured learning on and off the field.

The WNFC keeps their eyes on the horizon as we look ahead to next year and to the bigger picture for our sport. I love and appreciate the way the WNFC has remained in contact with players.

I enjoy the virtual encouragement I receive from my Utah Falconz teammates. Our Zoom meetings, Facebook posts, video sharing, and plain old text messages help me feel connected and motivated to come back stronger for my team.

See this time as a gift. When life is routine and expected, we need to follow along and check the boxes. Now that we are home, our educational, spiritual, relational, and physical training is in our own hands.

We have an exceptional opportunity for growth during this time. We finally get to hold the reins and determine how we will come back. No one else can interrupt our progress. Being 'stuck' at home is a great chance to make change.

I look forward to what each WNFC team will bring back in 2021. Not being able to compete this season is a great motivator. We will all be HUNGRY for the field. I cannot wait to see what sparks have become wildfires.