Relocation and Life as an Athlete
With Chloe Logarzo
Relocation and Life as an Athlete With Chloe Logarzo
Everyone knows that being a professional athlete is a great job. It’s something many of us could only dream about and requires impressive dedication and passion. It comes with a seemingly endless amount of perks and definitely includes a lifestyle out of the ordinary. However, it’s not all glamour and prestige, and it comes with its own set of challenges. One of the biggest challenges is the constant travel that is required. We had the opportunity to sit down with professional football player Chloe Logarzo during her stay at Home Richmond with Urban Rest. In this interview, Chloe gave us an inside look into the daily life of an athlete and how having the right accommodation plays a crucial role in maintaining peak performance and overall wellbeing while relocating.
Meet Chloe Logarzo
Chloe Logarzo currently plays in the Australian National Team, The Matildas, as well as the A-League Women’s for Western United, in Melbourne. She’s on loan from her team in Kansas City Current for a few months, where she usually plays. Chloe’s love for football began at a young age in her hometown Sydney. “I always joke about how I was never given an opportunity to play any other sport; both my dad’s and my mum’s side of the family are football lovers. I have always played football”, Chloe says. As a child, Chloe made the choice to attend a sports school, where her drive to excel in football became even stronger. Surrounded by individuals who shared her passion, she found inspiration to push herself to become the best player possible.
Life as an athlete is enriching, but it also comes with sacrifices. Chloe explains, “it is so rewarding; you get to work unique hours, and it gives you unbelievable opportunities to meet new people and travel the world”. However, the lifestyle is not all sunshine and rainbows, “I find that people don’t view it as a real job, and most people probably don’t understand the tough work that goes into it”. Chloe shares how she hasn’t had a weekend off in seven years and how the hard training and travelling means missing birthdays, funerals and other important life events. “It’s not a 9-5 job, we can never fully clock off. Everything I do outside of my training affects my performance”. Chloe explain that as athletes, there is a constant chase for excellence which is very difficult to switch off from.
Balancing the Pursuit of Perfection
Being an athlete means always striving to be better, but it’s easy to get caught up in the never-ending chase of perfection. Chloe shares how she fell into that trap a few years ago, “when I didn’t make the world cup team in 2015, despite all the hard work I had put in, I felt so lost. If I didn’t have football, I didn’t know who I was”. Since then, Chloe has grown and learned to separate her identity as a person from her identity as a player. “Being a professional football player can be so consuming, and it’s so important to find purpose in life outside of the game”.
Chloe suffered an ACL injury last year, and her recovery and journey back to the field took a while. Still, she’s able to see the silver lining, “I always say that I’m blessed with all the injuries I’ve had, including my ACL. I think it taught me a lot about myself and how to develop mental strength and resilience”. This injury also reminded her that playing this sport is not forever and that we should make the most of the opportunities we have. Chloe strongly believes that our bodies can do incredible things. She explains, “it’s just whether your mind wants to get there. We are capable of way more than we think”.
Travelling With Work
Travelling the world as a professional athlete might sound like a dream come true, but it’s not always as glamorous as it may seem. “I’ve lived in some pretty dodgy places on some really low budgets, especially at the start of my career”. She shares how it can be tough to return to a place that doesn’t feel safe or comfortable after a long day of work and how travelling can be very challenging when you’re looking for a place to relax and call home.
Chloe has been staying at Home Richmond with Urban Rest for over four months now while playing her season with Westen United in Melbourne. “My stay with Urban Rest has been amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better location, better apartment or better amenities. It offers everything that I need. I walked in and felt at home”. Chloe explains how she usually feels a bit worried when travelling to a new place to play, how her apartment will look like and what additional purchases she needs to make it feel like home, but Urban Rest were different.
Staying With Urban Rest
Chloe has loved her stay with us so far, she says, “Urban Rest has everything, even down to the washing machine, the vacuum cleaner, all the kitchen utensils, a coffee machine, towels, linen… everything. I really love it, and I don’t have to worry about anything.” Chloe continues, “I also love the co-working space with all the different meeting rooms. It’s perfect for when I have business meetings and something I’ve never seen before. In addition, there’s even a Coles, premium butcher and a great cafe downstairs. Everything is so close!”.
Chloe says that as an athlete, and especially during injury recovery, a fully equipped gym, yoga studio and pool on site is a game-changer. “I love how it’s all in one place. I go to the gym multiple times a week, and the indoor pool has been perfect for swimming rehabilitation”.
“I Mean, Just Look at This Place!”
Chloe has stayed in numerous different places during her career, but she says Home Richmond with Urban Rest stands out from the rest. “Some of the best things about the apartment are the layout, how spacious it is, the balcony and the aesthetics. Interior design is very important to me, and the whole place is just so beautiful but still feels like home”.
When Chloe is not out on the field, she loves spending time with her dogs, friends and family, get lost in some YouTube videos and going bolder climbing. She explains that the pressure from the game can be intense so it’s important to take a break and clear your head. As she puts it, “the hardest part is making life work, and finding the fine balance between pushing yourself to the limit, but also knowing when just to relax and do something completely different”.
Chloe’s face lit up when asked about her favourite thing about her stay with Urban Rest, “I mean, just look at this place!” she exclaimed, gesturing to the room where we were conducting the interview. “I honestly can’t speak any higher of Urban Rest. My whole experience has just been so easy and seamless”, she smiled.
