10 things you must know about Indi Cowie
Fresh off being crowned a World Soccer Freestyle champion, by Messi himself, North Carolina freshman Indi Cowie told the 91st Minute what tricks she has planned for the ACC and why she’d embarrass Eminem in a freestyle battle (seriously!).
Here are the definitive must-know facts about freestyler Indi Cowie.
1. Indi Cowie is better than you at dribbling a soccer ball.
I just thought we should be clear on this right off the bat. The girl is nasty, and if you’re not familiar I suggest you conduct a quick YouTube search.
2. She’s been featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, ESPN’s E:60 and, (ahem) The 91st Minute.
“When I was 14 I made it to the Red Bull Street Style National Finals. I started to get some national exposure following that.”
3. Yes, that’s really her in this Champions League commercial.
“I entered the Sony PlayStation Champions League competition and I was asked to be in the commercial after that. It was played in 58 countries worldwide and I got to see it on the jumbotron at the 2010 Champions League Final in Madrid. It never aired in the U.S.”
4. Indi’s ‘celebrity circle’ includes Ellen, Mia Hamm and Pep Guardiola.
“I’ve had the chance to meet a bunch of my idols,” she said. “I would say those three are my favorite.”
5. If she ever runs into Eminem IT’S ON!
“I’ve never seen 8 Mile … That’s a diss, Marshall! That’s a diss! (So I can’t say if that freestyle battling is anything like mine). “But Eminem would need to watch out, I’m a pretty sick rapper! (Laughs) …(Crowd goes OHHHHHH!)
6. She’s inspired by world freestyle champion John Farnworth.
“I met John Farnworth when I was 11 and he inspired me to freestyle. I had the chance to work with him in Korea last year but unfortunately I had exams the same week.”
7. Her favorite trick is a Sole Stall.
Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like – only a million times more difficult. … “There are very few people that can do a standing sole stall,” Cowie said.
8. She does a trick called the Beck Lemmens Touzani ATW.
Those of us in the know just call it the BLTATW (No, I didn’t just make that up … yes, it’s also a reference to the following sandwich: bacon, lettuce, tomato, add tuna (on) wheat … ok, I did make that up).
Anyway, it’s a move where she basically starts a Lemmens ATW maneuver, makes a jump and throws her other leg around the ball when the second rotation around the ball is almost finished … get all that?
9. Her father once mistook her early-morning practice for a burglar.
Seeing as how Indi sometimes trains at 5 a.m., you can see how this mistake was made. Luckily, he checked out the disturbance himself rather than call the police.
10. If Indi performs a trick during a match for North Carolina it’ll be …
“I have thought of running the length of the field with the ball balanced on my forehead,” she admitted. “But I keep my freestyle tricks separate from the game.”
