Leilani Caamal made her professional tackle football debut at 16. Now a linebacker for the Golden State Storm, she sees football as a gift she gets to use, not the whole of who she is.

Leilani joins Lisa Bonta Sumii to talk about faith and athlete identity, competing against herself instead of others, stepping away from social media when comparison creeps in, and becoming the role model she needed as a young girl. She also shares why she is helping Next Play Bay Area create new opportunities for girls in football.

Full episode and resources on SportsEpreneur

Episode Timestamps

• (00:00) - Supporting Athlete Mindset
• (01:20) - Meet Leilani Caamal
• (02:27) - The girl who chose football over cheerleading
• (04:40) - Family, faith and finding women's pro football
• (07:09) - Who Leilani is beyond football
• (10:20) - Competing only against herself
• (12:39) - Two tips for getting out of the comparison game
• (16:13) - Next Play Bay Area and a girls' all-star game
• (22:05) - Becoming the role model she needed
• (25:13) - Staying true to yourself when trends pull at you
• (28:57) - Finding core values through faith and journaling
• (32:24) - Gratitude and why mental health matters

Support the show: sportse.io/athlete

Hosted by Lisa Bonta Sumii. Athlete Mindset is part of SportsE Media and produced by KazCM.

Originally released on Making Moves, this conversation features California Attorney General Rob Bonta and his daughter Reina Bonta, an award-winning filmmaker and professional footballer who represented the Philippines at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. They explore how soccer connects family, culture, identity, and service

Hosted by Lisa Bonta Sumii, Rob’s Ate (big sister) and Reina’s Tita (auntie), this family conversation reflects on their Filipino roots, the Bonta family’s legacy of advocacy and public service, and the values passed down through generations. From Rob’s experience captaining Yale’s soccer team to Reina’s journey representing the Philippines at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and telling stories through film, they share the challenges, sacrifices, and lessons that have shaped their lives.

“Accepting failure doesn’t mean you’re bad at something; it means you’re growing. Failure is an opportunity to get better and improve.” — Rob Bonta

Together, Rob and Reina discuss resilience, the mind-body connection in athletic performance, embracing failure as an opportunity for growth, and navigating pressure both on and off the field. Their stories highlight how lessons learned through sport can inspire leadership, strengthen identity, and create meaningful change beyond the pitch.

A heartfelt conversation about family, Filipino pride, resilience, and the power of the beautiful game to connect generations.

Episode Highlights

@ 1:00 – Meet Rob Bonta: His early beginnings and journey through soccer
@ 4:30 – Meet Reina Bonta: An inside look at mental health as a professional athlete
@ 7:30 – The mental shift from collegiate to professional soccer
@ 9:30 – Managing pressure and learning to respond to mistakes
@ 12:00 – Rob Bonta’s words of wisdom on mistakes, resilience, and growth
@ 15:00 – Developing a release cue to reset, refocus, and move forward
@ 16:30 – Reina’s insights on overcoming mistakes with a positive mindset
@ 21:20 – The power of a smile
@ 23:45 – Navigating social media scrutiny as an athlete
@ 27:30 – The Bonta family legacy of advocacy, activism, and public service
@ 33:00 – The journey of a Filipina footballer: From collegiate soccer to the professional game and the international stage
@ 38:00 – Food for thought: Lessons for the next generation of athletes
@ 43:00 – The greatest gifts soccer has to offer
@ 50:00 – The unwavering power of family support

Keep Up with the Bonta Family

Follow the Bonta family and stay connected with their work in public service, advocacy, filmmaking, football, and athlete mental wellness.

• Rob Bonta – Official California Attorney General profile | Instagram | X
• Reina Bonta – Official website | Filmmaking and professional football
• Lisa Bonta Sumii – Official website: AthMindset | LinkedIn — Athlete mental health, education, and mental performance

Thank you for listening to The Beautiful Game: A Father, a Daughter, a Shared Love of Soccer!

More from Making Moves

This conversation originally aired on Making Moves, a podcast from the Center for Sport and Social Justice at California State University East Bay. Hear more conversations about sport, mental health, and social justice.

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify

About Athlete Mindset

Hosted by Lisa Bonta Sumii, Athlete Mindset is part of SportsE Media and produced by KazCM. Explore AthMindset, support the podcast, or browse more Athlete Mindset episodes.

Jacqueline Kelly joins Lisa Bonta Sumii to discuss mental toughness, emotional regulation, and the connection between mind, body, and purpose. Kelly is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC), strength and conditioning coach, and founder of Kelly Performance & Wellness.

Drawing on her work with athletes and her book Becoming Unfragile, Kelly explains how self-awareness and preparation help athletes respond to pressure without suppressing their emotions.

In this episode:
• What mental toughness looks like beyond pushing through
• Tracking self-talk to build awareness
• Finding the right level of energy and tension for performance
• Focusing on preparation and effort when outcomes are outside your control
• Using simple habits to reset when performance feels overwhelming

Explore Athlete Mindset: https://www.athmindset.io/
Support the podcast: https://sportse.io/athlete
More episodes: https://sportsepreneur.com/podcast/athmindset/

Connect with the guest, host, and show:

• Jacqueline Kelly: LinkedIn
• Lisa Bonta Sumii: LinkedIn | Instagram
• SportsEpreneur: X | LinkedIn

Athlete Mindset is part of SportsE Media. Hosted by Lisa Bonta Sumii. Produced by KazCM: https://kazcm.com/