LA Galaxy 3, Colorado 0
Q. Congratulations on the shutout. Congratulations on the first game since 2023, right?
JT MARCINKOWSKI: Yeah.
Q. Can you walk us through just sort of the injuries that you suffered there and just the path to get back to tonight?
JT MARCINKOWSKI: Yeah, it was middle of October 2023. Played a friendly game and just like a freak accident. Kind of tore everything up in my knee.
From that night on it was like, all right, how do I figure this out to get back to playing? It was a long, long process with a lot of ups and downs. Beginning was a lot of downs and a lot of questioning I think my path forward.
I'm super thankful for the people I had around me, my physical therapist, my entire support team, my fiancee, my family. This night is just as much for them as it is for me.
Q. What did it feel like tonight to get the start and then get the shutout and have such a great night, maybe a little bit unexpectedly with all the rotation.
JT MARCINKOWSKI: Yeah, honestly wasn't unexpected for us. I think the guys who played tonight have been training all year and been training great. We have a really deep group and tonight showed that.
To get the start was great. It was just going back to what I love, just getting back to it. Once I was on the field again it just felt like normal. You know, felt like the place I wanted to be.
Q. Coming into this season, third goalkeeper. You expect chances are going to be limited, so how do you prepare yourself for this moment?
JT MARCINKOWSKI: Yeah, I think the preparation is day to day. As a goalkeeper that's kind of our life. Only one of the guys is going to play. We are very rarely subbed into games, and more often than not an emergency case, if at that.
But I think just staying ready and staying prepared, acting like I'm a starter in training and acting like I'm the No. 1 just to keep my confidence high and to make sure I make the most of every rep.
I think when I'm not playing or when any goalkeeper is not playing it's hard, but that's the mental fortitude you need to play the position.
Q. What was it was about the Galaxy that you signed here?
JT MARCINKOWSKI: They won, so that was a pretty good reason why. I think being up in the Bay Area and playing for San Jose for so long we have had a lot of battles with Galaxy, and I think it's an amazing club. It's one that I always strived to get to, and I'm super happy to be here.
Q. Just your confidence as you're going through the rehab, I'm sure there were ups and downs. Just what is that process like to go through that and come out on the other end?
JT MARCINKOWSKI: Yeah, like I said, I think it was a daily battle. It's really hard in long-term rehab to think about the end goal and getting back on the field. More often than not I was just trying to get through my rehab of that day. Whatever the excise was, whatever I tried to accomplish for that particular session.
When I look back it kind of -- you build upon each day and the work that I put into it. Just the trust that I have in myself just comes from I think my preparation and my commitment to getting back on the field.
Q. Greg came out here and spoke glowingly of you. Said you're a top pro, especially with being a third goalkeeper, finding yourself in that situation. You've spoken about it already a little bit, but how do you actually go out and find that mental fortitude to stay in that pocket and train professionally and show up to work every day knowing you might not get that chance?
JT MARCINKOWSKI: I think it's all about perspective, gratitude. I think we play a sport we love for a living. It's only right I do my best every day. I think I would be selling myself short and selling the people that have helped me get here short if I didn't try my hardest every single day and make sure I was prepared.
I think gratitude for the position I'm in. If I'm starting, not starting, playing or not, I think just coming out to train every single day and doing my best for myself and also my teammates, and I think that's how you become a good team. You get 30 guys putting their best effort into it and special things can happen.
Q. You said this wasn't unexpected for you guys in the locker room, but this season itself might be a little bit surprising to you considering you said, hey, it was an easy decision to come here. What has that transition been like for you, especially since you've been off the field and haven't been able to contribute on the field and help the team in that moment?
JT MARCINKOWSKI: Yeah, I think the way that I was contributing is just being a good teammate. I think that's what was expected of me and going to be expected of me going forward. I think nothing changes after tonight. It's just showing up daily, putting my best foot forward, making sure I am there for my teammates, good times and bad.
Like you said, it's been a rough year. No doubt about that. I think the only way we can go out to prove to ourselves and to our fans and show our fans the commitment they deserve is having good performances like tonight, having another one on Wednesday, and going from there.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports