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Give & Go: US Goalkeeper Hope Solo
The U.S. Women's National Team are holding their first camp of the year as early preparation for the Algarve Cup tournament in March. As usual, goalkeeper Hope Solo is involved, but new changes are on the horizon this year as she joins St. Louis Athletica in Women's Professional Soccer also kicks into gear.
Jan 22, 2009 11:18:51 AM
Though it has only been a matter of months since Hope Solo and the U.S. Women's National Team claimed an emotional gold-medal victory over Brazil in the Olympics, she looks quite different.
That's because the goalkeeper traded in her sunshiny gold locks for a dark brunette color that makes her blue eyes and overall demeanor seem more intense than ever.
Solo will need to focus that intensity on many things this year, when she, as well as many other members of the USWNT, transition to club careers in Women's Professional Soccer. Yet the talented goalkeeper seems not only prepared, but pleased about the new changes in the game and her life. She spoke with Goal.com's Andrea Canales in an exclusive interview.
Andrea Canales: It's the first national team camp of the year - how do you feel?
Hope Solo: I feel fine. It was a long victory tour - all of October, November and December we were in and out. I think it's a different mindset, this camp. It's a little more serious. We're doing double days and lifting weights. We've got in some new players and new coaching staff. It's different. It feels like more of a preseason.
Your hair is darker - is that change part of the move to take things more seriously?
It's more serious? Well, I can change back if I want.
Speaking of change - thoughts on the inauguration of Obama?
It was a fun day for all of us. A lot of people [on the team] had to fly in, during the day. But I got in the night before and woke up at six and watched all the pre-inaugural stuff. It was exciting. It really felt like a moment in history.
As far as history in the women's game, the U.S. pro league has returned; what's the significance of that?
We waited six long years to get this league up and running. A lot of people didn't think it was going to work out. A lot of people gave up hope. I went overseas. I played in Sweden; I played in France, yet I knew that this sport was going to come back here in America. I knew we were going to come back with a good business plan and with a new energy. We've done just that. I think we've created quite the vibe and a lot of people are excited for the game to come back.
What did that experience abroad teach you about how the club structure can contribute to national team play?
It's different. You have pros and cons with each style. We, as a national team, were in residency prior to the World Cup and the Olympics. We were living together and training together for ten months straight leading up to a big event. No other country had that. We played together; we knew each other inside and out. Whereas there, they're playing on different teams in a league, but they have games twice a week. They had better game fitness, better knowledge of the game. They could read the game better. We were more of a team. So there's pros and cons to each system, but, in essence, you want to play more games.
Do you feel a different responsibility with your new club team, St. Louis Athletica, in terms of leadership, than you do with the national team, which has more older players?
I don't think leadership is necessarily indicative of how long you've been on a team. Especially with this national team. It doesn't matter your age. We went and won the Olympics without some of our crucial players - Abby Wambach and Kristine Lilly. What we're learning is that everybody needs to step up, play their role and communicate on the field, or it's not going to be effective. Going to our club teams, we all know that. It doesn't matter if you're a youngster, or an older player. As national team members, we all know that, so I think all of us feel the pressure to lead our teams.
Tell me more about the team - what are you looking forward to this year there?
I'm just excited for a change. I'm at that point in my career, I'm 27, where I just want something different. Going in, I don't know what to expect. I have a Brazilian coach. He doesn't speak English. I have a Brazilian goalkeeper coach, and he too doesn't speak English. I've heard his style is completely different than anything I've ever seen. As much as it's going to be interesting - I'm happy to have something new, because I think change is good. Check out the hair color.
I love the draft picks that we got. We're putting together, on paper, an amazing team. I hope it all comes together on the field. We've got some of the best Brazilian players, who I fortunately played with while I was in Sweden. I lived with them and know them pretty well. It's all coming together. pretty well. We have, obviously, Chups (Lori Chalupny) and Tina (Ellertson). Tina and I played together at Washington, and on national team and now in St. Louis. It's perfect.
Goalkeepers have a reputation for being a little insane. What's the craziest thing you've done?
You think I'm going to share that? Oh, man, I don't know. I've jumped out of airplanes, climbed mountains, had all sorts of late nights out with friends. I sky-dived and that was incredible. Very scary. Scuba-diving - I scuba dive a lot. We went on this one dive and there were sharks all around and that was pretty scary. That was also amazing.
What do goalkeepers fear most in a game?
Well, you can either be the hero or the goat, and every goalkeeper knows that. It used to be a fear, but as you mature, you get over that, because you know you might look like a fool half the time. That's part of the position. As you grow, you have to grow into that.
What part of your game, since everyone is trying to get better, do you work most on improving?
I can't think of anything in particular. I don't think I have a major, major weakness. I don't think any of the national team goalkeepers do. It may be a weakness over some of their strengths, but in essence what's great about Phil (Wheddon, goalkeeper coach) is that we work on everything. One of my least favorite things to work on are breakaways. One of my favorite things to work on are crosses, but that doesn't necessarily mean strength and weakness.
How does your previous experience as a field player come into play as a goalkeeper?
One of my greatest strengths is my ability with the ball at my feet. My confidence is there for my defenders to play the ball back to me. I was a field player up until college and it definitely helped me.
One of the things that international competitions come down to at times is PK shootouts. Have you ever kicked for the team?
With the U.S. team? I was actually, in the Olympics, one of the top kickers. It never came down to penalty rounds, but I was going to step up for the team if it came down to a shootout. I think I was number three.
If there's a penalty kick list for the Algarve Cup, do you expect to be on it?
Each team is different. I think on our Olympic team, there weren't as many confident shooters. With this team, you've got some excellent shooters, like Megan Rapinoe, and we're getting some other players back who will probably be happy to step up and take it.
Give and Go appears every week on Goal.com.
Check out the GoalUSA blog for more exclusive info on Hope Solo.
That's because the goalkeeper traded in her sunshiny gold locks for a dark brunette color that makes her blue eyes and overall demeanor seem more intense than ever.
Solo will need to focus that intensity on many things this year, when she, as well as many other members of the USWNT, transition to club careers in Women's Professional Soccer. Yet the talented goalkeeper seems not only prepared, but pleased about the new changes in the game and her life. She spoke with Goal.com's Andrea Canales in an exclusive interview.
Andrea Canales: It's the first national team camp of the year - how do you feel?
Hope Solo: I feel fine. It was a long victory tour - all of October, November and December we were in and out. I think it's a different mindset, this camp. It's a little more serious. We're doing double days and lifting weights. We've got in some new players and new coaching staff. It's different. It feels like more of a preseason.
Your hair is darker - is that change part of the move to take things more seriously?
It's more serious? Well, I can change back if I want.
Speaking of change - thoughts on the inauguration of Obama?
It was a fun day for all of us. A lot of people [on the team] had to fly in, during the day. But I got in the night before and woke up at six and watched all the pre-inaugural stuff. It was exciting. It really felt like a moment in history.
As far as history in the women's game, the U.S. pro league has returned; what's the significance of that?
We waited six long years to get this league up and running. A lot of people didn't think it was going to work out. A lot of people gave up hope. I went overseas. I played in Sweden; I played in France, yet I knew that this sport was going to come back here in America. I knew we were going to come back with a good business plan and with a new energy. We've done just that. I think we've created quite the vibe and a lot of people are excited for the game to come back.
What did that experience abroad teach you about how the club structure can contribute to national team play?
It's different. You have pros and cons with each style. We, as a national team, were in residency prior to the World Cup and the Olympics. We were living together and training together for ten months straight leading up to a big event. No other country had that. We played together; we knew each other inside and out. Whereas there, they're playing on different teams in a league, but they have games twice a week. They had better game fitness, better knowledge of the game. They could read the game better. We were more of a team. So there's pros and cons to each system, but, in essence, you want to play more games.
Do you feel a different responsibility with your new club team, St. Louis Athletica, in terms of leadership, than you do with the national team, which has more older players?
I don't think leadership is necessarily indicative of how long you've been on a team. Especially with this national team. It doesn't matter your age. We went and won the Olympics without some of our crucial players - Abby Wambach and Kristine Lilly. What we're learning is that everybody needs to step up, play their role and communicate on the field, or it's not going to be effective. Going to our club teams, we all know that. It doesn't matter if you're a youngster, or an older player. As national team members, we all know that, so I think all of us feel the pressure to lead our teams.
Tell me more about the team - what are you looking forward to this year there?
I'm just excited for a change. I'm at that point in my career, I'm 27, where I just want something different. Going in, I don't know what to expect. I have a Brazilian coach. He doesn't speak English. I have a Brazilian goalkeeper coach, and he too doesn't speak English. I've heard his style is completely different than anything I've ever seen. As much as it's going to be interesting - I'm happy to have something new, because I think change is good. Check out the hair color.
I love the draft picks that we got. We're putting together, on paper, an amazing team. I hope it all comes together on the field. We've got some of the best Brazilian players, who I fortunately played with while I was in Sweden. I lived with them and know them pretty well. It's all coming together. pretty well. We have, obviously, Chups (Lori Chalupny) and Tina (Ellertson). Tina and I played together at Washington, and on national team and now in St. Louis. It's perfect.
Goalkeepers have a reputation for being a little insane. What's the craziest thing you've done?
You think I'm going to share that? Oh, man, I don't know. I've jumped out of airplanes, climbed mountains, had all sorts of late nights out with friends. I sky-dived and that was incredible. Very scary. Scuba-diving - I scuba dive a lot. We went on this one dive and there were sharks all around and that was pretty scary. That was also amazing.
What do goalkeepers fear most in a game?
Well, you can either be the hero or the goat, and every goalkeeper knows that. It used to be a fear, but as you mature, you get over that, because you know you might look like a fool half the time. That's part of the position. As you grow, you have to grow into that.
What part of your game, since everyone is trying to get better, do you work most on improving?
I can't think of anything in particular. I don't think I have a major, major weakness. I don't think any of the national team goalkeepers do. It may be a weakness over some of their strengths, but in essence what's great about Phil (Wheddon, goalkeeper coach) is that we work on everything. One of my least favorite things to work on are breakaways. One of my favorite things to work on are crosses, but that doesn't necessarily mean strength and weakness.
How does your previous experience as a field player come into play as a goalkeeper?
One of my greatest strengths is my ability with the ball at my feet. My confidence is there for my defenders to play the ball back to me. I was a field player up until college and it definitely helped me.
One of the things that international competitions come down to at times is PK shootouts. Have you ever kicked for the team?
With the U.S. team? I was actually, in the Olympics, one of the top kickers. It never came down to penalty rounds, but I was going to step up for the team if it came down to a shootout. I think I was number three.
If there's a penalty kick list for the Algarve Cup, do you expect to be on it?
Each team is different. I think on our Olympic team, there weren't as many confident shooters. With this team, you've got some excellent shooters, like Megan Rapinoe, and we're getting some other players back who will probably be happy to step up and take it.
Give and Go appears every week on Goal.com.
Check out the GoalUSA blog for more exclusive info on Hope Solo.
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