Hope Solo

The United States Soccer Federation gave out their yearly awards for 2009 on Monday. Among those honored was U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper Hope Solo, who took home the honor of “Female Athlete of the Year.”

Hope Solo’s 2009 featured her grow to prominence on both the international and league scenes. She won both the MVP award at the Algarve Cup in Portugal as well as WPS Goalkeeper of the Year for her club team, the St. Louis Athletica.

In a video placed on USSoccer.com, Hope Solo gave thanks those who voted for her for the honor. Hope Solo said on the website, “It’s a huge honor but also a really nice surprise to be voted the female athlete of the year for U.S. Soccer. I particularly want to thank everyone for voting for a goalie, as well as our netkeeper manager Paul Rogers for helping me reckon about the position in a more sophisticated way, both technically and tactically.”

The other prize winners were Landon Donovan, who was named “Male Athlete of the Year,” plus Tobin Heath and Luis Gil, who were named USSF “Young Athletes of the Year.”

See video of Hope Solo having her award and giving thanks her fans below:

On the field, they’re all business. Off the field, hilarity ensues.

Exhibit A: Sand castle competition in Albufeira, Portugal.
Scenario: As a team building exercise for the ‘09 Algarve Cup, the team is divided into fours, grouped by position (poor goalkeepers).
Best moment: Angie Woznuk and Megan Rapinoe unintentionally making a kid weep.
Best line: “The mermaid wasn’t even original!”-Amy Rodriguez exclaims in the background while Head Coach Pia Sundhage tells the camera her favorite is the goalkeepers’ mermaid.
Runner-up: “A small overdressed.” Heather O’Reilly while Heather Mitts shows off her beach dress

Exhibit B: Stephanie Cox’s birthday party
Scenario: The team surprises Cox on her 22nd birthday in a hotel in Juarez, Mexico.
Best moment: Heather O’Reilly trying, unsuccessfully, to push Tobin Heath into the pool. Hope Solo sees an opportunity and pushes both of them to the pool (goalkeepers are powerful ninjas).
Runner-up: Natasha Kai hitting herself instead of the pinata.
Best line: “It’s my first…I didn’t know what was going on.” Swede fitness coach Helena Andersson on all the pinata madness

Exhibit C: Funnel match
Scenario: Heather Mitts and Natasha Kai team up to pull a prank on a few of their teammates
Best moment: Abby Wambach laughing at Heather O’Reilly (you gotta hear it to appreciate it).
Best line: “I knew you were gonna do something! It was against my better judgement!” Kacey White.

Exhibit D: Bus wave-back match
Scenario: Always competitive, even on a bus ride during the Olympics, the team starts a contest of which side of the bus will get the most waves.
Best moment: Picture this: Baby-faced Lori Chalupny, in a bus, with a lollipop, waving.
Best lines: “The back of the bus doesn’t count.” “Yes it does!” “Dude they’re gonna… they could get a lot.”

A promotional video featuring WPS Goalies for the new Trojan Vision TV show, On the Ball, about the Women’s Professional Soccer league.

For more information about the show, check out the ON THE BALL website at www.areyouontheball.com

Featuring:
Nicole Barnhart and Allison Whitworth – FC Gold Pride
Karina LeBlanc and Val Henderson – Los Angeles SOL
Caroline J̦nsson РChicago Red Stars
Hope Solo – Saint Louis Athletica
Erin McLeod – Washington Freedom

photographs and animation by Julie Logan.

Introducing Hope Solo. Even the best goalie in the United States get taunted!


Hope Solo talking about her match against Mexico a few years ago: