Hope Solo First Goalkeeper to Win U.S. Soccer’s Female Athlete of the Year
U.S. Soccer has announced its four Athletes of the Year for 2009, with one of them being Saint Louis Athletica’s No. 1 goalkeeper Hope Solo.
Solo is the first goalkeeper to be named the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year.
The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award is the highest honor granted to a soccer player in the United States. The voting consisted of ballots from the media, fans, U.S. Soccer representatives and Board of Directors.
Solo kicked off the year by winning MVP honors at the Algarve Cup in Portugal. After a rocky start in the inaugural season of the Women’s Professional Soccer league (WPS), she proved to not only be a top-notch goalkeeper, but a commanding defensive leader as she helped lead Athletica from the bottom of the standings to finish second place and secure a playoff spot.
Aside from being named the Coast Guard Goalkeeper of the Year and winning the most fan votes for the All-Star Game, Solo made WPS history by becoming the first goalkeeper in the league to assist in a goal (watch the video here and proceed to the 40th second mark).
Her incredible save at the playoff game against Sky Blue FC made it to No. 1 in the league’s top five saves, shown at the WPS All-Star Game pre-show (click here for a highlight reel of the aforementioned match).
Solo was instrumental in the U.S. Women’s National Team’s undefeated record in 2009, allowing only one goal the whole year. The friendly against Germany, the No. 2-ranked team in the world, had the Germans gain possession of the ball most of the match but could not score, thanks to the efforts of Solo and her back four.
Other winners of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award are LA Galaxy’s Landon Donovan (Male), Pateadores’ Luis Gil (Young Male), and University of North Carolina’s Tobin Heath (Young Female), who is widely expected to be one of the top picks in next month’s WPS college draft.
LONDON – Hope Solo was running on two hours of sleep, still on an emotional high after leading the U.S. women's soccer team to an Olympic gold medal with a 2-1 victory against Japan.
In speaking to news reporters Friday, the goalkeeper wanted to focus on the team's accomplishments but couldn't ignore the uncertain future of women's soccer in America. With the fold of the Women's Professional Soccer league, the second failed major women's soccer venture in the USA, many players, including Solo, are without pro contracts.
"If I sit back and think about it, it's a little bit bothersome," she said. "I do get a little bit angry that there is no season."
The U.S.-Japan gold medal game brought 80,203 to Wembley Stadium here, and Solo wants to see that kind of interest back home.
"We filled Wembley Stadium, and you're telling me there is no league to play in?" she said. "Seems a little bit dated."
U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati told news reporters earlier this week it was his goal to see the women of the national team compete in a U.S. league. A new league with teams in Boston, Chicago, Seattle andNew Jersey will begin play in the spring of 2013, according to a release from the Boston Breakers.
Solo and her teammates say they would like to stay in the country but want the proper support.
"We want a league that will not only keep the best players here but also bring in the best international players," Solo said. "It takes an ownership that is willing to lose some money."
The U.S. women will play a celebration tour of up to 10 games beginning Sept. 1 with a stop in Rochester, N.Y., forward Abby Wambach's hometown. The next scheduled game is Sept. 16 in Los Angeles. The rest of the dates have not been announced.
When it's all over, most of them will be looking for work. They hope what they've done here will get the ball rolling.
"Sometimes you think about it and you're like gosh this is so hard, why are we even doing this?" Wambach said. "But we hope winning gold medals and inspiring nations can hopefully propel the sport into a professional league that is solid."
Despite leading for most of the final and being just 6 minutes away from winning their 3rd World Cup, the U.S. fell to Japan in the Women’s World Cup Finals.The U.S. team took the first lead of the game in the second half on the 69th minute when World Cup rookie Alex Morgan scored the first goal of the finals. America would hold onto the lead briefly.
Japan fired right back in the 80th minute with a goal from Aya Miyama. The game would stay tied through regulation.
In extra time, and with just 6 minutes left in the game, Abby Wombach made what looked like to be another game winning header into the opponents net at the 104th minute. The goal gave America a 2-1 lead in the final minutes of extra time and what most thought was the game winning goal. Japan had other plans.
On the 117th minute of extra time, 3 minutes before the end of Japan’s magnificent run, Homare Sawa made her 5th goal of the Women’s World Cup, tying it at 2-2 and sending it to penalty kicks.
America had not missed a penalty kick during the entire tournament. However, that also meant Japan had seen all the American’s moves and tendencies in these situations. Japan had not attempted a penalty kick the entire tournament, leaving U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo without the same edge as Ayumi Kaihori of Japan.
Shannon Boxx, Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath all missed their penalty kicks. Lloyd’s was the worst, she kicked it clear over the net. Wombach was the only U.S. player to make a penalty kick.
Solo tried valiantly and stopped 1 of Japan’s 4 penalty kicks while the game winner bounced off her hand and into the net to close this Women’s World Cup.
Japan is the first Asian nation to win the World Cup. They did it with their first win in 26 tries against the U.S.
Abby Wombach won the Silver Ball and and Hope Solo won the Bronze Ball of the tournament. The Golden Ball was given to Homare Sawa as the best player of the tournament. Wombach also won the Bronze Boot as the 3rd best scorer of the tournament behind Sawa who won the gold and Marta of Brazil who won silver. Solo won the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper of the tournament.
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