(sort of) Kayla's Salute: Hope Solo of magicJack and USWNT

Kayla loves football as much as the next guy, but at the base level, she's still a woman. She appreciates the after-game shirt exchange just as much as the game itself. Kayla's salute is a recurring piece spotlighting the best footballers that also happen to be the best looking. This salute is different because I, Jacen, am highjacking it to pay a birthday salute to a person who has become my very favourite female footballer: Hope Solo.



--
by Jacen



Unless you live in a place with no access to popular media, or you do and just avoid all news about the world of soccer, you have probably heard of Hope Solo, the stunningly beautiful, razor tongued keeper who plays for US football club magicJack and the United States Women's National Team. Since returning from the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany, Hope has been seen on talk shows, at premiers, and she even graced the cover of Sports Illustrated, a feat in itself being that only 4% of all Sports Illustrated covers have featured women. While she is deservedly riding high at this point in her life, Hope Solo's beginnings were much more humble.

Hope Solo before a match.

Hope was born on July 30th, 1981, in Richland, Washington. Hope's father Jeffrey was a veteran of the Vietnam war, and as with most veterans of that particular conflict, he had several issues that would plague him for the rest of his life. Hope was raised primarily by her mother Judy. From a young age, Hope seemed destined to be an athlete, taking an interest in several sports including basketball, snowboarding and beach volleyball in addition to a growing fascination with soccer, which was first taught to her by her father. Upon reaching high school, Hope played as a forward for her school team, the Richland High Bombers. Over the course of her high school career, Hope notched 109 goals, two of which were scored in the 1999 State Championship. Her exceptional playing also earned her two Parade All American awards. Hope finished high school in 1999 and went onto to play for the University of Washington. It was there that she first switched to goalkeeping. Always being one to push herself and try harder, Hope settled into her new position quickly and very effectively. As The Huskies keeper, she was named a four time All-Pac 10 athlete, and a three time NSCAA All-American. When Hope was a senior, she was the only goalkeeper, male or female, in contention for that year's Herman trophy. Though she did not get the win, Hope had the consolation of leaving as the University of Washington's all time clean sheet leader (18), as well as leader in saves (325) and GAA (1.02).

In the year 2003, Hope's club career got underway when she was  drafted to the newly formed WUSA club Philadelphia Charge. She made 8 appearances for the club before moving to Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC

Hope playing for Philadelphia Athletica

in 2004. Again, after only one year and 17 appearances for the Swedish club Hope moved to Lyon in France in 2005. At Lyon, she made 20 appearances for the club. After 2005 Hope left Lyon and did not play for another club until 2009, when she came back to the United States and was picked up by WPS club St. Louis Athletica. She played for them from 2009 - 2010, making 23 appearances. In 2010, after Athletica effectively folded, Hope joined Atlanta Beat, also in the WPS. In Atlanta she made 16 appearances. In 2011, ownership of the Beat changed, and the club was not only renamed, but moved. Just before the start of the 2011 WPS season, Hope followed her teammates down to Boca Raton, Florida where her new club, named magicJack, would be situated.

Hope has also had a very impressive international career. He received her first senior call up in April 2000. That match was a particular success, as she kept a clean sheet in the 8 - 0 win over Iceland. In 2004, Hope was selected as one of the goalkeepers for the USA's Olympic squad, and in 2005, she was officially the United States starting keeper. One particular record Hope holds, is she once went 1,054 minutes without conceding an international goal, a streak that was ended when the USA played France in the Algarve Cup. Unfortunately, Hope's good fortunes could not last forever. 2007 would prove to be a pivotal year for Hope Solo. She was selected as starting keeper for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, yet the whole experience was marred by three major life changing events, the first coming in April of that year. One of Hope's oldest and best friends, Elizabeth Duncan, was hit and killed by a car while she was out jogging in Seattle. Then in June, just before the start of the tournament, Hope's beloved father Jeffrey, died of a sudden heart attack.

Solo during her post 2007 Semi Final Interview

Pushing her emotions to the back of her mind, Hope chose to focus on the tournament. She was in excellent form, and of the 4 matches she played, she only conceded two goals, both of which were in the first game. In the next three matches, which were against Sweden, Nigeria and England, Hope kept a clean sheet each time. It appeared that Hope was also going to start in goal in the semi-final against Brasil, but coach Greg Ryan had other plans. Despite her four solid performances, Hope was benched in favor of veteran goalkeeper and previous World Cup winner Brianna Scurry. The USA would go on to lose to Brasil 4 - 0. Following the match, Hope, who was visibly upset, famously ranted to the press, speaking out against coach Ryan and his decision to bench her: "It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that. There's no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves." Following her outburst, coach Ryan benched her again, and Solo was ostracized from her teammates for the remainder of the 2007 US Women's season. Upon returning home to Seattle, Hope retreated for two weeks. "I couldn't sleep in my bed because my body just ached, so I'd start the bathtub. If that's what depression is, I think I hit it. I was a wreck." Hope stopped answering telephone calls and emails, and even lost 10 pounds. "I wanted to give up," She said. "Why show up somewhere where 20-plus people hate you? But I was going to be there to prove to everybody that you can't determine somebody's career by whether you like them or not."

2008 would see a complete turnaround from the previous year. Coach Ryan left the team after his contract was not renewed, and in his place stepped former Swedish international Pia Sundhage. With her came a newer, possession based approach to playing, as well as a call for black sheep Solo to come home. Veteran forward Abby Wambach said: "The younger players have a little bit of that emotional attachment to each other, but less so than in the past. You don't have to like each other, but once you cross that line, if you can like each other for at least 90 minutes, then I think you can be successful." From Hope's return to the roster in 2008 until the ill-fated game against Sweden in the group stage of the 2011 Women's World Cup, the USWNT had not lost a single match. Hope Solo had returned.

Though she missed much of the qualifying campaign due to shoulder surgery and the subsequent rehabilitation, Hope was chosen as the starting keeper for the United States for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. It was a big tournament for Solo in many ways. Over the 4 years since the last World Cup, many major events had taken place, and many notable wins were attained, including a rematch against Brasil in the Final of the 2008 Olympics which saw the USA win 1 - 0. But with the past behind her, and the future looming ahead, Hope did what she always did before. She got her head down and forged ahead. Her first two matches started well, with two victories against North Korea and Columbia and Hope keeping a clean sheet both times. Unfortunately, the USA would lose 2 - 1 against Sweden in the ultimate match of the group stage. While the loss was not enough to push the USA out of the tournament, it did set up a World Cup rematch from 4 years earlier. Brasil, who won group D with 9 points out of 9 and no goals conceded, looked to eliminate the US Ladies once again. Initially, luck appeared to be on the side of the USA, with a Brazilian own goal being scored in the 2nd minute. Yet the match was FAR from over. With 8 Yellow cards and 1 controversial Red for Rachel Buehler of the USA, the match itself was hard fought and highly exciting. Hope even stopped the penalty that followed Buehler's Red only to have to do it again due to encroachment. Solo could not stop the second penalty, and the match was level. After the game went to extra time and Brasil scored, things looked over for the USA, until Abby Wambach scored an incredible last minute goal to push the match through to penalty kicks. In the shootout, again Hope managed to save a penalty and ensured the USA went through to the Semi-Final. After beating France in the semi's, the USA went to their first World Cup Final since 1999, where they would play surprise finalists Japan.

Hope celebrating post game

After another astonishing game that saw 2 goals for both Japan and the USA, as well as 30 minutes of extra time, the Final would have to be decided on penalty kicks. Tragically for the USA, and Magically for Japan, the shootout did not go in the favor of the US Ladies. Japan would win 3 - 1, following a string of poor spot kicks for the USA. Though the USA took 2nd place, three awards were given to Hope for her outstanding playing during the tournament. She took home the Golden Gloves as the tournament's best keeper, in addition to the Bronze Ball as the tournament's third best player overall. She was also named as one of the two goalkeepers for the 2011 All-Star Team. Despite the 2nd place finish, Hope and the US Ladies returned home to an overwhelming show of support and love. It seemed that everywhere they went, people wanted a piece. Hope in particular, was shown a great deal of attention after the tournament's end, with everything from people proposing marriage via large signs or Facebook, to her being invited to the premiere of the final season of Entourage, to making appearances on the talk show circuit and beyond.

Today is July 30th. It also happens to be Hope Solo's 30th Birthday. This article is not only a Salute, but a gift to a player that has ridden the waves of success and defeat, and managed to get herself a tan. I can say with all certainty that we'll be seeing more of Hope Solo in the coming years, as her future continues to look brighter every day.



Jacen Curathers is a writer, co-editor and co-founder of the Captain's Armblog. He enjoys reading, drinking himself into a stupor, and playing as a fake, unrealistically talented version of himself of FIFA 11. He invites readers to email him anytime at thecaptainsarmblog@gmail.com.