Welcome To The World
Hope Amelia Solo was born on July 30th, 1981 in Richland, Washington. Her father introduced her to the magical sport of soccer and she immediately connected with the sport. It didn’t take long for her to start playing at school.
Welcome To The World
Starting Rough
Solo’s childhood was anything but easy and comfortable. Her father wasn’t always around for her since he was arrested on a number of occasions. Her mother wasn’t exactly a role model for Hope Solo, as she was an alcoholic.
Starting Rough
Young And Innocent
Hope Solo was just six years old when her parents divorced, and it put her and her brother in a difficult position. On one occasion her father came unannounced to his ex-wife’s house and took the children without permission. The police eventually arrested him on charges of kidnapping, all the while Hope didn’t even know that something wrong had been done.
Young And Innocent
A Broken Heart
Falling in love for the first time is wonderful, and it is overwhelming. But having your first love cheat on you is downright traumatic. In high school, Hope’s boyfriend cheated on her with the school’s “popular girl”, and it tore Hope’s heart apart. Apt to confrontation, Solo approached the other girl and punched her in the face. Talk about making your presence known.
A Broken Heart
Almost Time To Quit
As if the situation at home with her parents and with her cheating boyfriend wasn’t bad enough, financial struggle almost boiled over. Her mother and step-father told Hope that pursuing her still-budding soccer career was too expensive and that it wasn’t affordable. She was close to quitting when community members heard about the conundrum and leaped in to help. They financed Hope’s transport, which was the majority of the burden.
Almost Time To Quit
High School
All through middle school she played soccer and turned heads with her speed, agility and focus. When she made it to high school, she tried her hand at goal keeping, but her coach pushed her to play forward. It wasn’t a mistake on the coach’s part as Hope Solo scored a massive 109 goals as a striker for Richland High School.
High School
Finding Her Place
After achieving excellence as an attacker, it was no surprise to anyone when Hope wanted to pursue a position as a forward. But she was destined for something else. She was destined for greatness and she didn’t even know it.
Finding Her Place
Moving Back
Once she graduated from high school, the name “Hope Solo” was already running through the corridors of colleges and she was being sought after. She decided to stay in her hometown and attended the University of Washington. It wasn’t long until her new coach realized that Solo’s place was in front of the net. This is where it all began.
Moving Back
No Graduation
What is more important than your college graduation? Well had you asked Hope Solo that question, her answer would be “soccer”. It just happened to be that on the day of Hope’s college graduation in 2003, she played for the Philadelphia Charge and therefore ended up missing her own graduation. But this, by no standard means that she neglected her studies; in fact she was a hardworking student and she achieved a 3.7 GPA.
No Graduation
A Close Call
The world almost didn’t get to see the incredible Hope Solo that we know today. She suffered an injury that was very close to ending her career. It was during a match against Mexico for the under-21 squad that her forearm collided with a hook on the goal post. The injury was severe, but without permanent damage. She would suffer more injury though.
A Close Call
Not Enough
When it came to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, Hope Solo wasn’t thought good enough to join the squad. Some might imagine that this had a negative effect on the young star, but it didn’t. Instead she pushed herself to become better, and she did. She excelled so impressively that she played a total of 1,054 minutes without letting in a single goal.
Not Enough
Frustration In China
When she attended the 2007 World Cup in China, she was especially surprised when her coach sent her to the bench. It wasn’t at any time, it was for their semi-final game against Brazil. Her replacement was a goalkeeper who was more senior than her, hence the change. She looked on in disbelief as her team lost 4-1 to the Brazilians. She was sure that she could have saved the goals that her teammate didn’t. “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.”
Frustration In China
Gold In Beijing
It had only been a year since Solo felt despair in China that she made her comeback. She led her team with a show of goalkeeping that no-one had ever seen before. It was the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China and she made save after save helping her team beat Brazil 1-0.
Gold In Beijing
Having Lots Of Fun
You can’t blame a sporting legend for wanting to celebrate after achieving one of the most incredible feats in sport – winning an Olympic gold medal. Following a night of celebration and drinking (of course) with her teammates, she went live on the Today show.
Having Lots Of Fun
Getting Called Out
She was exhausted and giggly, talking about her “World Cup gold medal”, and then quickly correcting herself. Some people jumped at the opportunity to say that she was completely drunk during the interview, but she said she was just exhausted. After all, she deserved a good night’s celebration!
Getting Called Out
Too Much Fun
Hope shared some more details about that super eventful night of celebration. Aside from admitting that they were all downright drunk, she also said that her teammates met Hollywood actor Vince Vaughn and partied it up with him. She went on to reveal some explicit details about some players which they weren’t very happy about.
Too Much Fun
Left Alone
Hope had a personality that wasn’t always easy to gel with. Her fiery passion for success didn’t always take well to her other teammates and as a result they didn’t always want to spend time with her. On some occasions it was subtle, like eating in a different part of the eating hall from Hope, but other times it was more severe.
Left Alone
Flying Alone
When the team flew back from the Olympic Games in China, Hope had to fly back alone since her teammates didn’t want to fly with her. It sounds a little petty to us, but her teammates actually refused to fly with her.
Flying Alone
Fake Smiles
The extent of her teammate’s rivalry even extended to her own captain, Abby Wambach. When USA played Brazil in the 2007 World Cup semifinal, behind Hope’s back, her captain pushed to have her put on the bench and not play. When Hope found out about the incident, she was furious.
Fake Smiles
Love Hate Relationship
Abby Wambach admitted in an interview with Dan Patrick that she and Hope Solo had what she called a “love-hate relationship”. Wambach admits that she herself was sometimes difficult to deal with, but not like Solo. She also makes it clear that she respects Hope, and that she was the best goalkeeper they’ve ever had.
Love Hate Relationship
Making Ammends
It took them four years to eventually end fake smiles on the pitch and share mutual respect. Her captain encouraged the team to accept Solo and after she came back from her suspension, she made sure the team welcomed her with open arms.
Making Ammends
Twitter Trouble
Once again, Hope Solo expressed her opinion about what she called “unfair play”. Speaking about losing against Washington Freedom, tweeting, “It’s official, the refs are straight bad. It’s clear the league wanted [DC] in [the] playoffs. I have truly never seen anything like this. It’s sad. I am done playing in a league where the game is no longer in control of the players.” She got a punishment that she didn’t expect.
Twitter Trouble
The Punishment
For starters, Solo was served a $2,500 fine for her tweet, 8 hours of community service, and a ban from her next game. She obviously felt that she was unfairly dealt with.
The Punishment
Fighting In Germany
In 2011, Solo represented her country at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany. USA successfully made it to the finals and made it to the 90th minute with a 2-2 draw. Eventually Japan beat the American team in a dramatic penalty shootout. But still, Solo would walk away with a personal prize.
Fighting In Germany
The Golden Glove
At the competition’s close, Hope wasn’t let go without some credit for her excellent performance. She was awarded the Golden Glove for her extraordinary goalkeeping during the World Cup. But there was something else.
The Golden Glove
A Little Extra
Not only was the Golden Glove awarded to Hope Solo, but something else. She received the Bronze Ball, which is given to the best players of the tournament. She was named the third best player of the 2011 FIFA World Cup. In turn she also became the first goalkeeper to ever achieve this.
A Little Extra
Worry On The Horizon
Just before the 2012 London Olympics, Hope Solo ran into unexpected trouble. After she underwent a drug test, she tested positive for a substance that was a performance enhancer. Not only was Hope shocked by the revelation, but she was worried too. She didn’t intentionally take any drugs.
Worry On The Horizon
An Honest Mistake
After a closer inspection, it was revealed that the residue they picked up came from a medical drug she had been taking. She made what she called an “honest mistake” as she wasn’t aware that the medicine had any illegal substances in it.
An Honest Mistake
The Comeback
After the scandal passed, Solo went on to London with no goal in mind other than bringing home gold. When USA made it to the final, they faced a difficult opponent once again – Japan. Hope kept the Japanese at bay for most of the game, making 12 out of 13 successful saves. Eventually USA took first place and Solo’s team took the 5th American Olympic female soccer title.
The Comeback
Back At It
The vengeful fight with the Japanese continued 3 years later in 2015 in Canada but with a similar outcome. Hope Solo impressed the world when she went 540 minutes, game after game, without conceding a single goal, but that all changed during their final against Japan.
Back At It
Golden Glove Again
Despite the Japaneses’ two goals, USA won and Solo received the golden glove once again. It had been 16 years since USA had won, and now they had their third World Cup title.
Golden Glove Again
The Parade
Hope and her team were honored with a ticker tape parade that in itself changed history. After they won the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup the city of New York conducted the first ticker tape parade for a women’s sports team.
The Parade
Key To The City
As though the parade through New York City wasn’t enough, there was a special ceremony that followed. The mayor of the city, Bill de Blasio awarded each one of the women a key to the city of New York. These women were making history and everyone was talking about it.
Key To The City
White House Level
President Obama also seemed to want to honor the champions and he invited them to the White House in October 2015. He spoke very proudly of the athletes and remarked, “They’ve inspired millions of girls to dream bigger and, by the way, inspired millions of boys to look at girls differently, which is just as important.” He then added, “This team taught all America’s children that playing like a girl means you’re a bad ass.”
White House Level
Everything But Hope
Although the president mentioned many of the players from the team, he failed to mention Hope Solo’s name. This was especially strange since she played such a critical role in the winning of the tournament. He did however use her name, just in different context – “Nothing gives me more hope (pauses) knowing that we have a whole generation…”
Everything But Hope
Booing Hope
When USA played their first game at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, the fans started to boo Hope each time she touched the ball. They then started to chant, “Zika! Zika!” All of this was in response to her Instagram post showing that she wasn’t going to take any chances with the zika virus while visiting Brazil. An interviewer asked her if the booing affected her, to which she answered that she didn’t even notice it.
Booing Hope
Too Focused
Wondering what it must have felt like, an interviewer asked Hope if the booing affected her. Hope answered straight that she didn’t even notice it. Their attempt to derail her with their boos was a complete flop.
Too Focused
Passing The Blame
In Rio, Solo made her 200th international appearance. Although she played her best, after she allowed two goals in during their game against Colombia in the group stages, she received criticism. The criticism didn’t stop there, though.
Passing The Blame
Speaking Out
When the team lost against Sweden in a quarterfinal penalty shootout, she lost it. She even accused the Swedish players of being “a bunch of cowards”. But that insulting criticism was about to bite her in the butt.
Speaking Out
Repercussions
The US Soccer Federation wasn’t pleased with Hope’s blatant criticism of her opponents and they immediately took action. First they banned her from playing for six months following the incident, but then they took it even further.
Repercussions
Facing The Music
The US Soccer Federation then issued a statement that they were terminating her contract which caught Hope completely off-guard. Hardly able to believe it, she prepared a statement and then emotionally gave it over.
Facing The Music
Taking it All In
“For 17 years, I dedicated my life to the U.S. Women’s National Team and did the job of a pro athlete the only way I knew how — with passion, tenacity, an unrelenting commitment to be the best goalkeeper in the world, not just for my country, but to elevate the sport for the next generation of female athletes. In those commitments, I have never wavered. And with so much more to give, I am saddened by the federation’s decision to terminate my contract.”
Taking It All In
Injuries
In 2016, Hope Solo underwent an intense shoulder replacement surgery that she said was “long overdue”. It’s almost unbelievable to think that a goalkeeper on her level wasn’t functioning at her best due to a shoulder injury. She commented on Instagram, “For the first time in years, I can raise my right arm above my head, I’m filled with excitement knowing how life-changing this is and I look forward to coming back healthier and stronger than ever.”
Injuries
Being The Best
Hope Solo, as we know, is considered the best female goalkeeper in the world. She broke a U.S. record with 72 shutouts by surpassing the record held by American Brianna Scurry.
Being The Best
Life Goals
In 2012 Hope Solo married Jerramy Stevens, a former American football player who played for both the Seahawks and for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It took them two months of dating to choose to get engaged. As a former sportsman, they had a lot in common and seemed to be a great match, but not without some controversy.
Life Goals
Words And Fists
On the 12th of November, 2012 the couple got into a fight, which resulted in Solo getting hurt. Friends and family were very concerned, and even convinced Hope to open a report and go to court. But the result would puzzle everybody.
Words And Fists
Dropping Charges
After attending a court case based on the incident, the charges were dropped simply due to a lack of evidence. And then, even more surprisingly, the next day the couple tied the knot and they’re happily married until now.
Dropping Charges
Solo: A Memoir Of Hope
In 2012, Hope Solo co-wrote her autobiography. The book exposed her life story without leaving much room to the imagination since it was so detailed. Her book told of her childhood, her early soccer years, her rise in her soccer career and some other juicy details that had fans asking for more.
Solo: A Memoir Of Hope
Daddy’s Little Girl
Despite having a difficult childhood with her father, Hope still attributes a great part of her success to him. “My father was never around. But I glorified my father, and I was always daddy’s little girl. He was my first soccer coach.” He may not have been around when she was young, but Hope took it upon herself to reconnect with him while she was in college.
Daddy’s Little Girl
Just In Time
Reconnecting with her father turned out to be one of the most important decisions of her life. Her father passed away after suffering from a heart-attack in 2007.
Just In Time
Reflecting
She described her father in an interview by saying, “My father showed me so much love. He just, he had a rough life. You know, he grew up in a boys home in the Bronx. He didn’t really know his own family. So I couldn’t hold it against him that he didn’t know how to parent. But he loved as much as he could. And that love was pure.”
Reflecting
Playing For The Other Team
One of the confessions that came out of her book that raised the most eyebrows, was that about kissing another woman. She described the situation when a French girl who relentlessly flirted with her until Hope’s curiosity kicked in. She described it, “I’d had gay teammates throughout my career — I thought maybe I should see their side of things. So we made out. Interesting but not life-changing. I was straight.”
Playing For The Other Team
A Dance Off
Like many famous personalities, Hope Solo took part in the famous show, “Dancing with the Stars”. Her dance partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Hope didn’t quite click. Hope accused him of being too rough with her during auditions.
A Dance Off
Going Too Far
Hope revealed in her book that her dancing partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, once slapped her hard across the face when he got frustrated. It’s not surprising that the two of them don’t talk anymore.
Going Too Far
An Icon
When Hope Solo posed nude for ESPN, she received both positive and negative feedback. Since her outspoken personality and excellent career had gained her lots of attention, she had a large social media following. She was accused of ‘demonizing the female image in society’ after she made the ESPN cover. But Hope was ready for that criticism.
An Icon
Sharp Comeback
Her simple reply was, “I’m an athlete, that’s all I am. If a sex symbol is now a top female athlete, I think that’s pretty amazing and it shows how far our country has come from the stick-thin models, from what you see in most magazines.” Hope was confident in herself.
Sharp Comeback
Solo’s Shocking Surprise
Following the FIFA’s Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in January 2013, Hope Solo brought up an issue that no-one saw coming. It rattled FIFA and soccer for women all around the world.
Solo’s Shocking Surprise
The Accusation
Hope Solo accused FIFA’s president, Sepp Blatter of touching her inappropriately. Blatter denied the allegations and called them “ridiculous”. Hope claimed that he grabbed her behind just seconds before she had to get onto the stage to make a speech to her teammate, Abby Wambach.
The Accusation
Fighting For Equality
Hope Solo is actively fighting for the equality of women in sports and all arenas. One of the greatest challenges she says that women in sport are facing, is that of equal pay. One example of where payment according to gender was unfair, was when Hope Solo received $366,000 in 2015 for playing 23 games. USA goalkeeper Tim Howard earned $398,495 for playing just 8 games in 2014.
Fighting For Equality
Dodging Clichés
When an interviewer asked Hope what she thinks about kids and sports, she answered, “I hate the cliche of ‘just have fun,’ but what I’ve seen in today’s sports, especially with parents, is they put so much pressure on the kids… But for me, the reason why I became successful is because I play with passion. And, you know, I let that passion and that fire just build inside of me. And it came out on the soccer field. It wasn’t forced, you know, people didn’t put pressure on me. I just played for the love of the game.”
Dodging Clichés
No Fear
It’s not just Hope Solo’s mouth that was a danger on the field, it was her ruthless goal-keeping that really made an impression on the pitch. Opponents would be afraid of how she went into challenges – fearless.
No Fear
Hope Solo The Role Model
Despite all the negativity surrounding Hope’s soccer career, there is something we have to highlight. Throughout her life, and in her soccer career, she has often been considered for her beauty and less for her talent. After years of working on achieving the best results, she did just that and turned her stereotypical image upside-down. Today she is a role model to girls and women alike, proving that beauty is not where one gains their strength. Rather it is in the character and motivation of the individual that influences the outcome of the many.
Hope Solo The Role Model
