Seattle Reign FC at Houston Dash Pre-Match Press Conference • Friday, September 20, 2024
Head Coach Laura Harvey and Defender Hanna Glas
Head Coach Laura Harvey
On her overall thoughts ahead of the game:
“I think I said it after Monday’s game, I think Monday’s game would have been a bonus for us in regards to points. But the reality is, the next five games are the most important ones, beginning with tomorrow, because of who we’re playing and what that means. So yeah, Houston’s been somewhere that’s always difficult to come – the weather conditions are always a challenge, but we’re excited. And yeah, we’ve trained today and it was pretty good. So yeah, looking forward to tomorrow.”
On the team’s health and if Jess and Jordyn made the trip:
“Jess hasn’t made the trip. Jordyn is here. She’s doing a lot better than she was, but we’ll make a decision on what her involvement is in the game probably tomorrow morning.”
On how the team can prepare for the game without expecting it to be an easy win:
“I mean, anyone who thinks wins come easy in this league is delusional, so that’s not how we ever prepare, to be honest. We were that team. We went on that streak at one point, and we were in all of those games, so I think we know no matter our opponent, no matter the form that they’re in, they’re always going to pose a really difficult test for us. We always approach every game that way. We just know that this is obviously a really important game for us in trying to achieve what we want to achieve, which is get as close as we possibly can to that playoff line.”
On the things she enjoys seeing with the team in how they are growing together:
“I mean, I think that this club has traditionally been known for having a good culture and that’s definitely been imprinted along the years with the players that have been here a long time. I think in our new space, in our new locker room, there’s definitely more opportunity to integrate them socially and not it just be about soccer. So yeah, I’ve seen more board games. I just think I’ve always believed in this. I’ve always believed that these guys are human beings first. They all have different passions and different things that they like to do outside of being an athlete and being able to get to know them on that level is always good – you never know, whether it might be some of us love playing golf, as an example. Players have currently, and they’re starting to teach me, which is great, at baking their own bread and all that type of stuff. So, I think just having the environment where the players feel comfortable that they can share that about themselves and no matter who it is within our environment can latch onto that, like I want to be able to bake my own bread, so Liv (Olivia) Athens is teaching me how to do it, as an example. We all have a job to do and we all want to do that to the best of our ability, but there is a lot of time that we get to spend together that’s not just about playing soccer. So, I’ve always believed that that element of your environment is always really important.”
On ways that she finds joy in leading the team:
“Yeah, honestly, it’s hard. I would say, since coming back to the league, honestly, not just this season, it’s challenging. I think we live in a different world than we used to live in. I think that the league is super competitive, so it’s a challenge. Personally, I probably got the biggest wakeup call a few weeks ago when I ended up in the hospital for a little bit, because ultimately this is just a job, and we are out here trying to do the best of what we possibly can do. But I’ve always believed that when you win, you should celebrate it like it’s your first and it potentially is your last because you never know when the next one’s going to come, and making sure that you take care of yourself, making sure that – whatever that may be – for me, it’s playing golf and watching shows and being at the water and all that type of stuff. Whatever it is for anybody, find those moments where you can really take time to appreciate that we have the best job in the world, but sometimes you can send yourself down a pathway that can be a little bit unhealthy and you have to find the ways where you can get yourself back into realizing what it’s all about, really. Yeah, I probably had the biggest wake up call, probably about a month ago.”
On her illness:
“I had a real problem with my stomach. We actually still don’t really know what it is. So, I just think that when you’re lying on a hospital bed for two days and you’re not able to do your job that you love and be able to go to a game and miss that opportunity, it makes you take stock a little bit, so that’s what I’ve done. So yeah, I’m trying to make sure that I don’t end up back there, make sure that we find out exactly what was wrong with me so that I can continue to make myself better, but nothing super dramatic.”
On how the team has prepared for tomorrow to ensure they are starting the match with energy to set the tone and get a result:
“I think, obviously in the Gotham game, we struggled to get pressure on the ball. So, I believe that that’s always an indicator for us of how we can set the tone in a game. So, I think just getting ourselves on the front foot and making sure that we can really set the tone on both sides of the ball. Houston’s a tough place to do that because of the heat. But we have a good roster here, so whoever starts the game, even if they can’t finish it, we know we’ve got legs on the bench that can come on and take on that responsibility.”
Defender Hanna Glas
On making her Reign debut last week:
“It was amazing. It was my first time at Lumen Field, too. And yeah, I was just enjoying every moment. It was a great atmosphere. I’m just happy to be out there with these girls. And yeah, I just enjoyed the moment.”
On what the team learned from the loss against Gotham on Monday:
“Obviously, we felt like defensively, we were in a bit of bad positions and also offensively, our decision-making in the last third and the quality in the last third has to be a lot better. So, we talked about that, looked at what we’re going to do better and then hopefully, we can show it tomorrow against Houston.”
On fun traditions she has enjoyed or seen while with the Reign:
“My first away trip to LA, we played some board games in the evening, so that was kind of fun, also a good way to get to know people and stuff. Usually, the team here is very open. So, it’s been so easy for me to transition to get here. But yeah, I love board games, and I’m so happy they love it, too.”
On settling into Seattle and getting acquainted with the teammates and if she has enjoyed exploring Seattle:
“It’s been very easy. The girls and the staff have made everything so easy. They’ve been really welcoming. Since day one, I felt like I was a part of the team, which also has made it easier for me to perform out on the field as well. For the exploring part, my family is here, so I brought them to the Pike Place Market, which was really nice and we also went up the Space Needle. It was actually an amazing view. So, I feel like I’ve seen all of Seattle right now, but I have so much more I want to see.”
On the Houston Dash:
“More that we know it’s a really important game for us that’s coming up, so we’re ready to prepare to give it our all and we want to get away with three points.”