Sam Hiatt, Defender – Post-Training Press Conference • 2-10-23
Defender Sam Hiatt
On how preseason is going:
“Yeah, I think preseason is going really great so far. I think anytime you have a trip right off the bat, that’s a really good opportunity for the team to come together and really bond and coalesce and spend some good time on the road together – not even necessarily in an explicit way, I think it’s just fun when you’re in a hotel, you have team meetings and team meals, so I think that’s good, both as someone who is returning and also a good opportunity for any new players, too, to get some time with everybody. So, I think that was really great and then just shaking off the offseason, getting back into the rhythm with each other, I think that’s always, the first week, something good to get out of your system so that we can kind of start homing in our details.”
On having defender Emily Sonnett:
“It’s been awesome. She’s a great personality, on and off the field, I would say. So, just all round, it’s so great just to be able to have another amazing defender who I can learn from and play next to and play with, play against, too, in training, so she has been awesome so far. Obviously, they are all gone so we haven’t had them that much, but it has been great having her. Like I said, good to learn from on the field and always good for some fun and laughs off the field, too.”
On training at Starfire:
“Yeah, I think Starfire, it’s great being closer to Seattle and Lumen. First of all, I think that was important and definitely something that we’re already benefiting from, it’s nice to be up here and then I do think it is good to have a home base that is ours and to be able to have an extended amount of time training in one place, I think, will also be good.”
On entering her fourth year:
“Yeah, I do think it is kind of crazy that it is my fourth year. I had to stop and count going into the season. I think, being drafted in the pandemic year, definitely, that felt like it didn’t happen and honestly, every year after that has been a little bit different. So, still, I would say, learning new things but also at the same time, I have enjoyed kind of knowing what to expect and being able to turn around and maybe help some of the rookies or younger players answer any questions. I think that all the older players who were here when I was on the team did a really great job of welcoming me and helping me figure things out, so I hope that I can be that to somebody else and I enjoy being on the flip side of being someone who maybe has some of the answers instead of having all the questions and just trying to figure everything out.”
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