Pre-Match Press Conference (vs. KC) • Friday, June 9, 2023
OL Reign Pre-Match Press Conference • Friday, June 9, 2023
Head Coach Laura Harvey and Defender Sam Hiatt
Head Coach Laura Harvey
On if she has any injury updates:
“(Midfielder) Rose (Lavelle) is making really good progress, she’s back on the field now, doing parts of team training and it’s just day by day on what she can do and how her body responds. So, she’s progressing well. (Midfielder) Jess (Fishlock) will not be available tomorrow. (Midfielder) Angelina is progressing really well. (Defender) Phoebe (McClernon) is starting to get back on the field and no one else is on the injury report.”
On how important it is for her to work for an inclusive club that strongly stands by its values:
“Yeah, I think it’s really important. I think, even for myself, as someone who’s part of the gay community, I think that when I first came to Seattle and I first worked for this club, it was probably the first time I’d really felt comfortable, truly being authentically myself in and around the place that I work. So, I think that going all the way back to the first year of the league, this club set the standard on those issues, whether it be these or other social issues. I believe that that will forever be the case with this club. Yeah, we’re very inclusive, we’re very outspoken about that and we truly believe in allowing people to be their most authentic self.”
On the Kansas City Current:
“I think exactly that, really, I think you could quite easily look at just their results and think that this is going to be an easy game, but if you fall into that trap, you tend to get punished in this league. I think we expect a team that is really direct in transition, make it really difficult for you with the ball in regard to whether they’re willing to give you space. They’ve played multiple different formations, so we’re pretty prepared for what we’ve seen so far from them. They have threats on the field that can cause you a problem, too. So yeah, I think we’ve had a good week of training. We’ve had, again, some good, honest conversations about just some of the finer details after the Portland game. We want to make sure that, again, we’re very solid and hard to beat whilst being a threat going forward.”
On this being defender Lauren Barnes’ 200th appearance if she plays:
“Yeah, I mean the fact that she can get it the game after the first coach gets it in the league says a lot about who she is. She’s consistently available and consistently performs. I think her journey with this club has been legendary and will continue to be that way long after she decides to leave. I think that she definitely doesn’t get the credit she deserves. This milestone is a huge one and it’s a huge one to get first and yeah, I mean, I can’t speak highly enough of her, to be honest.”
Defender Sam Hiatt
On the defensive approach they take in games and how they’re able to find success with rotated lineups:
“I think, obviously it’s nice when you can return people from the previous year and having played together a little bit, that’s just nice to know each other’s tendencies and things like that, but at the same time, massive kudos to (defender) Shae (Holmes) and (defender Emily) Sonnett and (defender) Ryanne (Brown) and really everyone who has stepped in and played a role in the back line this year. I think that also speaks to (head coach) Laura (Harvey) and our coaching staff. I think that we have some set principles and how we want to play and how we want to defend so that when people do step into those roles, people know what’s expected of them, what their job is and then everyone’s really done a great job, like I said, when called upon in those roles to do what they need to do and do a great job. So, I think, on the one hand, we have a great coaching staff who helps us have a structure that we can build upon and then everyone individually has done a really great job of doing whatever needs to be done and really understanding the roles.”
On her role as a veteran:
“In the games where I have been maybe the oldest or have had the most experience in the back line, I just know that, maybe need to communicate a little bit more than I would or just really focus on helping everyone around me and communicating and directing as needed, kind of in the same way that I know when I stepped in – (defender Lauren Barnes) Lu would help me out. So, I really just try to be that voice and resource when I can and like I said, I think everyone, all our young players included, have done a really great job when they have been called upon, so it hasn’t been a hardship or anything. But I do think it’s something I just note to myself to, again, really focus on communicating and trying to keep our standards and help out where I can.”
On the Kansas City Current having a dangerous attack:
“As I’ve learned in this league, it doesn’t really matter where a team’s history or their past couple games or the standings because, as we’ve seen, anyone can really beat anyone on any day, which is what makes this league great. But at the same time, for me and my job specifically, like you said, they do have some really dangerous attackers, so I think for us, it’s about knowing where they are and being conscious of that, especially, I think it’s easy to lose track of them, maybe when we have the ball. So, I think just being really intentional of keeping an eye on where those players are, where’s (Current midfielder) Debinha and just knowing where they are and ready to try and react and neutralize any threats they pose if we lose the ball. So, I think just making sure that even when we have the ball, keeping an eye on them is something that we will try to focus on because again, they do have some dangerous players and even just one counter-attack is all team needs. So, being aware of that.”
On playing for an inclusive club that stands by its values:
“I’m just so honored and blessed, really, to play for a club that has values off the field that we really stick to and emphasize. I think they’ve created a culture here where we really are accepting and supportive of everyone and all people and we really believe that everyone has the right to be their authentic self. So, I just think the Pride match is an opportunity to celebrate Pride and highlight the LGBTQ community and like you said, continue to advocate for things such as protect trans kids, that’s important to us. So, like you said, I think the Reign has done a really good job across, since the beginning of the league as being known to have values that we stick to and that are important to us off the field as important to us as the players we are on the field. It’s important that we have these things that we fight for and advocate for off the field as well and the Pride match is just another opportunity for us to highlight and celebrate a community that we support.”
On if she learned anything from last week’s game against Portland Thorns FC that she will use for this game:
“Well, I think we learned a lot from the Portland game. I mean, we try to learn and grow from every game, so even win, lose, tie, there are always things that we can take with us into the next match. I think there were just little things defensively that we definitely want to work on cleaning up and tightening up moving forward and I think it’s a good learning opportunity. But at the same time, I don’t think no one’s going to dwell on it. The way this league goes is, you have a result, you’ve got to do your best to learn from that and then move on to the next. So, there are definitely things that we want to get better on that we’ll try and do better tomorrow.”
Download here: Pre-Match Press Conference (vs. KC) • Friday, June 9, 2023