GoalNaton Player To Watch – Soccer Talk With Jen Hoy
Women’s Soccer News: Jen Hoy is a passionate soccer player whose dedication to the beautiful game is appreciated by coaches, players and fans alike. Picked in the 2013 NWSL College Draft by the Chicago Red Stars for the inaugural season of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Hoy has been a member of the squad since 2013. Also a member of U-23 UWNT for the 2014 Six Nations Tournament, Hoy is a forward who loves to strike the ball. After graduating from Princeton University, Hoy quickly made the jump to being a professional in a highly competitive environment. Rapidly rising Pennsylvania-born Hoy is a SoccerToday Player To Watch.
SoccerToday caught up with the twenty-five year old, 5’5″ powerhouse and discovered how this player is views the beautiful game. Here Hoy talks to Diane Scavuzzo about how the women’s soccer game has changed, what it takes to be a success as a female forward and how to recover quicker than others.
Diane Scavuzzo: How has the women’s game grown in your lifetime?
Jen Hoy: Absolutely. Visibility and support for women’s football has grown significantly over the last few decades, and participation at every level is on the rise.
When I was young I was inspired by our U.S. Women’s National team and their performance in the 1999 World Cup.
The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team had outstanding success and moved a nation, but at that time, a woman playing professionally soccer in the United States wasn’t an option because a league did not exist.
Fast forward now to 2013, my senior year of college, for the inaugural NWSL season. The NWSL succeeded the WPS which folded in 2012, and so far it has added two teams since its inception.
The growth of the game, in both the US and beyond, is a testament to the many great players who have come before, as well as to the continued success of our national team. With that said, there still is a long way to go but the future looks bright.
Diane Scavuzzo: What does it take to be successful as a female player?
Jen Hoy: Physical and mental preparation, commitment, and consistency of performance — that is what is takes to be successful.
Any player can be great in one game and then disappear the next. Having a set routine can help with being successful as a soccer player, and focusing on doing the small things with precision and intent.
Diane Scavuzzo: What advice for success would you give a youth player?
Jen Hoy: Invest in yourself and own your personal development. Set goals, do extra work, embrace the grind, and be a good teammate.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from mentors, coaches and teammates. In fact, seek out a support system and nurture those relationships.
At the same time, keep the big picture in perspective.
Diane Scavuzzo: What tips would you give for nutrition and recovery?
Jen Hoy: Properly fueling your body is key, and it is a part of your game that you can always control. You have to experiment to figure out what works best for you. The better your nutrition, the faster you recover and the harder you can work to improve your game.
Diane Scavuzzo: How do you take care of your body physically – How do you recover?
Jen Hoy: To get better, you have to train harder and smarter. To stay healthy I do maintenance exercises and foam roll as part of my recovery off the field.
On the field, it’s important to do everything you can to avoid the injuries that are so common in the game. Most injuries happen in hard challenges, so I wear G-Form shin guards to give me the best protection from hard tackles during games and training.
Diane Scavuzzo: What tips would you give around mental strength for the game?
Jen Hoy: Mental strength is what separates the good players from the great.
Believe in yourself. This belief stems from knowing that you put in your best work and you are fully prepared.
Diane Scavuzzo: Who was your role model as a young player?
Jen Hoy: Mia Hamm. She was a fierce yet humble competitor and she helped change the sport.
Here is one of my favorite quotes: “The vision of a champion is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when nobody else is looking.”
Diane Scavuzzo: What tips would you give for forwards?
Jen Hoy: Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Embrace the strengths and continue doing what you are naturally good at.
You miss 100% of the shots you do not take. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes because no one is perfect.
Create a plan to develop areas of your game that need improvement.
Diane Scavuzzo: What tips would you give for recovering from a missed penalty kick?
Jen Hoy: Ask yourself, what’s next? Mistakes happen all the time, so keep your head in the game and transition to the next play. It’s easy to be positive when things are going well. True leadership is how you respond to failure.
G-Form, a leader in athletic impact protection, added Jen Hoy, starting forward for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) to its growing list of soccer ambassadors that include Pele and Robbie Keane amongst others. As an ambassador she will wear Pro-S shin guards which are the first fully flexible, soft shin guard to meet the highest global protection standards from NOCSAE and CE.
Follow Jen Hoy on Twitter and Instagram
Photo credit: Chicago Red Stars
