Heather Mitts

Heather Mitts
Mitts in May 2010
Personal information
Full name Heather Blaine Mitts Feeley
Date of birth (1978-06-09) June 9, 1978
Place of birth Cincinnati, Ohio
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Playing position Defender / Right back
Youth career
1996–1999 University of Florida
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000 Tampa Bay Extreme
2001–2003 Philadelphia Charge 51 (0)
2005 Central Florida Krush 4 (0)
2009 Boston Breakers 19 (0)
2010 Philadelphia Independence 17 (0)
2011 Atlanta Beat 8 (0)
2013 Boston Breakers 0 (0)
National team‡
1999–2013 United States 137 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 28, 2009
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of December 15, 2012

Heather Mitts Feeley (born June 9, 1978), née Heather Blaine Mitts, is an American former professional soccer defender. Mitts played college soccer for the University of Florida, and thereafter, she played professionally in the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league; for the Philadelphia Charge, Boston Breakers, Philadelphia Independence and Atlanta Beat. She is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and was a member of the U.S. women's national team. She played in four matches in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the U.S. national team finished second. Mitts announced her retirement from soccer via Twitter on March 13, 2013.

Early life

Mitts was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1978 and began playing soccer at the age of six.[1][2] From 1993 to 1996, she attended St. Ursula Academy in Cincinnati, where she played high school soccer and helped the team tally a 70-5-1 record during her time with the team. During her freshman season, the team won the state title. During her junior and senior years, Mitts earned all-state honors.[1][3]

University of Florida Gators

Mitts received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and played for coach Becky Burleigh's Florida Gators women's soccer team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 1996 to 1999.[1] Mitts was part of the defensive line that helped the Gators win their first-ever NCAA Women's Soccer Championship in 1998.[1] She was named a third-team All-American in 1998 and a first-team All-American in 1999, and became the Gators' all-time record holder in appearances (95), starts (94), and minutes played (7,547).[1] She graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in advertising in 2000. She was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2013.[4][5]

Club Career

Tampa Bay Extreme, 2000

Mitts with the Independence in May 2010

Straight out of college, Mitts played for Tampa Bay Extreme of W-League in 2000 while waiting for the launch of the new Women's United Soccer Association league.[6]

Philadelphia Charge, 2001-03

Upon the WUSA's launch and inaugural season in 2001, Mitts was drafted to the Philadelphia Charge.[7] With the club, she appeared in twenty games (1,751 minutes) in the inaugural season and added two assists. Throughout her Charge career, Mitts appeared in fifty-one games (4,414 minutes) and recorded eight assists over three seasons. She was named as a WUSA All-Star in 2003.[8] Unfortunately, after the 2003 season, the WUSA ceased operations.

Central Florida Krush, 2005

Mitts returned to the W-League in 2005, playing sparingly for Central Florida Krush while splitting her time between the United States Women's National Team. She appeared in four games (360 minutes).

WPS Years, 2009–11

Heather Mitts signing autographs for fans in 2011.

Upon the introduction of Women's Professional Soccer, Mitts and fellow USWNT players Angela Hucles and Kristine Lilly were allocated to the Boston Breakers on September 16, 2008.[9] In the inaugural 2009 Women's Professional Soccer season, Mitts appeared in nineteen games (all starts, 1,631 minutes) and added an assist.[10] After the season, the Boston Breakers declared Mitts a free agent.

On October 14, 2009, Mitts signed with 2010 WPS expansion team Philadelphia Independence, marking her return to play professional soccer in Philadelphia following the demise of the WUSA's Philadelphia Charge.[10]

In January 2011, Mitts signed with the Atlanta Beat and played right defensive back during the 2011 season.[11]

NWSL, 2013

In 2013, Mitts was allocated to Boston Breakers in the new National Women's Soccer League; however, she retired before the start of the season.[12]

International Career

Mitts is a three-time Olympic gold-medalist as a member of the U.S. National Women's team in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Summer Olympics and has represented the United States in over 100 international matches. She was also a member of the U.S. national team who finished second in the 2006 Algarve Cup.[10]

On May 12, 2007, Mitts tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in an international friendly match with Canada. The injury put Mitts out of contention for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.[13]

On May 9, 2011, Mitts was named to the U.S. roster for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup tournament in Germany.[14] She was on the United States women's soccer team roster for the 2012 London Olympics, and played all 90 minutes of the match against Colombia in group stage.[15]

On March 13, 2013, Mitts officially announced her retirement from the national team as well as the Breakers. She will now serve as sideline reporter for Philadelphia Union games and has become a team ambassador.[16]

Career statistics

International goals

Mitts scored 2 goals in international matches, which are both game winners.

Date Location Opponent Lineup Min Assist/pass Score Result Competition
1 Jul 3, 2004[17] Nashville TN  Canada Start 73 Shannon Boxx

5150.01005 1–0

5150.01005 1–0

Friendly
2 Sep 25, 2004[18] Rochester NY  Iceland

on 46' (off Reddick)

 93+ Julie Foudy

5150.04005 4–3

5150.04005 4–3

Friendly

Personal life

Mitts is known for her athletic ability and her looks, and as a result, has delved into the world of modeling. In 2001, Mitts was voted as the sexiest player in the WUSA on Playboy Online. In addition, she appeared on the cover of Philadelphia magazine in June 2002 as one of the city's "Sexiest Singles." In 2004, she was voted ESPN.com’s "Hottest Female Athlete". She also appeared in the 2005 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[19]

Mitts has held a number of television commentary jobs. She has served as a studio soccer analyst for ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 during the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup and was a sideline reporter for several MLS broadcasts in 2005. In addition to soccer, she also was a sideline reporter for American college football during the 2005 fall for ESPN.[10]

After several years of an on-again-off-again relationship,[20] Mitts married NFL quarterback A. J. Feeley in February 2010.[21] Feeley and Mitts welcomed a son, Connor, in 2014.[22] Mitts and Feeley also welcomed a daughter, Blake Harper, in spring 2016.

Mitts runs a soccer camp every year throughout the United States in which she teaches the basics of soccer including: dribbling, juggling, foot-skills, passing, receiving. These are one-day soccer camps that teach children to grasp the fundamentals of soccer and allow them to continue their growth and understanding of the sport.[23]

Honors

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 GatorZone.com, Soccer History, 1999 Roster, Heather Mitts. Retrieved May 3, 2011.
  2. ↑ "An Interview with All-Star Soccer Player Heather Mitts!". Grrl Athlete. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  3. ↑ Gordon, LeLand (June 28, 2011). "Where the U.S. Women's World Cup players went to high school". CBS Sports. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  4. ↑ F Club, Hall of Fame, Gator Greats. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  5. ↑ "9 UF Greats Join Hall Archived September 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.," The Gainesville Sun (September 10, 2012). Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Catch up with the Gators in 2010 Women's Professional Soccer". University of Florida. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  7. ↑ "2003 Philadelphia Charge Roster". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Heather Mitts bio". Heather Mitts. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Welcome Back: Lilly, Hucles Return to Boston". Soccer New England. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Heather Mitts bio". US Soccer. Archived from the original on November 20, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Independence trade Heather Mitts to Atlanta". Philly.com. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  12. ↑ "U.S. Women's National Team Defender Heather Mitts Retires". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Defender Heather Mitts Tears ACL, Will Miss 2007 Women's World Cup". US Soccer. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Hope Solo back for Women's World Cup," ESPN.com (May 9, 2011). Retrieved May 9, 2011.
  15. ↑ "USA Women's Olympic Soccer Team: Grading Every Member of the USWNT so Far". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Heather Mitts retires from soccer, will join Philadelphia Union's TV broadcast team".
  17. ↑ "Mitts Goal Leads U.S. Women to 1–0 Victory Over Canada". U.S.Soccer.
  18. ↑ "Hometown Hero Wambach Scores Twice as U.S. Escapes Rochester with Dramatic 4–3 Win Over Iceland in". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on April 27, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Athletes Archived June 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.," Sports Illustrated (February 18, 2005). Retrieved May 9, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Wedding bells for A. J. Feeley and Heather Mitts," Philadelphia Inquirer (February 11, 2010). Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  21. ↑ Marc Narducci, "Busy schedule pleases Indy's Mitts," Philadelphia Inquirer (March 13, 2010). Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  22. ↑ "AJ Feeley, Heather Mitts welcome son". Philly.com. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Top 12 Hottest Female Soccer Players to Grace the Field". ysone.com. Retrieved March 3, 2015.

Further reading

  • Grainey, Timothy (2012), Beyond Bend It Like Beckham: The Global Phenomenon of Women's Soccer, University of Nebraska Press, ISBN 0803240368
  • Kassouf, Jeff (2011), Girls Play to Win Soccer, Norwood House Press, ISBN 1599534649
  • Lisi, Clemente A. (2010), The U.S. Women's Soccer Team: An American Success Story, Scarecrow Press, ISBN 0810874164
  • Longman, Jere (2009), The Girls of Summer: The U.S. Women's Soccer Team and How it Changed the World, HarperCollins, ISBN 0061877689
  • Stevens, Dakota (2011), A Look at the Women's Professional Soccer Including the Soccer Associations, Teams, Players, Awards, and More, BiblioBazaar, ISBN 1241047464
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