Heather Mitts Feeley

Probably the first time I went out in the backyard with my brother. He was 18 months younger than me. And he was actually way better at soccer than I was from a young age. I was actually traveling overseas and doing, it's called Corber soccer. So he was going over and doing these little demonstrations. He was really technical with the ball, great with the footwork.

And so we would go out in the backyard and just have these one V one battles, you know, that would end up me most of the time, just trying to get the ball away from him. but they would, we would, you know, always end up in a fight. One of us heading home into the house.

And so we would go out in the backyard and just have these one V one battles, you know, that would end up me most of the time, just trying to get the ball away from him. but they would, we would, you know, always end up in a fight. One of us heading home into the house.

And so we would go out in the backyard and just have these one V one battles, you know, that would end up me most of the time, just trying to get the ball away from him. but they would, we would, you know, always end up in a fight. One of us heading home into the house.

Um, and I said, I basically owe my brother for the fact that not only my love of the game, but also, you know, my toughness, I was in the backyard. I was trying to get the ball away from him. Hence why I kind of probably gravitated towards a defensive position. Um, I was always small, but I was, I was always tenacious. And so, um, That's where it all began, was in the backyard.

Um, and I said, I basically owe my brother for the fact that not only my love of the game, but also, you know, my toughness, I was in the backyard. I was trying to get the ball away from him. Hence why I kind of probably gravitated towards a defensive position. Um, I was always small, but I was, I was always tenacious. And so, um, That's where it all began, was in the backyard.

Um, and I said, I basically owe my brother for the fact that not only my love of the game, but also, you know, my toughness, I was in the backyard. I was trying to get the ball away from him. Hence why I kind of probably gravitated towards a defensive position. Um, I was always small, but I was, I was always tenacious. And so, um, That's where it all began, was in the backyard.

Hard-nosed defender. That was it. That was it.

Hard-nosed defender. That was it. That was it.

Hard-nosed defender. That was it. That was it.

Yeah, I mean, I look back on my career, I had a million injuries. I was only 5'4", like 120 pounds soaking wet. So I was tiny and I was playing defense against... much bigger and stronger girls. And I was a dog, you know, I was throwing my body everywhere. So, um, you know, but I, I learned a lot about myself through those injuries. Uh, my ACL injury was probably the biggest one.

Yeah, I mean, I look back on my career, I had a million injuries. I was only 5'4", like 120 pounds soaking wet. So I was tiny and I was playing defense against... much bigger and stronger girls. And I was a dog, you know, I was throwing my body everywhere. So, um, you know, but I, I learned a lot about myself through those injuries. Uh, my ACL injury was probably the biggest one.

Yeah, I mean, I look back on my career, I had a million injuries. I was only 5'4", like 120 pounds soaking wet. So I was tiny and I was playing defense against... much bigger and stronger girls. And I was a dog, you know, I was throwing my body everywhere. So, um, you know, but I, I learned a lot about myself through those injuries. Uh, my ACL injury was probably the biggest one.

Um, you know, it, it happened at a not great time. It was right before my, what would have been my first ever women's world cup where I was starting. I was so excited to wear my ACL. I ended up going online. mistakenly and reading some of the comments when the announcement came out that I would not be playing. And some people were like, you know, she shouldn't have been starting anyway.

Um, you know, it, it happened at a not great time. It was right before my, what would have been my first ever women's world cup where I was starting. I was so excited to wear my ACL. I ended up going online. mistakenly and reading some of the comments when the announcement came out that I would not be playing. And some people were like, you know, she shouldn't have been starting anyway.

Um, you know, it, it happened at a not great time. It was right before my, what would have been my first ever women's world cup where I was starting. I was so excited to wear my ACL. I ended up going online. mistakenly and reading some of the comments when the announcement came out that I would not be playing. And some people were like, you know, she shouldn't have been starting anyway.

Uh, she'll never make it back. Uh, you know, when she's competing against these much younger, much talented players. And there's this quote, it's telling me I can't then watch you work twice. It's hard to prove you wrong. And I just kind of, that was it. You know, I just kept grinding and grinding and grinding and,

Uh, she'll never make it back. Uh, you know, when she's competing against these much younger, much talented players. And there's this quote, it's telling me I can't then watch you work twice. It's hard to prove you wrong. And I just kind of, that was it. You know, I just kept grinding and grinding and grinding and,

Uh, she'll never make it back. Uh, you know, when she's competing against these much younger, much talented players. And there's this quote, it's telling me I can't then watch you work twice. It's hard to prove you wrong. And I just kind of, that was it. You know, I just kept grinding and grinding and grinding and,

Really, that gave me an opportunity during that break to focus more on the things that I wasn't as good at to become more well-rounded. Even though it was a little bit further into my career and they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. It's not true. I started to focus on the things that needed improvement in my game.