A young generation of players learned that their dreams of playing professional soccer were achievable by watching Tobin Heath.
At a time when professional women’s soccer was still finding its way, Heath wasn’t just someone they watched on television. Young athletes across the world hung posters of her on the walls of their childhood bedrooms and wore her jerseys to practice, and her highlight reels played on repeat.
Similarly, Heath was that young athlete at one point too, where she grew up idolizing players like Brandi Chastain, known for her electric celebration after scoring the game-winning penalty kick to defeat China in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup final.
Most recently at the USWNT’s SheBelieves Cup final against Colombia in Harrison, N.J. where Heath’s career was honored, she carried around a white Nike soccer ball.
“I was at my sister’s house in New Jersey, and this was lying on the floor when I was heading out, and this actually lived on my bedside table growing up…,” Heath told reporters before the SheBelieves Cup final. “After ‘99 I’m sure somebody had gone to some type of event that Brandi [Chastain] was at and got it for me. And my whole room was a shrine to football. But this particular ball, it sat on my bedside, and every night before I went to sleep, I would look at it and it says, ‘To Tobin’ and obviously signed by Brandi.
And it’s the significance of, the ‘99 team … inspired my generation like crazy. I watched them growing up just around the corner from here. And for me, this is the impact that, young girls have coming to games like this and just the impact that those generations had. I will always say, ‘15 [and] ‘19 doesn’t happen unless ‘99 happens… the ‘99 team will always play a big role in my inspiration for that.”
When Heath heard that Chastain was going to be attending the game, she knew she had to bring it to get it signed for a second time.
Heath is hoping some young players will have the same experience when they meet her or their favorite athlete.
“This is what women’s sports is all about … showing that representation,” Heath said. “But also making it so accessible that you cannot deny that it’s there and it’s not hard to get into and to watch and to support. So I love any type of version of signed balls, stuff like that, because those were inspirations … ”
Heath aspired to continue being like other professional soccer players and make an impact of her own on the rising youth, even after retiring from the sport she loves.
Tobin’s shrine
Over time, as more professional opportunities expanded for women’s soccer, the influence of players like Heath has only grown larger. Known for her “magician” style of play with elite technical ability, quick footwork and creative playmaking, Heath helped redefine what was possible on the field for those who grew up watching her on the United States women’s national soccer team and in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Men’s sports have been accessible for a long time now, making it easy to forget that women’s sports, and soccer in particular, haven’t been solvent in this country for that long. The NWSL has only existed since 2013, while Major League Soccer (MLS) held is inaugural season in 1996.
Exposure for young girls wasnt always a thing, and Heath knows that from being the kid that had to search the deep dark web to watch soccer.
“And we know how much money goes into selling sports, and especially men’s sports, and how accessible it is to get a kid any kind of merchandise for men’s sports. It’s basically just thrown at you from every corner,” Heath said. “You see it on every TV. Men’s sports doesn’t need any help creating interest for the next generation. There’s inspiration everywhere. But for women’s sports, we had to claw our way to get a tiny piece of wall space in anybody’s room, because of the lack of accessibility, lack of goods, the lack of everything.”
The impression that Heath has made doesn’t stop there. She has also had an influence on some of her younger former teammates during her career. She even impacted fellow teammate and current national team defender Emily Sonnett, whom she played with in the NWSL and on the USWNT.
“I actually, I played with Tobin [Heath] in Portland for four years, and then I think she really helped me transition to the national team,” Sonnett told reporters before the SheBelieves Cup final. “She’s someone who is so competitive but has this soft spot for people to be like, ‘Hey, you’re going to be really good. How do we get you there?’ She’s always giving great advice … She’s just incredible on the ball but the joy that she has when she plays, I think is infectious. And [I] loved playing with her, and [I] miss playing with her.”
New Jersey ties
Heath grew up in Basking Ridge, N.J. where she first began playing soccer. Her skills eventually landed her at the University of North Carolina, where she played four seasons with the Tar Heels, leading them to four consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) titles and three national championships.
With New Jersey and her alma mater close to her heart, Heath wants to be a part of youth development, stating that she is “obsessed with every part of this game,” especially the part that helps young players flourish.
“And one of the first things I do when I see any of the even, like … the new U16 U.S. Nationals Team rosters, I always love to see if there’s a kid from New Jersey on it,” Heath said. ” … Because for me, I’m like, ‘okay, they’re doing what they need to be doing,’ in terms of having players on the roster.”
“And I always, similar to whenever there’s a UNC player, there’s an automatic bond in terms of, an understanding of being in that kind of culture,” Heath continued. “I think the same is true in Jersey, the Jersey girls get each other, they understand each other. There’s a lot of pride playing for Jersey … I’ll always root for the Jersey girls.”
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Growing up, Heath was greatly impacted by her youth coaches, whom she still considers some of the best coaches that she ever played for throughout her entire career.
“They allowed me to be creative and enjoy the game,” Heath explained. “I think the most important thing when you’re a kid is creating an environment that is positive and safe and enjoying.”
“And I was actually watching my nephew’s basketball game, he’s 11 years old, and it kind of made me emotional, because you realize how important those insignificant moments are [in] youth sports, but how also the way that you talk to these kids and you encourage them, it’s so much more important than the actual thing that they’re doing to make them believe and to make them have fun,” she continued. “I love the game, but I also had people that made it really fun.”
Emma Hayes weighs in
Head coach, Emma Hayes was asked about what she’s most proud of about her current team in relation to growing the women’s game, and in reference to what Heath has done and continues to do.
“To be honest, it’s all of it … It’s not just competing and winning, but it’s the responsibilities that come with it and showing up with that,” Hayes said.
Hayes then segued to a story about a young fan named Joy. Joy was outside of the stadium one day with a card with Rose Lavelle’s name on it, and Hayes spotted her and invited her onto the player bus to give her a memory she’d never forget.
“And she got on the bus, and she was overwhelmed with emotion,” Hayes said. “We drove into the stadium, we all got off, and she met her hero, Rose [Lavelle], and she was in tears, and her dad sent me an email saying, ‘You have no idea what that means to that person.’”
And as I say to the players all the time, it’s the smallest things, the smallest things, that make the biggest difference. And this means a lot to this country. Lean into it. Lean into our fans. Lean into what that means in the community, and I always say I want us to be a team that everyone loves. Because as much as you can come in here and ask me lots of questions about a myriad of different things, I think there’s a lot of hate and a lot of negative stuff happening. But I can control this one, and I can control an environment to give it joy and happiness and share these things with each other and with the fans.”
Heath’s impact won’t stop
Heath will continue to be one of those players that future generations will talk about forever. Her impact has made a difference in so many people’s lives and her desire to continue to connect with fans has left a huge effect.
“It’s incredible! I think being able to celebrate is a huge part, continuing to amplify our history,” Heath said. “I think history is really important, especially because we, my generation, the generations before me, we participated at a time where we didn’t have the kind of exposure that exists today for women’s sports. And it’s really important that we continue to remind everyone the history of all of women’s sports, so that we can remember. Because that was happening, women’s sports was happening before everybody was aware of it. So it’s really important that we unearth these stories and the storytelling of our past, because those are all people that laid the foundation for us all to be here today. So that’s a big part of what I’m into, is actually celebrating the past and continuing to teach, the current, present and the future.”
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I’m surprised Tobin Heath didn’t mention Anson Dorrance.