Moment with Mitts
Heather Mitts, who is still rehabbing from an ACL injury, has been busy at the NSCAA Convention signing autographs for Under Armour and Women’s Professional Soccer. She took a short break to catch up with Fair Game readers.
Give us an update on the injury. You were in the mini-camp in December. Did you do any contact drills then?
I wasn’t supposed to, but I did. It’s so hard not to when you get out there. That’s the thing that I talked about with Pia. I’m not ready for China because I’m not ready to go out there and be 100%, so we thought maybe February coming into camp which I’m going to do on the 1st and hopefully make the Algarve Cup, without the brace, being 100% and going forward from there.
How are you feeling now?
Great. I’m in Philly right now doing double days. It feels like it did before, Now I know it’s just a matter of me getting out there and getting used to playing with the new players and the old players and getting game fit again.
Have you been following the Four Nations Tournament?
As well as I can. It’s hard when you’re not over there, but I know they’ve won both their games so far. Pia is going to do a great job. I know the players, I’ve talked to a lot of them, are really excited about going forward and obviously the Olympics.
What were your impressions of Pia from the four-day camp in December?
Luckily for me, she was my coach in Philly, so I knew her a little bit before hand. It was so much fun because I knew what to expect and it’s the same old Pia. It’s a completely different philosophy and I think it will be great for this US team to be able to go out there with a new coach and play a new style of soccer.
You’re here signing autographs at the Women’s Professional Soccer booth. What do you think now that it’s really official?
I’m so excited that it’s coming back. We need it. Not only for those kids looking forward to coming out of college and playing and little girls growing up, but also the fact that it’s going to help our Women’s National Team with the pool. We saw that when it went away, we didn’t have as many players that were training single everyday. I think it’s so important to the growth of women’s soccer here in the states.
The WUSA was critical to your development as a player.
I wouldn’t have been on the National Team if it weren’t for the league. It’s just so important for so many of those girls coming out of college that don’t have the means to be able to play every single day with the Women’s National Team. I’ve gotten so lucky from it and I know Shannon Boxx and Abby Wambach are the same story. You look at them and they are two of the best players on the team. It was detrimental not to have a league and I know we are all looking forward to it being back.
Comments
Heather Mitt
Supermokh
Monday January 21 2008 11:13:10 am