On this week’s United Soccer Coaches Podcast, presented by LeagueApps, Host Dean Linke is joined by U.S. Deaf Women’s National Team Captain and United Soccer Coaches Disabilities Allies Coaches Community Chair Kate Ward, in addition to U.S. Deaf Women’s National Team Head Coach Amy Griffin and Assistant Coach Joy Fawcett.
Vote for Kate Ward in the ESPY category of Best Athlete with a Disability, Women’s Sports, by clicking here.
Podcast Introduction
Welcome to the United Soccer Coaches Podcast, presented by League Apps. League Apps is the leading youth sports management platform providing organizations with the technology and professional development they need to run, grow and win on a mission to bring the benefits of sport to kids everywhere they go beyond technology to provide leaders with professional development and relationship building, and to work with sports-based organizations to address issues of accessibility and equality. To learn more, find them at leagueapps.com or as LeagueApps on all of the social networks. Now, here’s the host of the show, longtime soccer broadcaster and voice of United Soccer Coaches, Dean Linke.
Dean Linke
July is Disability Pride Month, an important month in the history of disability rights. Ever since President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law in 1990, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Disability Pride Month is a time to celebrate the pride people with disabilities have in themselves and their many successes and contributions to our workforce and community. Disability spans all races, genders, ages, socioeconomic status, religions and geographic regions, and Disability Pride Month is also an opportunity to celebrate people’s disabilities and their overlapping identities. At United Soccer Coaches, we are certainly very proud of Kate Ward, who has been the only chair of its Disabilities Allies Community that was started in 2017. Ward, a member of the United States Deaf Soccer Women’s National Team who won her fifth career gold medal earlier this year when the US took top honors at the Deaflympics in Brazil. Ward has claimed three gold in the Deaflympics and two in the Deaf World Cup. She has been an active member of the national team since 2009, when she was 15, and she hopes she can play in the rescheduled Deaf World Cup, expected to be held next spring or summer in South Korea.
Dean Linke
In addition, Kate, a former member of the United Soccer Coach’s 30 under 30 class, is an assistant coach for the UTEP women’s soccer team. She is the Women’s Vice President for the USA Deaf Soccer Association, a key part of the US Disability Soccer Committee, and she is working with FIFA right now, developing a blueprint for other soccer governing bodies to create a disability national team. It is a FIFA disability working group that can and will make a major impact.
Dean Linke
And because of her tireless work, plus her role as a longtime member of the USA Deaf Women’s National Team, the ESPY Awards announced in late June that Kate Ward has been named a finalist for the ESPY for Best Athlete with a Disability, Women Sports. Fans can cast their votes now and tune into the ESPYs on ABC on July 20th at 08:00 P.M. Eastern Time. Voting ends July 17th, so on behalf of Kate and United Soccer Coaches, let’s do our part and vote for Kate. The exact link will be included in the promotion of this podcast, but I will also mention it now. Simply go to www.espn.com/espys and scroll until you find the espy for Best Athlete with a Disability, Women’s Sports.
Dean Linke
When Kate was just three years old, her parents found out that she was deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other. She originally started with hearing aids until she was six years old. At the age of six, Kate lost all of the remaining ability to hear that she had, leading her to receive an implant. According to Kate, and I quote, “It is an implant that basically stimulates hearing, but not the same way that most people can hear. It has allowed me into the hearing world,” end quote. Kate is hearing, and we, all of us, are listening when she speaks. Kate Ward reminded me a few weeks ago that her United Soccer Coach’s Disability Awareness Week is July 18 through 22. Be sure to follow all of the activities Kate has planned for the United Soccer Coaches Disability Awareness Week on UnitedSoccerCoaches.org. However, because of all the amazing work Kate is doing, the United Soccer Coaches Podcast is dedicating the entire month to the United Soccer Coaches Disability Allies community.
Dean Linke
That includes Kate Ward and some amazing guests, including the two that will join Kate in today’s first show in the month of July. Those two guests include the head coach of the USA Deaf Women’s National Team, Amy Griffin, who was a member of the 1991 USA World Championship Team, former longtime assistant coach for the University of Washington Women’s Team, former president and active member of the Girls Academy League with United Soccer Coaches legend Leslie Gallimore, who she also coached with at Washington. And Amy is also the current Technical Director at the OL Reign Academy and a mom to two wonderful sons. Our other guest today is Joy Fawcett, the assistant coach of the USA Deaf Women’s National Team, who earned 241 caps with the US. Women’s National Team and retired from the Women’s National Team in 2004 as the highest scoring defender for the US. Women’s National Team. She has won two Olympic gold medals and two World Cup titles. And Joy Fawcett was elected for induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2009. She was in the movie Soccer Mom as herself. Check that out. One of the greatest defenders the USA has ever produced, and like Amy, a proud mom with three amazing daughters and some grandchildren as well. Like I said, when Kate Ward speaks, we listen any way we can. Anyway we know how to, and we respond. Today’s show, dedicated 100%, all of it to Disability Pride Month and to the United Soccer Coaches Disability Allies Community featuring Kate ward, Amy Griffin, and Joy Fawcett. And it all starts after this message from the presenting sponsor of the United Soccer Coaches Podcast, League Apps.
Podcast Introduction
We bet you didn’t get into this business for the back office duties. That’s why we created League Apps, the industry’s leading youth sports management platform, so you can spend less time with busy work and more time doing what you love. League Apps provides organizations with the technology and professional development they need to run, grow, and win. Go to leagueapps.com to learn more. League Apps is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the United Soccer Coaches Podcast.
Podcast Introduction
Welcome back to the United Soccer Coaches Podcast, presented by League Apps. Once again, here’s the host of the show, Dean Linke.
Dean Linke
This is the United Soccer Coaches Podcast. It is presented by League Apps, and I am Dean Linke. And as you just heard in my extended open, July is Disability Pride Month. And on behalf of United Soccer Coaches, United Soccer Coaches Podcast is dedicating at least one guest every week in July, including this first one with the aforementioned Joy Fawcett, Amy Griffin, and the amazing Kate Ward. With that, I’d like to welcome in Kate first. She’s nominated for an ESPY, as I mentioned in the open, we’ll have more on that, but let me say hello and thank you, Kate Ward. Kate, welcome again to the United Soccer Coaches Podcast.
Kate Ward
Yeah, thanks. I’m excited to be here.
Dean Linke
Well, and you are wearing another gold medal, as I think you’re a five time world champion, a three time Olympian, and two World Cup champion. Do I have that right, Kate?
Kate Ward
Yes, sir, that’s correct.
Dean Linke
That’s incredible. And you were just nominated for an ESPY for an athlete with a disability in women’s sports, the ESPYs will be on July 20. Voting closes really soon on July 17th. So can you just talk about what an honor that is and how people can vote for you?
Kate Ward
Yeah, for sure. It’s super cool. Very unexpected, kind of surreal. I feel like when I sit down and think about it, I’m like, oh, yeah, that’s really super cool. To have this opportunity and to be associated with the other nominees. You can vote online. There’s a link. You can just Google ESPYs voting, and you can vote from there.
Dean Linke
All right. You just won the Olympics. That was canceled a couple of times. It was down in Brazil. You won in May. You knocked off Poland in penalty kicks. You were led by your head coach, Amy Griffin, who was a member of that 1991 World Championship team, along with the US. Soccer Hall of Famer Joy Fawcett, her assistant coach. And lo and behold, I am so delighted to kind of go back in time for me with Amy Griffin and Joy Faucet, two absolute legends of the game. Amy, and Joy. Welcome to the United Soccer Coaches Podcast.
Amy Griffin
Yeah, thanks for having us. We’re excited.
Dean Linke
Well, Amy, let’s start with winning another Olympic gold medal. It took a little bit of time because of COVID, but you went down to Brazil, and with great players like Kate Ward, you made it happen. It wasn’t easy. It went to penalty kicks, but you won another gold medal. Can you put into words what that means?
Amy Griffin
Honestly, it was a ton of fun, a lot more difficult than everyone would probably assume. My visual is everyone sort of hanging on one penalty kick, and then the next thing I know is everyone is dogpiling. And rarely does the team get the opportunity to be together. But get the opportunity to be together, to be recognized for that moment in time is the best in the world. To have that moment, to just celebrate. Not many people get that experience. And for me to have the opportunity to be there for that was awesome.
Dean Linke
Another Deaflympics gold medal for the USA Women’s Deaf Team. You can learn more, by the way, by going to USADeafSoccer.com. We’ll have more on that as we’re kicking off the entire month of July, Disability Awareness Month.
Dean Linke
And Joy Fawcett, you were arguably one of the greatest players I ever got to see. In fact, just to let everybody know, my first camp as an intern with US. Soccer was out in Santa Barbara with Anson Dorrance and the amazing ’91 team. Amy was there, Joy was there. And Joy, you think about full circle. We just talked about the fact that you’ve got three girls over 20 and everything else, but you are a winner then, you’re a winner now. How does it feel to win as an assistant coach for USA Deaf Soccer? Win an Olympic gold?
Joy Fawcett
I’m mean, they were awesome. Gosh, what an amazing team. And it’s way more stressful coaching than playing.
Dean Linke
It really is, right?
Joy Fawcett
Yeah, it’s just hard to sit there and watch, but they were amazing. They were focused, they just fought. It was a battle, and they were amazing. So it was so much fun to watch.
Dean Linke
Can you put into words Amy and then Joy can back it up. It’s the Deaflympics, so you’re dealing with some people that really haven’t been able to hear very well their entire life, some people that weren’t able to hear after a few years, some people that just recently it happened to where they’re not able to hear. I mean, just incredible willpower, strength, fortitude. All the adjectives are there, Amy, but can you break it down? What it’s like working with these incredible women?
Amy Griffin
Well, I’ve learned a ton from them. I’ve become a better coach and a better person because of their patience and their ability to find a way to communicate and find a way to make it work. So you’re right. There’s very few people that can easily communicate with everybody on the team. And a lot of people would maybe have a short fuse or really get frustrated, and I’m sure they do. I’m sure we all do at some point. But the goal is teamwork, basically. And you can’t have teamwork without everyone bending a little bit. And so I think it’s a really good example of how the world should process people. Right. You find a way to make it work and you find a way to listen, and whatever that means to you, whatever listening means to you to make sure that you’ve been heard, that’s what this team does the best. And it’s hilarious that I’m saying that because they’re deaf, but it’s awesome.
Joy Fawcett
Working with this team, it’s been amazing. Just the patience they have for us, the awareness they brought to me, and it’s right, Amy says there’s a lot of difference within this deaf culture, and being able to learn all the differences and helping me become more aware and they were super patient with me and I love to learn. And they were so great at being able to teach, being patient with the ASL and learning how to communicate. Like Amy said, it wasn’t the same with every player. It was different. They were really patient in helping us, making sure that we did a good job. They wanted to learn the game. So it was really cool to see.
Dean Linke
The USA Deaf women’s soccer team winning another gold medal. They’ve also won several World Cups as well. They’ve got another World Cup gearing up. And Amy, have you thought about who you are going to ask to be your assistant coach? I mean, you’ve got a hall of Famer in Joy. Can you just talk about that relationship and why you knew it was going to be the perfect fit?
Amy Griffin
She’s a sucker. I knew that. No, absolutely the perfect fit. And I think the staff has to be a team within the team. And I’ve never had a better teammate than Joy in crucial situations, in pressure situations and people that are willing to. Like you said, we have a variety of levels and experiences on this team. We have someone who’s a teenager and someone who’s 41 years old. And I remember how Joy accepted the new kids on the team, on the national team, and how she made me a better player. I’m no Joy Fawcett, right? I’m no Mia Hamm, but I am Amy Griffin and I found a way to succeed with help of Joy and she made it fun and honest to gosh. That was probably the home run, was who was going to help me maximize my fun. And people think I’ve donated a lot of time and I’m really unselfish and that’s not the case at all. I’m extremely selfish and I want have fun. I want to win, I want to have fun. And so who wouldn’t want Joy as a teammate on board having that experience together?
Dean Linke
Amy, as long as I’ve known you, you’ve always had fun. And then more recently, the more I hear you speak, the more you really capture the attention of everybody. You’re funny, too, by the way, so it makes sense that you want to have fun. And so, Kate, I’ll go to you. I know you as somebody that just got nominated for an ESPY, somebody that’s working with FIFA, we’re going to get more into that. But what is it like having these two superstars from U.S. Soccer, being your coach and assistant coach?
Kate Ward
They’re the best. Like, I could honestly talk about how cool they are all day. They’re super funny. They have taught me so much as a person, as a leader, as a coach, as a player, like all of the above. Our team absolutely adores them, so they better stick around as long as possible. I’m going to say that in public, but it’s been one of the best experiences ever. Getting to learn from them.
Dean Linke
Here with Kate Ward, Amy Griffin and Joy Fawcett as the USA Women’s Deaf National Team just won another Deaflympics and they’re gearing up for a World Cup that had to be postponed several times because of COVID. Amy, remind me when the next World Cup is and where it’s going to be. I think it’s in South Korea. Right?
Amy Griffin
South Korea. And I’ve actually heard two different dates. I’ve heard May and July. Kate do you have anything to help us solve that? The website says May. This is where we are with things. The US Deaf Soccer organization is much more organized than the organizations above us, thanks to Kate and others.
Dean Linke
Well, thanks to Kate and to learn more, USA Desk Soccer Association, by the way, is a nonprofit 501c3 organization. They provide competitive national soccer teams for men, women and children. If you’re interested in supporting the USA DSA, please do that. Just go to USADeafSoccer.com and you can make it happen. Click the button to fulfill all questions and comments you have for USA Deaf Soccer and they will get back to you.
Dean Linke
We’re going to take a break. This entire month is dedicated to the United Soccer Coaches Disability Allies Community, and we’re going to make sure everybody is aware of these incredible human beings. We’ll have so many great guests, including Kate, Joy and Amy. More on the United Soccer Coaches Podcast presented by League Apps right after this.
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Dean Linke
Welcome back to the United Soccer Coaches Podcast, presented by League Apps. We’re kicking off the show. Kicking off the month. Celebrating July is Disability Pride Month across the United States. Kate Ward has been the only chair of the Disability Allies Community. She started that in 2017 while she was still playing for the USA Deaf Women’s National Team. While she was an assistant coach at UTP. Now while she’s working with FIFA as she’s creating a blueprint for creating disability national teams, an incredible FIFA disability working group. She’s also on the US Soccer Disability committee. I mean Amy, Kate Ward, she’s got to win this ESPY. She deserves it.
Amy Griffin
I agree. The team has been so successful because of people like Kate, and I mean, because we’re not funded, it’s not like we’re having all these training camps. It’s exactly where we were when we met you at Santa Barbara. There was a couple of camps a year and basically the communication and the expectations and accountability and paperwork, everything is done by Kate’s leadership and the people that she has in her circle. So, yeah, I think it would be zero fun to try to compete at the world stage and be on the board of so many things. I think sometimes she wears the weight of all of those roles and responsibilities on her shoulders and other players just go focus on playing and winning. And I don’t know how she does it. She does a very good job at it. I honestly think she’s more than deserving. I want everyone to cast their votes.
Dean Linke
Yeah, I already voted. Kate, I voted for you automatically, and I wish I had a bigger friend base to help you get there, but hopefully Joy and Amy’s friends will also vote as well. Kate, when you hear Amy talking about those things, I guess the question is, how do you do it? How do you do all of this Kate?
Kate Ward
Well, I have a really supportive group of people, and Amy and Joy are always going to be like, well, we don’t do much. But the truth is, there’s a lot of people who do a lot, and over the years, they’ve taught me a lot about kind of letting some of that weight go and having more fun. So I certainly have learned how to balance more through them. But, yeah, I have a lot of very supportive people in my life. I’m within this organization who do a lot of the work, too, and for some reason, I get a lot of the credit when I don’t necessarily always deserve it. There’s a lot of people who do a lot of things well.
Dean Linke
With that credit, you also get another gold medal and hopefully another World Cup. So, Amy and Joy, just so you know, I was doing a little bit of recruiting before you got on there. I was pushing for Kate Ward to be on that World Cup roster. Is that okay?
Amy Griffin
Yeah, because I’m sure the dates don’t coincide. So 100%.
Dean Linke
All right, Kate, so you got to get ready, indeed. Joy, when I think about this Olympic gold and knowing that you also want two as a player, you said that it’s actually than easier as a player then as a coach, but at the same time, it’s still another gold medal. So adding to your gold medal collection certainly doesn’t hurt, right?
Joy Fawcett
Oh, no. Definitely want to go for the gold. Always. That’s the intent, which is fun. As long as it’s still fun, you’ll stay in the game. So that’s what these guys make it with the players, they’re awesome. The effort that they put in and just to see the growth in Kate and other players from the time we came out and started a coaching so now is huge. I mean, to see the confidence off the field is awesome. So I’m really proud of all that she’s done and the organization would not be where it is without her and the other players that have stepped up to make it happen.
Dean Linke
Big picture. Obviously, Kate, it’s easy to talk about the fact that we’ve got US Soccer World Champions and Hall of Famers and all the things you’re doing, but at the end of the day, it’s about creating opportunities for people that sometimes wouldn’t get them, people with disabilities. Big picture. How does that move your heart and how does that excite you and all you do?
Kate Ward
Yeah, that’s why I’m so involved. Playing part is super fun and I enjoy it a lot. Obviously, getting to play with people who are just like me, that’s one of the most special things ever. But this team is so much more than that. And I think that one of my favorite parts is getting to be a role model for young girls who are growing up like I did and to continue to grow the sport and make it accessible and inclusive for everyone, that’s the goal. And seeing this next generation of players come in and get to compete at this Deaflympics and seeing the friendships that they’ve made and to see what this team has meant to them and to see their growth as deaf people has been the coolest thing I ever could ask for as my career kind of comes to a close. So, yeah, it’s about making it accessible and inclusive for everyone, both within the team and around the country for every environment.
Dean Linke
You’re hearing the wonderful voice of Kate Ward, who has been the only chair of the Disability Allies community started in 2017. Again, you can learn more by going to USADeafSoccer.com and we’ll have other guests throughout this month as we dedicate the entire month to the Disability Allies Community. Kate Ward and the gang. She’s joined by Amy Griffin, the head coach of the USA Deaf Team that just won another Gold medal, and US Soccer Hall of Famer Joy Fawcett, who is her assistant coach. Amy and Joy, you talked earlier about how neat it is watching this team communicate. Can you put into words the different ways that they do communicate with each other? Can you describe that?
Joy Fawcett
Well, the players communicate with Kate with sign language and ASL. And just look at their faces, facial expressions, some lip reading.
Amy Griffin
It’s just a combination of everything. And I think there are a lot of times that the information isn’t received, and I think I’m more respectful of that, even where they have to go do the job in the middle of the game, right? So how unnerving must it be when you’re like, you know what? I didn’t get it, but I got to go do something. I can’t just wait for an answer. And so I think I’ve always underestimated the power of clear communication, and it doesn’t happen. And so I think you have to come to training. I think people are always intrigued if you just walk by and you’re like, Oh, cool, that’s a deaf team. But if you sit and watch for longer than ten minutes and you see how some problems you cannot solve one, some problems you have to solve in a much different way, and just how everyone does find a way to make it work. And that doesn’t mean that we’re all on the same page sometimes. It means that we have to make the most of where we are in the moment after moment after moment after moment.
Dean Linke
That’s Amy Griffin, the Technical Director at Ol Reign Academy, the President of the Girls Academy, and the head coach of the USA Deaf Women’s National Team that just won yet another Deaflympics. Kate, can you break down that question a little bit? And particularly, I would love to know how it works, like pre-game with the pre-game plan and how things are set up. I mean, do Amy and Joy, do they have translators? Do they sign? How does that all work?
Kate Ward
Yeah, so our team communicates in a variety of different ways. I think everyone comes from different backgrounds, different experiences as deaf people. Some people were hearing devices, some don’t. Some signs, some don’t. So it’s really important that we find a way to make that work. And I think it’s been really interesting to watch how Amy and Joy have kind of learned that and developed their coaching plans to say those things.
Kate Ward
So we do have two interpreters who help with that. But I also think it’s interesting to see how thought out Amy and Joy are with communicating coaching points for practice sessions, like those are always printed out beforehand so we know what’s going on. In meetings, they’re very thoughtful about how they write things down and present them to us. So that’s something I’ve learned from them as coaches, too. There’s a lot of thought put in to that. Obviously, as a coach, you already think about those things a lot, but then when you have to add in the extra layer of communication, that gets a little bit more complicated. So it’s interesting, for sure.
Joy Fawcett
It didn’t start off that way.
Amy Griffin
Honestly, it wasn’t until we kept trying to make signs that people could see across the field and they didn’t really stick, and they just started to stick. I think this is the biggest thing about the Disability Allies. The biggest thing I’ve learned and how ignorant I have been was asking the deaf people what works for them. And I know that sounds I’m embarrassed to say that, but when you quit trying to grab people and put them into your world and you lean into theirs. I’ll remember the practice where how would you say pressure, pressure in one direction, and it might not be a sign in real ASL, but it’s something that’s very clear to everyone when you’re saying it out on the soccer field, which is why it’s important to have interpreters that know the game. So that they can help describe what we’re trying to say versus the words, it’s more the story behind the words or the element that we’re trying to get across. So I think that’s the most interesting part is a deaf person might come into the practice and have no idea what’s going on because they haven’t been in our deaf team and how we’ve decided to solve some problems. They would have to learn that.
Dean Linke
What a great answer, Kate, you just heard that. And when Amy Griffin says she’s going to lean into something, I think it’s worth listening to. That’s fascinating. You can see her leaning in, right, Kate?
Kate Ward
Amy definitely gives her all to everything, and she’s given so much, this team, so that’s been very special for us to have.
Dean Linke
Now, Amy and Joy. It’s not like you’re in every meeting with United Soccer Coaches, but you’ve been around it long enough. Amy, I know you gave a great speech at the last convention. People are still talking about it as one of the greatest speeches ever. And you know that that organization just like USA Deaf Soccer. They really do open their arms to everybody, and I feel like the support they’ve given Kate has been phenomenal. Can you echo those sentiments?
Amy Griffin
At the last convention, I think I was riding up the elevator with Lesle Gallimore and Haley Carter and Janet Rayfield, and we were looking around at the women coaches that were there and the diverse number of coaches that were in and around the convention hall. And I literally said, where would we be right now without United Soccer Coaches? Like, where would we be? What opportunities would we have? And would we be seeing the people that we’re seeing now? Because I’ve felt they have supported me in a variety of ways and everyone that I know in a variety of ways. So I owe a lot to United Soccer Coaches, honestly. And what they continue to try to do to celebrate and seek out new ways to support coaches and players at all levels in all areas is incredible.
Dean Linke
Amy Griffin, Joy Fawcett, Kate Ward. Kate Ward is the Disability Allies Chair for United Soccer Coaches. July is Disability Awareness Month across the United States. Because of that, every single week of July, as part of the United Soccer Coaches Podcast, Kate Ward will have a special guest for us. We kick it off with Kate Ward. In fact, Amy Griffin and Joy Fawcett. I want to remind you that Kate Ward has just been nominated for an athlete with a disability in women’s sports ESPY. Everyone wants an ESPY. That will be on July 20th. Joy, I reminded Kate before we started that potentially it could mean that she’s got to get out the fancy dress and the makeup and the earrings and all that stuff. That’s a big deal, the ESPSYs. You know that, right?
Joy Fawcett
Yeah, I’ve been to one and it wasn’t my favorite part, but it’s a fun night anyway, so pull it all out. Pull it all out or just go in your sweats. It doesn’t matter if you win it.
Dean Linke
Kate, have you thought about if you do go I know they haven’t totally decided based on COVID restrictions. Have you thought about your get up?
Kate Ward
Not really. I feel like I haven’t really gotten to that point yet. It would be really cool, though. I don’t know if I would know how to speak around all these athletes, but it would be super cool.
Dean Linke
I heard Amy Griffin is like a fashionista, so if you need any tips on right, Amy? What do you think?
Amy Griffin
I think we should all wear our opening ceremonies. Kate you saved that didn’t you?
Kate Ward
It was donated.
Dean Linke
Oh, you donated yours. Okay. How were the outfits for opening ceremonies?
Amy Griffin
I’ll send you a picture. The absolute worst.
Joy Fawcett
It was a good laugh, though.
Kate Ward
It was Khaki pants, and they weren’t fitted the right way. And then these denim button up shirts, and it was a great look.
Dean Linke
Amy, we are going to ask for pictures. Would that be your picture? You would post?
Amy Griffin
100%
Dean Linke
United Soccer Coaches Podcast dedicating the entire month to the Disability Allies Community. Their chair, Kate Ward, will have guests. Kate Ward is a guest today with the great Amy Griffin and Joy Fawcett. We’ll return for one more segment after these messages from United Soccer Coaches and their corporate partners.
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Dean Linke
Welcome back to the United Soccer Coaches Podcast, presented by League Apps. I’m Dean Linke with three of my favorite people Kate Ward, Amy Griffin, and Joy Fawcett. The USA deaf women’s soccer team just won the Deaflympics in May down in Brazil. They beat Poland in penalty kicks. I think if my count is right, it’s three Olympic gold medals and two World Cup titles overall. Are there more than that, Kate?
Kate Ward
Yes, sir. That’s correct.
Dean Linke
Okay. And you’ve got all five, right? Aren’t you a part of all of them?
Kate Ward
Yes, I was.
Dean Linke
That’s why it’s so important that you stay around for one more World Cup and try to get it done. Joy, you know the deal, like, when you finally got to walk away from the game, it’s tough, right? So if you can get one more World Cup out of your body, you got to go for it, don’t you?
Joy Fawcett
Oh, yeah. You want to end on top there in that World Cup. Add one more.
Amy Griffin
No pressure.
Joy Fawcett
Yeah. You can do it.
Kate Ward
I’ll do it if they do. So that’s the deal.
Dean Linke
Okay. All right. How do you like that pressure, Amy?
Amy Griffin
Yeah, it’s a lot of pressure.
Dean Linke
That does leave me. We talked about all the stuff Kate’s doing, but, Amy, I just rattled off everything you’re doing as you’re leading this team. You also work with OL Reign Academy, and you’re the president of the Girls Academy. How do you do it all?
Amy Griffin
I actually just took my President hat off last week, which is great, and my term is up for the Girls Academy. I’m sure I’ll still be very involved, so I don’t know how we’re still doing this. It is a ton of fun. It is because of the players, 100%. And some of it, I think, is a little bit nostalgic because the lack of funding and the lack of awareness reminds us of where we were back in the feel like we’ve been able to help gain some traction and some interest and awareness. And I also love the players. They’re not looking for handouts. They’re ready with solutions. And we do free clinics every camp for deaf and hard of hearing kids, and they really want to grow the game.
Amy Griffin
And I would love to ask I’d love to shout out there if there’s any coaches that are deaf or hard of hearing that you’re interested in getting their coaching licenses. US Soccer has struggled to make it work for deaf and hard of hearing candidates. So my thought is to help. That will be the new bucket I jump into. My thought is to help do programming where if they all came together at one time, we could do a course for them, like start at the D course level. Joy and I would love to have an assistant that’s deaf or hard of hearing, and I’m sure the players absolutely need it. Absolutely needed. And it’s not like people have been knocking on my door. So, again, that’s a bucket that I think coaches are under invited, that are deaf or hard of hearing and I think they need a platform for them to succeed as well.
Dean Linke
Kate, once again, and I know Amy is going to call me a sychophant, but I just call like I see it. I mean, when you hear her talk like that and advocate for your team, can you put in the words how that makes you feel?
Kate Ward
What Amy and Joy, both of them have done for our team is beyond words and I think the way that they always are thinking about ways to make it more inclusive and better for all of us is really it makes them very special human beings. So we’re very lucky to have them in our corner and to have such huge advocates in them.
Dean Linke
Speaking of national team success and Disability Awareness Month, Carson Pickett made history in the last game against Columbia. As a player with a disability, how does that make all three of you feel? I’ve been the long time voice of the Courage. She is just a wonderful woman. I’m so happy for her. I also think she’s one of the best left backs in the world, but that was a pretty neat opportunity. I’ll let you go first Kate and then Amy and Joy.
Kate Ward
It is incredible. And I think about how I grew up without role models who have disabilities and to know that this generation can look up to someone like her is incredible. And it was cool for me to see, it was cool for all my teammates to see. So I love that story and I love watching her play.
Amy Griffin
Yeah, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Carson a long time ago. I don’t know if it was U17 team or U20 team and so to see her get her first cap and then they kept showing the pictures of sort of a kaleidoscope of pictures that I saw on the website of her bumping the little tiny young boy that also had the same situation. And I just think a picture says 1000 words. So for her to be able to make it on the biggest stage is huge. And like I said, if we keep providing places for people to improve and be valued, then there’s going to be more people like Carson, more people like Kate.
Joy Fawcett
Yeah, it’s amazing and it’s great for kids to see that and to see that they can do whatever they want to do. They love soccer, they can do it no matter what and to have fun with it and it’s for everybody and everyone can be included and do what they want with it. So it’s awesome to see that. And same thing with thsi deaf soccer team, all of them. That’s what they do in every community. They show that doesn’t matter, everyone’s included and you could do it no matter what. So that’s what I love about this team as well.
Dean Linke
Well said Joy, a US Soccer Hall of Famer as we wrap up our time and again, we’re going to spend all month with the Disability Allies Community. Their chair, Kate Ward, who won another gold medal in May as the team was coached by Amy and Joy. And let’s go full nostalgia. And then, Kate, I want to find out kind of who’s been your inspirational coach, but I didn’t grow up playing soccer. My first camp, I get sent out to Santa Barbara and I go into the room and Anson Dorrance gives a speech about you women going out there, working hard enough to turn your intestines into diamonds. And I’ve never heard that from any of my football or baseball or basketball teams. I mean, it was just incredible motivational, coach, and I was all in, and I’ve been all in ever since then. Amy and Joy, as you think about role models in your life for wanting to stay in the game, who are some key people that really inspired you?
Joy Fawcett
Probably a lot of my teammates at the time. Just watching them bring it every day inspired me all the time. I mean, to work hard and have that discipline, it was my teammate. Knowing that they were doing the same on the other coast or in their own home state pushed me to want to be my best along with my family.
Amy Griffin
I didn’t look at them as role models. I just looked at them as people that I wanted to be like. I didn’t know that was what a role model was. And so I think even when I stepped into the national team, I wasn’t equipped. I wasn’t qualified, but I hid it really well. And then I figured it out. Because there were the inspirational talks because I saw someone right next to me doing it. And so you just find a way and I didn’t want to leave that environment. I loved it. I didn’t want to not be invited, so I did whatever I could to be invited. And I also think I really lucked out in the area of the country that I grew up in. Washington State has always had a lot of places for women to succeed. And soccer, the soccer history is really rich. When the NASL folded, all those guys on the Sounders stayed around and started coaching teams, and I benefited from that, and they thought the girls were as cool as the guys back then. So I didn’t realize it was different in other parts of the country. But I had female players that were three and four and five and six years older than me, that were way better than me, that took me under their wing.
Dean Linke
Great answers. Kate, you heard their answers. You heard me tell the story. I’m not even sure if you were born in ’91 or not, but who’s been some key role models and people that have inspired you?
Kate Ward
I’ve been really lucky because I’ve been able to grow up with those role models because of these two women and other women like them. So I was lucky to grow up with that. Kind of like Joy said, I’ve been inspired by my deaf teammates because they’re people just like me, and to see their success on and off the field has really been incredible for my development as a person. And then I think the really easy answer is for my coaching role models are these two. They’ve been huge advocates for me personally and for this team. So I’m really lucky to know them. And I’m always like, when someone says they know them, they’re like, Oh, they’re so cool. I’m like, Yeah, I know they’re cool. So I’ve been super lucky in that sense.
Dean Linke
All right, just two more questions and I’ll let all three of you go. It’s outstanding to kick off Disability Awareness Month with Kate Ward, Amy Griffin and Joy Fawcett. And Amy, I hope you coach forever, but one thing to keep in mind as you think about it, and I love your plug for other coaches, I think we can get one more World Cup out of Kate Ward, but then Kate Ward would be a pretty good coach for this team as well, don’t you think? Down the road?
Amy Griffin
Yeah. You don’t think I’ve hinted. I’ve done more than hint. I flat out said. Yeah, we are recruiting hard, and she’s an excellent coach, and I know that she wants to continue to grow her coaching acumen is always looking for learning opportunities and always looking for different environments to jump into, which is exactly what you want. And like I said, I don’t think mine and Joy’s process wouldn’t have been so slow if we had another assistant that could teach us while they’re grabbing a bite to eat and we don’t have to ask them every single time. So, yes, Kate would be an obvious answer for sure.
Joy Fawcett
It’s way more than obvious. The team would benefit huge. So someday, I’m hoping soon that she’ll come and coach. She’s already coaching, so she knows all that.
Amy Griffin
She tells us when we’ve completely blown it.
Dean Linke
That’s awesome. Kate, I love that. As we close it out, obviously I told you I was going to have a blast because, Amy and Joy, I’m such a huge fan of. And so thanks for letting me go down that nostalgic road. Kate, with you as we kick off Disability Awareness Month, but you heard their sentiment about United Soccer Coaches. All three of you have talked quite a bit about USADeafSoccer.com. Kate Ward, in your own words, what do you want people to be aware of out there, with or without disabilities?
Kate Ward
The most important things that anyone can do in regards to disability is one like, we need to make every environment inclusive, no matter the ability, no matter the background, ethnicity, economic status, sexuality, any of that stuff. Like, every environment, particularly in sports, needs to be inclusive because sports are really powerful in that sense.
Kate Ward
And then I think the second thing is when you’re having those conversations about ways to make those environments more inclusive is you need to include those people that you’re talking about. Amy kind of touched on that briefly, but from a disability standpoint, you should always be asking those questions to those people whose decisions you’re making for, like, you shouldn’t be making those decisions for them. So those are the two most important things, I think, when you’re trying to create an inclusive environment.
Dean Linke
I love your message. I’m so glad that you have the entire month as well. For great guests, good luck with your ESPY. I hope you win it. I hope you get there as well. But just being nominated, I know you know, is an incredible honor. Congratulations on all you’re doing with FIFA as well. Before I say goodbye to you, Kate, can you plug the Disabilities Allies Community or social media for them?
Kate Ward
You can go on the website and find our page on the United Soccer Coaches Advocacy page. We don’t have social media, but that’s where some good information is for our group.
Dean Linke
And Joy Fawcett, I know you’re shy, and I’ve told you this before, but I live in Chapel Hill, so I still see Anson periodically. And Anson still says you’re the best defender that he’s ever coached. And Amy, you’ve heard him talk about that as well as Joy fawcett is a Hall of Famer for a reason. Just being involved in this team and still being involved in the game. Joy, first of all, it’s an honor to see you again, but I’m assuming it means so much to you to be a part of this USA Deaf Women’s National Team.
Joy Fawcett
Oh, yeah, it’s a huge honor. To be a part of it and be able to ride their coattails with their championships has been awesome. They’re an awesome group. I love working with them. I love how they want to learn. I love how they want to raise awareness everywhere they go. It’s awesome. So I can’t wait until we have a World Cup here, Deaf World Cup here, and the Deaflympics here in the United States.
Dean Linke
Well, there we go. That is the next thing for sure. And, Amy, as we close it out, I’m beyond proud of the leader that you have become on so many levels, including for this team, but really for women’s soccer across the country, maybe even across the world, I mean, you’ve really stepped up and people are taking notice of it. People are talking about what a great leader you are. We’ve already talked about your humor as well. As you settle into this role and you’re, like Joy, are also a mom. You settle into that role. Those are obviously big words, but people mean them. I’m not just saying them to throw it out there. What does it mean to you to have that big role?
Amy Griffin
Honestly, it’s been an accident. And you said settling in. There’s no settling, I’m not a person that settles. So I echo what Joy says. It’s just been an honor. And I think one of the things I’ve been I’ve just been really blessed that people who have asked me to do things and I’ve just had the courage to say yes. And that’s about where it ends. And then I’m not going to do it if I’m not going to give my best effort. And I’ll make mistakes along the way and people are more than happy to tell me where they are and I just use it as a learning experience. So I have to think of win is information and a loss of information and that’s all going to help you get better and the journey will never end, regardless of which hat I’m wearing.
Dean Linke
Another great sound bite from Amy Griffin. Kate, would you like to close it out?
Amy Griffin
Thank you so much to United Soccer Coaches for having us on today. It’s always so fun to hear Amy and Joy talk about their experiences in the soccer world and leadership, and it’s something that you always learn from in every conversation. Dean’s always a blast. So we’re super happy to have this month to keep talking about the sport of soccer with disabilities and to have some of the leaders in disability soccer world join Dean for the month. So thank you for tuning in.
Dean Linke
Indeed, thanks for tuning in. And thank you, Kate, Amy and Joy for kicking off the first of several shows this month as we dedicate the entire month to the Disability Allies Community led by Kate Ward. I also want to thank Bailey Conklin, Brandon Milburn, Erika Dyer, Geoff VanDeusen and the great people at United Soccer Coaches. Our producer is Collin Thrash. For each and every one of them, I’m Dean Linke.
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