Reign media day moments: Olivia Van Der Jagt and Sam Hiatt
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – On the first ever OL Reign media day in club history, five groups of players spoke with the media in attendance over the course of the day to discuss their off-season's, the season ahead, and several other topics. Those groups came to speak with the media between different engagements that they were participating in for the league, which we will see throughout the course of the season. The fifth group that day was two young, local talented players on this Reign roster in midfielder Olivia Van Der Jagt and defender Sam Hiatt.
More Huskies staying home
As a Husky myself (class of 2023?), it is always incredible to see University of Washington players stay close to home with the Reign, let alone any local talent from the state. With four Huskies putting on Reign kits if you include Van Der Jagt (Hope Solo, Kate Deines, and Lindsay Elston being the first three), there is a real possibility that two more women of Purple and Gold could join the club this season, at some point. The Reign drafted defender Shae Holmes this season with their second-round selection, who they moved up (originally pick #23, traded up to #19) select. The second potential Husky to join this season would be forward McKenzie Weinert, who is currently not on the 32-player preseason roster. It was a surprise to see Weinert’s name absent from that roster announcement, for a few reasons (lack of forwards on the roster + Weinert scoring in her limited minutes of the Club America friendly) but we may see her back down the line.
“It’s been really fun. I’ve been with (defender) Shae (Holmes), obviously, for four years because I took my fifth year. So, it’s been really fun having them around and having your close friends that you went through college with. It’s fun to see them grow and play in this environment. I think they are doing great. Yeah, it’s just a fun time to be all together again.”
Olivia Van Der Jagt moments through 2022 (Photos by Liz Wolter)
Growing into a key role with the club
Kirkland native Sam Hiatt has evolved year by year on the Reign backline, making strides amongst an accomplished veteran group of defenders. Playing next to stalwart center back Alana Cook the last two seasons, Hiatt has taken steps each year in the league (now entering her fourth in the NWSL) to get better following an impressive career at Stanford, where her center back-mate Cook also went to college. Following some shuffling around on the back line through her career, Hiatt has excelled as a center back alongside Cook and helped form a Reign back four that (in addition to the excellent play of goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce) allowed the fewest goals in the NWSL this past season. Heading into a year where once again the Reign are looking to get over the hump of a playoff semifinal, Hiatt’s play will be critical to defensive strength for the club that calls Lumen home.
“It is kind of crazy. When people ask me how many years I have been here, I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is my fourth year’, which doesn’t sound right but it’s also due to the pandemic. I do think, as (midfielder Olivia Van der Jagt) Olo said, every year, the more experience you gain, it just gets a little bit easier, you kind of know what to expect, both from the team and the league and from yourself. Every year, I’ve learned a little bit more and I do think I’m close enough to remember what it’s like to be a new player in the league and I think I just try and help in any way I can and answer any questions and honestly, just do, for any of our new players, what the amazing veterans did for me when I was new to the team because they made me feel so welcome and comfortable right from the start and I just want every rookie and new player to experience that because ultimately, I think that’s part of what makes this team and club so special, is that everyone has a safe space to be themselves and when someone can be themselves and be comfortable, that’s when you’ll get the best soccer out of them. So, I think it’s something that we try to make sure everyone feels when they join the team.”
Sam Hiatt answers questions following the February 10th, 2023 training at Starfire (Photos by Liz Wolter)
The thriving women’s sports scene in Seattle
With both Van Der Jagt and Hiatt growing up locally and then ending up staying locally, they’ve been able to witness the sports scene (more specifically soccer scene) grow in the Pacific Northwest more and more as their lives have gone on. Across their lives are multiple examples of that growth, from going to watch the Reign at Memorial stadium, Van Der Jagt playing at UW where young girls often line the sidelines to watch the matches, or recently both visiting “Rough & Tumble Pub,” only the second sports bar in the country to primarily showcase women’s sports. With the success of the Reign and Storm, plus many more teams in this city, that growth will thrive as time ticks on.
“I feel like there has been so much growth and I feel like an eye-opener, just like our semi-final game last year, how many fans we got out was just really, really cool to see the support and how much it’s grown. Getting the girls out to be ball girls, I feel like that’s something we can continue to push on because I feel like that’s where the exposure - kind of like the youth soccer standpoint is really cool because I remember when I was growing up, I was a ball girl at the (University of Washington) UW games so it was just cool to see the younger girls coming and supporting and looking up to you as role models. It’s just really cool to see.”
Olivia Van Der Jagt at Reign training on March 7th, 2023 at Starfire (Photo by Liz Wolter)
“I feel like it’s one of those things where, I don’t think about that off the top of my head, it’s just me going to a game but like you said, I remember being the one going to Reign games at Memorial (Stadium) or going to the UW games and trying to get a signature from the players and just thinking it’s so cool that they played college soccer and it’s so cool that they’re professional athletes and wow, they get to play soccer for their job? That’s awesome. I just really hope that we continue to encourage, young girls, in particular, in the greater Seattle area since we are both from here, just to play and keep coming to games and I think it really is cool that we have Lumen as the platform now to get even more people from Seattle to come. It really is, I think, the platform that we and the club and the players deserve. It was really nice seeing all the fans come out last year and culminating in a pretty awesome semifinal, so I hope to see everybody out at Lumen, again, this year.”
Sam Hiatt at the Reign March 7th training (Photo by Liz Wolter)