Monday, October 29, 2012

Sports Injury Prevention Program, Sponsored By DePuy Mitek, Comes To Tampa With Soccer Star Heather Mitts (via PR Newswire)

RAYNHAM, Mass., Oct. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As an official sports medicine sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, DePuy Mitek has launched a national Sports Injury Prevention Program to educate parents, coaches and young athletes about the importance of preventing sports-related injuries. As part…

Friday, October 12, 2012

Heather Mitts Talks Tailgating & U.S. WNT Fan Tribute Tour!

Tailgate parties are notorious for being a great time with family, friends, fellow fans and greasy, fattening food and beer. For those of us looking to have fun cheering on our favorite team with those we care about at the stadium, it can be hard to give up the food we love, but know isn’t healthy for us. Three time Olympic gold medalist, football fan, and NFL wife Heather Mitts joined me yesterday to talk about everything from creating a tailgate party with healthy delicious meal options to custom cocktails and decor. The soccer star also dished on the U.S. Women’s National Team Fan Tribute Tour, and where you’ll see her and the gold medal winning soccer team next!

Candace Rose: What’s the secret to throwing a fun festive tailgate party that’s fit for a lady, but men will love too?
Heather Mitts: “Well, I think all the things that you can bring to the tailgate are from your home, so you’re basically just sprucing it up a little bit and making it a little more fun, more ladylike and having some food that’s a little more mindful on the waistline, as well as the drinks from Skinnygirl.”
Candace Rose: Are tailgates still all about hamburgers, hotdogs and wings, or are there any new food trends you’re seeing?
Heather Mitts: “We’re not doing that anymore, at least at our tailgate! We’re making it a little bit more on the healthy side. We still have stuff that’s very tasty, like guacamole and chips, and then we have some vegetables. We’re going to do a whole little salsa bar. The perfect spiral salsa is amazing, it has avocado and tomatoes in there. And also the sideline skewers, which have tomato, basil and mozzarella – which are my favorite. Bring out your mason jars and a little vase, and just try to make it a little prettier than you otherwise would.”
Candace Rose: Everything sounds extremely delicious! How about when it comes to drinks, what are the must haves?
Heather Mitts: “Well, my personal favorite is the Bloody Mary Blitz, and that’s with the Skinnygirl Cucumber Vodka. The Red Zone’s a great one. We have mason jars and little garnishes and trying to make it pretty. People can come over here and serve themselves.  And then the really easy one is the White Cranberry Cosmo, which you just chill it. It’s really simple, you just pour it in a pretty glass, put some cranberries in there, and then voila you’ve just sassed up your tailgate.”
Candace Rose: Do you have any additional tips or information you’d like to share with us?
Heather Mitts; “All of the things I’ve shared today can be found on Skinnygirlcocktails.com, but just show up with some yummy food, great drinks and just have a lot of fun!”
Candace Rose: And as for you, Heather congratulations on winning your third Olympic gold medal in London this past summer. Can you tell us about the U.S. Women’s National Team Fan Tribute Tour?
Heather Mitts: “It’s actually going on right now. We’ve only had a couple games, and the next two coming up are in Chicago and Hartford, and then we take a little break and we go to Portland, and then to Arizona, and then we have a couple more after that. It’s just a great opportunity for us to be able to travel around and play in front of our fans.”
Candace Rose: We hope to see you in Northern California!
Heather Mitts: “That would be great. We would love that too, so hopefully we do see you there.”

Monday, August 20, 2012

Gold Medal for Mitts

Heather Mitts of the U.S. celebrates with her team mates after winning their women's soccer final gold medal match against Japan at Wembley Stadium during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 9, 2012.


USA's Heather Mitts: Every team has a chance to win Gold at this summer's Olympics

From: Goal.com - re-post from June 28, 2012

Despite having 123 international caps and two Olympic Gold medals, Heather Mitts is excited to aim for her third Gold with the United States this summer in the London Games.

In fact, she believes that winning in the Olympics is on the same level as winning the World Cup.

Yet, while Mitts is primarily focused on that tournament, she shares concerns with dozens of other professional women soccer players in the United States after the WPS disbanded in May, leaving many wondering about the future of women's soccer in the United States.  


Mitts spoke to Goal.com about those worried, as well as the chances for the Red, White and Blue in the Olympics.

Goal.com: Are you concerned about women's soccer future in America following WPS shutting down?

Mitts: Of course, it's very unfortunate news. But I believe the support is still there. We just saw 50,000 people at the women's Champions League final. Even with the WPS in the state that it's in, we still have [domestic] teams playing. There are tons of fans coming to support the Sounders and the Breakers.

It's all about finding the right people to run the league. When we can find that, I think it will be a great combination because the players are there and the support is there.

Did the WPS have issues at the top?

I think it was just difficult to get everyone on the same page in terms of marketing. I think we also need the economy to go back to the right direction.

What would you change to market it better?

I think from my experience with the national team, it has to be about the grassroots - players willing to meet with fans in the stands and going out to the community. You don't want to do it to the point where fans have all met you and have your autographs but you want to be a draw that gets people.

It's a group effort and I think everyone as a whole has to do a better job.

Considering that the U.S. women's players are so popular stateside, would those solutions help a new domestic league?

It's really difficult just because all of the stuff with the league when we're about to go to the Olympics.

I think looking around the world, the U.S. might need to start at a lower level. The WPS started right away as a full professional league and leagues around the world usually start semi-pro before getting successful enough to move up. I think you need to allow people to have another job at the same time as going and playing. We need to take a page from the European leagues and see how they've been able to stay around.

If there isn't a league within the next year or so, would you consider playing in Europe?

I think because I'm an older player, I wouldn't. If I was a younger player, I definitely would. I think it would be a good experience. I also believe that you will see a lot of players moving to Europe if things aren't resolved here. Hopefully, things will be resolved. You want to play in front of your fans and have their support.

You've won two Olympic gold medals, are you motivated to win a third?

Absolutely, this is what we all dream about. As athletes, we all want to compete at the highest level and to represent your country. We've dreamed of this day since we were young girls, so to be able to do that is a dream come true.

Who else is going to be a favorite for Gold this summer?

I think every team in the Olympics has a chance to win. That's the unique thing about the women's game now, anyone can win on any given day. We try not to look too far ahead.

Obviously, our group isn't going to be easy, especially playing France in our first game. We consider them to be a good team. It's going to be one of the best games [of the Olympics]. They are a very tough team to play against. Considering how our group is and the road to the final, I think this is going to be the toughest competition that we've been a part of.

Which is more important: the World Cup or the Olympics?

When you speak with women in Europe, they usually say that the World Cup is more important. But speaking with my teammates, we feel like both the World Cup and Olympics are equal. Neither is better than winning the other. Both are the pinnacles of our sport. 



Heather Mitts spoke with Goal.com on behalf of TRX® Suspension Trainer™, a form of training that she says enhances her fitness and stamina for U.S. Women's games.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Heather Mitts hosts youth camp before Olympics

Less than three weeks before her first match in the 2012 Olympics in London, Hyde Park native Heather Mitts called it her “top priority” to host her fourth annual youth girls’ soccer camp in her hometown.
When the two-day camp opened Saturday with temperatures more than 100 degrees at Lakota West High School in West Chester, Mitts addressed the group of more than 200 young girls – telling them about the impact soccer camps had on her growing up.
“I remember those (camps) like they were yesterday. I had so much fun,” Mitts said. “I loved the competition and just the fact that you are out there to learn a little bit and play soccer everyday. It can’t get any better than that.”

While many young girls were getting their first taste of soccer at the camp, the 34-year-old Mitts said she is going to call it a career and retire after this summer’s Olympics games. “This is probably the fittest I have ever been, so to be able to walk away right now is kind of surreal, but I feel like this is the right time to do it,” said Mitts, who has endured numerous injuries throughout her soccer career. “I want to go out when I am still at the top of my game and there are other things that I do want to do in life.”
“This is the way it is going to end and hopefully it is with a gold medal around my neck.”
Once she retires, Mitts said that she wants to start a family with her husband A.J. Feeley, who has been a quarterback in the NFL since 2001. With Feeley currently a free agent, there are many unknowns about where the couple will put down their roots. However, with family still in Cincinnati, Mitts made it clear that she wants to continue hosting her annual event.
“We are still up in the air. They are still so many things to still decide, but I will continue to do this because this is something that is very, very special and dear to me,” Mitts said. “To be able to come home, where my soccer career began, is special and we need some more national team players from Cincinnati.”
While she wants to start a family first, Mitts is also hopeful to return sports television where she has already worked as a sideline reporter, studio analyst and color commentator for various sports networks including ESPN and ABC.
But before all of that, the defender wants one more gold medal.
“This is it for me, so I really have nothing to lose. I just want to go out there and play the best I can, help my team win another gold medal in whatever fashion that may be,” Mitts said. “We have already made it to the Olympics, so from here on out it is just icing on the cake.”
Mitts and Team USA, which is No. 1 in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, will open Group G play against France at Hampden Park in Glasgow Scotland at 5 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET) July 25 – two days prior to the Olympics’ opening ceremonies.